Scenes from the Illinois Democratic Primary Election with current Governor Pat Quinn campaigning for re-election. February 2, 2010. Chicago. I had the privilege of documenting a good portion of the Governor’s day, from casting his own ballot in the morning to his victory speech at night. It turned out to be a close race between Quinn and candidate Dan Hynes, with no clear winner the night of the election. It was, for me, an introduction into the world of political photojournalism. I’d been wanting to get more involved in this field for a while, so shooting a governor was a great experience and gave me some insight into this world. Much like any field, you will find plenty of crazy people who are so entrenched into the scene that they come off as maniacs to an outsider such as myself. I was more taken, however, by the general generosity and drive possessed by most of the people I encountered, namely the dozens of people behind the scenes, volunteering their time to help a candidate they believe in. Quinn himself came off as a very genuine and likable guy, not so much like a typical politician we’ve all become accustomed to. Our stop at Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office was also inviting. Taking a break from “Da War Room” campaign responsibilities, Jesse offered us food and drinks and insisted we heat up the pizzas in his microwave. The majority of the politicians and staff I encountered all day left a positive mark on me and gave me a sense of optimism that perhaps there really are quite a few people out there dedicating their lives more to serving the people and less to serving their own self interests.
Time will tell if these initial insights are at all accurate in the big scope of things. Hopefully I will have more opportunities in the future to be a part of the political scene here in Chicago and elsewhere.
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