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19 Facts About Thomas Hynes

1.

Thomas Charles Hynes was a physics teacher who served as Cook County Assessor, President of the Illinois Senate, and 19th Ward Democratic Committeeman.

2.

Thomas Hynes was the father of former Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes.

3.

Thomas Hynes received his bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago and his JD degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

4.

Thomas Hynes practiced law and taught law at John Marshall Law School.

5.

Thomas Hynes served as President of the Illinois Senate from 1977 to 1978.

6.

Thomas Hynes was succeeded in the Illinois Senate by Jeremiah E Joyce.

7.

Thomas Hynes long held a role in the Democratic National Committee, which he held until retiring in 2014.

8.

Thomas Hynes served as the Illinois state chairman of Bill Clinton's 1996 presidential campaign.

9.

Thomas Hynes was elected Cook County Assessor in 1978 and re-elected five times, resigning in 1997.

10.

Thomas Hynes resigned from the Illinois Senate after being elected assessor.

11.

In 1987, Thomas Hynes ran against incumbent Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, the city's first black mayor.

12.

Thomas Hynes opted to run third-party to avoid creating a three-way split in the primary election, similar to the one Washington benefited from in the 1983 primary.

13.

Thomas Hynes claimed he was a fresh alternative to the dirty infighting that had defined Chicago politics in recent years.

14.

Thomas Hynes talked about being the issue-oriented candidate as opposed to some of the other candidates who allegedly talked about each other.

15.

In one of his commercials, Thomas Hynes contended that he could reunite a divided city and make Chicago great again.

16.

The commercial comically featured a supporter falling asleep while Thomas Hynes droned on and on about budget issues.

17.

Washington challenged Thomas Hynes' billing of himself as a clean, peaceful man.

18.

Thomas Hynes did not throw his support to any of the remaining candidates, but suggested that either Vrdolyak or Haider should drop out make it a one-on-one race against Washington.

19.

Thomas Hynes died on May 4,2019, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago from complications due to Parkinson's disease.