Down Ballot: How a Local Campaign Became a National Referendum on Abortion

By Patrick Wohl

Book Overview

When an obscure primary election met the culture wars

In 1990, a suburban Chicago race for the Republican Party nomination for state representative unexpectedly became a national proxy battle over abortion in the United States. But the hard-fought primary also illustrated the overlooked importance of down-ballot contests in America's culture wars. Patrick Wohl offers the dramatic account of a rollercoaster campaign that, after attracting political celebrities and a media circus, came down to thirty-one votes, a coin toss to determine the winner, and a recount fight that set a precedent for how to count dimpled chads. As the story unfolds, Wohl provides a rare nuts-and-bolts look at an election for state office from its first days through the Illinois Supreme Court decision that decided the winner--and set the stage for a decisive 1992 rematch.

A compelling political page-turner, Down Ballot takes readers behind the scenes of a legendary Illinois election.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0252087585
• ISBN13: 9780252087585
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: 3 Fields Books
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 8.9"