Donna More announces primary bid against Kim Foxx in campaign video

Former prosecutor Donna More, who placed third in the 2016 Democratic primary for Cook County state’s attorney, is joining the fray to unseat incumbent Kim Foxx in next year’s contest, according to a video posted to her campaign website Saturday.

“I’ve got the experience we need to turn the state’s attorney’s office into a public trust,” More said in the two-minute clip.

“I’m running for state’s attorney because the change we need starts with defeating Kim Foxx, and I’m just the woman for the job.”

The former assistant U.S. attorney and assistant Cook County state’s attorney highlighted many of the same issues she did in her 2016 bid, promising to reduce gun violence, hold politicians accountable and reform a system “where too many non-violent offenders are behind bars and too many violent criminals walk the street.”

A spokesperson for More’s campaign said she will officially kick off her campaign with an announcement this week, but a date and time has not yet been set.

Without explicitly mentioning Foxx’s controversial handling of the Jussie Smollett case, More in the video accused Foxx of failing to clean up political corruption in Cook County.

“Her policies have divided us and cost taxpayers millions. This must stop,” she said in the video.

“It’s time for Cook County to take back its future and free itself from corruption and bullying.”

More, a Georgetown law graduate who also was the first woman to serve as the Illinois Gaming Board’s general counsel, finished third in the 2016 primary with 13% of the vote behind Foxx’s 58.3% and then-incumbent Anita Alvarez’s 28.7%.

Foxx, who locked up the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party earlier this month, has started courting donors as challengers emerge ahead of the March 17 primary.

Former prosecutor Bill Conway is already officially in against Foxx, with his campaign fueled by a $500,000 donation from his billionaire father, Carlyle Group co-founder William Conway Jr.

And former mayoral candidate Jerry Joyce has expressed interest in jumping into the Democratic primary race, as has former alderman and two-time mayoral candidate Bob Fioretti.

Christopher Pfannkuche, who ran as a Republican in 2016, has said he’ll try again, and former prosecutor and retired Cook County Judge Pat O’Brien is expected to announce his GOP candidacy on Tuesday.