In the 2020 Cook County, State's Attorney election held on November 3, 2020, incumbent state's attorney Kim Foxx (a Democrat) won reelection to a second term, defeating Republican Pat O'Brien in the general election. Foxx had earlier defeated three opponents in the Democratic primary.

Democratic primary Incumbent Kim Foxx faced three opponents in the two former Assistant State's Attorneys, Bill Conway and Donna More, and former Chicago alderman Bob Fioretti.

The money spent in the Democratic primary made this the most expensive State's Attorney election in Cook County to date. Conway raised $11.9 million in campaign funds, most of which was from his father William E. Conway's cumulative donations of $10.5 million. Foxx raised $2.8 million, and her biggest donors include Fred Eychaner and the political action committee of SEIU Illinois.Foxx's campaign committee was created prior to her previous run for the office in the 2016 election. This amount counts all donations received by the committee after December 1, 2016, when Foxx first took office. More raised $406,000 and Fioretti raised $20,000.Fioretti's campaign committee had been active for several of his prior runs for office. This amount counts all donations received by the committee since April 2019, after the end of the 2019 Chicago mayoral election where Fioretti last ran for office.

Candidates in the Democratic primary The following candidates ran for the Democratic Party nomination for State's Attorney: CandidateExperienceCampaignRefBill ConwayFormer Navy Intelligence officerFormer Cook County Assistant State's AttorneyWebsiteBob FiorettiFormer Chicago alderman for the 2nd wardCandidate for Mayor of Chicago in the 2015 and 2019 electionsCandidate for Cook County Board President in 2018Candidate for Illinois State Senate in 2016Website Kim FoxxIncumbentFormer Chief of Staff for Cook County Board PresidentFormer Cook County Assistant State's AttorneyWebsiteDonna MoreCandidate for Cook County State's Attorney in 2016Former U.S. Attorney and Cook County Assistant State's AttorneyWebsite

Endorsements for the Democratic primary

Polls for the Democratic primary Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillConway BobFioretti Kim Foxx DonnaMore Undecided WGN-TV/Emerson College/Nexstar March 11–12, 2020 567 ± 4.1 20.3% 4.3% 36.3% 4.8% 34.2% Ogden & Fry March 7, 2020 466 ± 4.63 31.7% 9.0% 48.2% 11.1% – 19.5% 4.2% 33.0% 5.8% 37.5% Anzalone Liszt Grove Research February 13–16, 2020 600 ± 4.0 26% 5% 28% 4% Anzalone Liszt Grove Research January 22, 2020 16% 8% 32% 5% Anzalone Liszt Grove Research December 8, 2019 14% 11% 36% 6%

Results of the Democratic primary

Republican primary Pat O'Brien defeated Christopher Pfannkuche. Pfannkuche had been the Republican nominee for State's Attorney in 2016.

Candidates in the Republican primary The following candidates ran for the Republican party nomination for State's Attorney: CandidateExperienceCampaignRefPat O'BrienFormer Judge, Cook County Circuit Court 1st Municipal DistrictWebsiteChristopher PfannkucheLawyerWebsite

Write-in candidates Richard Mayers, > perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist, write-in candidate for Chicago Mayor, City Clerk, Treasurer, and alderman in 2019; congressional candidate in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, 2018, and 2020; 1998 State House candidate; 1993 Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate; write-in candidate for U.S. Senator in 2020; write-in candidate in 2020 Illinois Republican presidential primary

Endorsements for the Republican primary

Results of the Republican primary

General election Polls for the general election Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Kim Foxx Pat O'Brien Undecided Ogden & Fry / Cook County Republican Party October 18, 2020 473 ± 3.6947.1% 40.6%9.8% Ogden & Fry September 5, 2020 447 ± 3.7748.1% 33.8% 18.1%

Endorsements for the general election

Results of the general election

Kim Fox's performance 54.21% vote share was the lowest performance by a Democratic nominee in a Cook County state's attorney election since 1996. It was also the worst that a re-nominated incumbent has performed in a general election for Cook County state's attorney since the same election, which saw Republican incumbent Jack O'Malley lose reelection. Conversely, O'Brien's 39.08% share of the vote was the best performance by a Republican since 1996 and Dennehy's 6.71% share of the vote was best performance by as third-party candidate since 1996.

Only Democrats have held this office ever since Richard A. Devine unseated Republican Jack O'Malley.

See also 2020 Cook County, Illinois, elections 2020 Illinois elections

Notes

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