It looks like former south suburban state Rep. Robin Kelly may be getting a Democratic primary for state treasurer after all.Justin Oberman, the son of onetime Chicago alderman Martin Oberman, today said that he will formally announce on Monday that he is pulling out of the crowded field for lieutenant governor and instead will make a bid for the treasurer’s nomination. The treasurer’s office is being vacated by Alexi Giannoulias, who is running for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.
Oberman said he believed the treasurer’s job is “a very good fit for my background in the private sector and experience at the federal level” in putting a focus on encouraging job creation “as well as restoring integrity to state government.”Oberman, 35, of Chicago, said he had been encouraged to make the switch to treasurer by J.B. Pritzker, who for a time looked at running for the office. Oberman had been among more than a half-dozen Democrats saying they're contenders for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination.Oberman worked in the federal transportation and homeland security agencies before co-founding a company investing in aviation, security and green transportation development firms. For a brief time, Oberman was a candidate to replace former Democratic U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, now the White House chief of staff, in a special March primary election in the 5th Congressional District.Kelly, of Matteson, left the legislature to become Giannoulias’ chief of staff in the treasurer’s office. She has been campaigning for treasurer since her boss made it clear he would seek the U.S. Senate seat now held by Roland Burris. She escaped one primary challenge when Kip Kirkpatrick, co-founder of a health-care equity group, dropped his bid for treasurer earlier this month.On the Republican side, state Sen. Dan Rutherford of Chenoa is the major candidate in the Feb. 2 primary elections.
