While Sen. Peter Fitzgerald alienated many of his fellow Republicans, especially in his home state of Illinois, he did follow the traditional conservative line on social issues. When he announced his retirement after just one term last week, there were no tears shed by GLBT activists. Fitzgerald had a 0% rating in the 107th Congress and a 14% in the 106th from the Human Rights Campaign.
Fitzgerald would have faced stiff competition from several already-announced Democratic challengers, including state Sen. Barack Obama and Blair Hull. Fitzgerald’s retirement makes the Senate race even more open for the Democrats to recapture the seat lost by Carol Moseley Braun.
Meanwhile, the response is more mixed with the retirement of Chicago Police Supt. Terry Hillard. He was seen as strongly supportive of his officers—even when they may have crossed the line.
He was also one of the city’s most progressive superintendents on GLBT officers and citizens, often attending hate-crime and anti-violence marches.