Chicago City Wire

Ammie Kessem is back on the beat as a Chicago police sergeant, after losing her bid for a House seat in the 19th District to incumbent state Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago).

“As a brand new name and a Republican, we pulled about 40 percent of it away from a Democrat incumbent whose family name has held the seat for decades,” Matt Podgorski, who works with the Kessem campaign, told the Chicago City Wire. “I am very proud of what we have accomplished here on the Northwest Side.”

Her opponent, state Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago), is a three-term incumbent who walked away with 60 percent of the vote, according to NBC-5 Chicago. He easily won the race, despite floating the idea of a progressive income tax plan.

State Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is re-elected.

But Kessem is not surprised. She said the mechanics of a progressive tax hike, championed by Gov. Elect J.B. Pritzker, are misunderstood by some voters or embraced by others.

“I do not think most of their supporters truly understand this concept,” Kessem said. “They do not understand that their pocketbooks just got a little lighter. For those who do understand it, I believe these individuals want a socialistic society and will stop at nothing to achieve it.”

Democrats took many races last night, including the governorship. Pritzker, the gubernatorial winner, took 54 percent of the vote, ousting GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner. 

“The governor made critical errors and lost his base, especially during his last year,” Podgorski said. “Unfortunately the decisions he made lead to an enormous lack of support for him, which made it virtually impossible for him to win.”

As for Kessem’s future, the Chicago police sergeant said she has “a great job that (she) truly loves.”

“I will continue to serve and protect my community the way that I have always done,” she said in a statement.