(Above) In one of 12 YouTube videos he created during his 2018 campaign for U.S. House of Representatives, Tommy Hanson stands with a Chicago Police Department “horse of honor” he purchased at an auction that benefited the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

By Steven Dahlman

20-May-24 – Seemingly undeterred, and unabashedly pro-Trump, a River North condominium unit owner is on his fourth attempt to defeat Illinois 5th District Congressman Mike Quigley.

Fifth attempt, if you count his attempt to defeat Rahm Emanuel.

Tommy Hanson, a commercial real estate broker and resident of 2 East Erie, will battle Quigley in the general election on November 5. Hanson defeated fellow Republican Frank Rowder in the March 19 primary, while Quigley ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary Election.

“If there’s ever going to be a Republican again in the Illinois 5th congressional district, this will be the time,” said Hanson, who calls himself a “MAGA Republican.”

“If President [Donald] Trump was elected in 2020, America wouldn’t be having a Ukrainian war,” said Hanson. “We wouldn’t be having problems in the Middle East. We wouldn’t be having problems at the border. We wouldn’t be having problems with the economy.” (Left) Hanson in front of Trump Tower in New York.

Hanson says the economy and crime continue to be the biggest problems for downtown residents.

“Interest rates aren’t going down, they’re going to go up,” said Hanson. “The government’s borrowing too much money and spending too much money. The government is relying totally on the Federal Reserve to solve the problems. The United States government should be cutting spending and increasing the economy with tax incentives.”

In a recent video message on social media, Hanson blamed Chicago’s issues on Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

“Over the last 20 years, [real estate] prices have been going down,” says Hanson in the April 26 video. “And rents are going up, condo assessments are going up, real estate taxes are going up, and crime is going up. And people are leaving this area, leaving Chicago, moving out of Illinois, while in other areas of the country, businesses are thriving, they’re growing. And this is a result of a Democrat mayor and a Democrat governor.”

The fifth congressional district extends as far south as East Grand Avenue, from the east side of State Street to the west side of Michigan Avenue.

Northward, it expands into Streeterville and Gold Coast, reaching as far north as Old McHenry Road & North Midlothian Road in Lake County.

Each time Hanson has run for the U.S. House of Representatives, he has captured increasingly more of the vote, without spending near as much money as his opponent.

In 2018, Hanson received 65,134 votes, representing 23.3 percent of votes cast, losing to Quigley, who received 213,992 votes. Hanson notes he spent about $200 on his 2018 campaign. Quigley, according to the Federal Election Commission, spent $1.2 million.

(Left) Quigley speaks at City Club of Chicago on May 13, 2019.

In 2020, Hanson received 96,200 votes, representing 26.6 percent of votes cast. Quigley won with 255,661 votes. Hanson says he spent about $250 on that campaign.

And in 2022, Hanson received 79,112 votes, or 28.8 percent, while Quigley won with 190,999 votes.

Hanson ran in 2008 against Emanuel, who won but later resigned to become White House Chief of Staff and was replaced by Quigley in a special election.

• More info: Vote for Tommy Hanson