1st Ward - 2023 Aldermanic Race
Sam Royko - Aldermanic Candidate
Sam Royko, an attorney and son of famed Chicago columnist Mike Royko, is vying against three other candidates to become the next 1st Ward alderman. Royko lives in West Town, which is on the eastern end of the 1st Ward, and decided to run for alderman while advocating for increased public safety after his girlfriend was carjacked in Wicker Park, according to his campaign website.
Royko’s girlfriend, Erin Groble, was driving his car near Division St and Ashland Ave in January 2021 when to men stormed her and stole the car, her purse and some packages in the car. Two months after the carjacking, Royko received a $100 speeding ticket, thanks to the thieves who stole his car.
He went on to found the Greater West Town Community Coalition to address the carjacking problem, where his work focused on improving public safety. Royko’s group joined a slew of other organizations in demanding more transparency and collaboration from lawmakers to hinder carjacking and violent crime in an open letter sent to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and all 50 aldermen.
Outside of his advocacy work, Royko works as a partner at L&G Law Group. Prior to joining the L&G Group, Royko was a founder and managing partner at The Royko Group. In his legal practices, Royko has represented clients in complex litigation, class action suits, employment and entertainment.
Andy Schneider - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Andy Schneider isn’t new to the Chicago political scene considering he’s served as the president of Logan Square Preservation, a neighborhood organization dedicated to the preservation and beautification of Logan Square, for just over decade.
However, Schneider has spent a majority of his professional career in journalism. He spent some time with the Sun-Times Media Group as a reporter and later went on to work as an editor at Screen Magazine. a niche Chicago film publication.
As LSP’s president, Schneider worked on numerous significant Logan Square development projects over the course of his tenure, including the redesign of the notoriously confusing traffic circle and, more recently, the opening of a food truck plaza on Sacramento Ave.
Proco "Joe" Moreno - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Proco “Joe” Moreno is vying to get his 1st Ward aldermanic seat back after falling to current 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata in 2019. Moreno served as 1st Ward alderman from his appointment in 2010 through 2019.
Moreno has faced legal issues in the past few years including in 2020 when he was charged with two counts of driving under the influence, one count of reckless driving and five counts of failing to report damage to an unattended vehicle after he crashed into multiple cars in the Gold Coast.
In 2021, Moreno pleaded guilty to charges of obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct for reporting that his car had been stolen when he had actually allowed a woman he was dating to borrow the car, and in 2018, Moreno was accused of impersonating a police officer in an attempt to get a woman to move her parked car.
Daniel La Spata - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Ald. Daniel La Spata (1), who first took office in 2019 after netting more than 61 percent of the vote, ousting embattled former Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno. La Spata has a long track record of organizing on the Northwest Side. Considered a linchpin of Logan Square. Previously, La Spata has campaigned with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, worked as a planning associate with the Friends of the Parks and served as a policy intern with the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.
La Spata is a member of the City Council’s Progressive Reform Caucus, Democratic Socialist Caucus and Latino Caucus. Prior to taking elected office, La Spata was a longtime Logan Square housing organizer and has proven to be a tried-and-true socialist, generally voting in lock-step with his fellow Democratic Socialist caucus members and working to stem gentrification. T
hroughout his first term, La Spata has worked with neighboring Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) on a series of anti-gentrification legislative initiatives, including a pair of ordinances designed to slow demolitions and two-flat deconversions near the 606 Bloomingdale Trail.
In the past year, La Spata advocated for the passage of the “Water for All” proposal he introduced that aimed to provide more accessible and affordable water delivery. The measure ultimately was not approved. La Spata has also stood firm in his opposition to a proposal from Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30) to legalize private booting of cars citywide.
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