Patricia Watkins, State Representative? Hopes To Replace Annazette Collins In Springfield

One of the most compelling candidates for Chicago mayor -- if not one of the highest vote-getters -- could find herself with a new political career in Springfield, with no election required.

Dr. Patricia Watkins was raised a child of the projects, and by the age of 17 was addicted to cocaine, signing over her paychecks from the steel mill where she worked directly to her dealer. But through a miraculous turnaround, she kicked drugs and became a fiery community advocate, lobbying the city and state for investment in poor and underserved communities. (See HuffPost Chicago's in-depth profile of Dr. Watkins here.)

She organized a grass-roots campaign for mayor, largely funded by Apostle Joseph Stanford, a central figure in her personal, religious and political careers. Despite raising over half a million dollars, Watkins won just shy of 10,000 votes in the February 22 election.

But her political career, it seems, may not be over yet. NBC Chicago reports that she is being considered by Democratic party leaders to fill a vacant state representative seat.

Watkins was in the running to fill the Senate seat vacated by the abrupt retirement of Rickey Hendon. But after many long rounds of intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations, State Rep. Annazette Collins won the seat, thanks in large part to backing from Ald. Sharon Denise Dixon, whose ward lies in Hendon's former district.

With Collins moving up, her old seat in the state House then fell vacant. She recommended her daughter for the job, but with characteristic directness, County Commissioner John Fritchey dismissed that notion. "I would say that that is highly unlikely, and that's probably an understatement," he said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In fact, it seems likely that the job may fall to Watkins. Secretary of State Jesse White controls most of the weighted votes in Collins's 10th District, and White backed Watkins for the Senate vacancy. Fritchey also seemed to like her, Tweeting, "Impressive presentation by Patricia Watkins. Lot of Springfield experience."

According to NBC, Dr. Watkins has said that she would continue to fight for her signature issues, like jobs for ex-offenders and sealing criminal records of those with low-level felonies, at the state level.

Comments

[Gerald GTone Thomas]

03:22 AM on 03/18/2011

I know Patricia Watkins very well and she is a very kind hearted sweet woman that did not deserved to be put on blast the way she was on national TV. But all that is now water under the bridge and she weathered another storm. Most of you all on here don't know but her daughter was killed in the plane accident over Lake Michigan in 1997 near the Museum of Science and Indusry. How do i know all of this? Because her daughter was going to be my wife.

[westreal]

02:41 PM on 03/17/2011

Never trust anyone who doesn't know what her goals are. First she wanted to be mayor and now she wants to be a State Rep? Sounds like she just want a government paycheck so she can sit around doing nothing.

[corwin]

09:28 PM on 03/16/2011

There are a couple of Q's that I wish someone would answer. Is she a physician ? If not,it seems a bit like (chuckle) Dr Jill Biden.
Secondly,is this job a raise in her income. I know the Chicago way is to have eveeryone employed in a publicly funded job,but,it's breaking down.At least Rahm stole his millions by selling influence.
And, I guess,if I may,Rahm made his 18.5 M as a' relationship banker' . Definitions?

[Jebus Chris]

05:37 PM on 03/17/2011

Medical doctors are not the only people with Dr. prefix. People who've earned doctorate degrees also have the prefix od Dr.

When I was a young lad in elementary school, like you I too wondered why the principal was Dr. Thomas as a kid I wondered was he a Doctor (M.D.) too.

Hopefully your a child asking such a childish question.

[YOKEL13]

07:11 PM on 03/16/2011

She resembles Carol Mosely-Braun. Doesn't mean anything.

[corwin]

09:28 PM on 03/16/2011

Carol Mosely Brown was , um ...

[crookedcountyillinois]

04:52 PM on 03/16/2011

I watched some of the Mayoral forums, including the on WTTW and Chicago Tonight. People often throw around the word Socialism, but this is one case where it is absolutely true. Watkins is a Socialist, in the true Stalinist sense of the word.

[YOKEL13]

07:13 PM on 03/16/2011

So did you vote for her or not?

[crookedcountyillinois]

09:16 PM on 03/16/2011

Nope

[KevinOConnor]

02:59 AM on 03/17/2011

How many Stalinists do you know who are or have been Pentecostal ministers?

[corwin]

11:11 AM on 03/17/2011

I don't follow the logic in your question.Cogito non,ergo Dem,huh?

[crookedcountyillinois]

02:45 PM on 03/17/2011

I'm not sure I understand what one has to do with the other...

[Alonso Edgar Zaragoza]

03:34 PM on 03/16/2011

Patricia would make a great state representative and would serve her district well.

[jayevans20]

03:03 PM on 03/16/2011

I'd vote for her if I could. I just wouldn't and didn't vote for her for mayor.