“Hubris” is “excessive pride or self-confidence.”

Synonyms include arrogance, conceit, haughtiness, hauteur, pride, self-importance, egotism, pomposity, superciliousness, superiority

The antonyms is humility.

In Greek tragedy hubris is excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, which leads to downfall.

“I’m probably the most popular elected official with a ‘D’ at the end of his name in the state of Illinois,”

said Jack Franks to the Woodstock Independent for its post-election article of November 12th.

Let’s fact check that claim.

Franks won his fall re-election campaign over Republican Steve Reick, getting about 58.6% of the vote.

Four years ago he received 63.92% of the vote against John O’Neill.

So, if Franks is the “most popular elected official with a ‘D’ at the end of his name,” his popularity has decreased from four years ago.

Let’s look at what other candidates for State Representative with a “D” after their name did this time around.

Starting in Cook County, First District Representative Dan Burke had no opponent and received 11,299 votes.

Second District State Rep. Eddie Acevedo had no opponent and received 11,861 ballots.

District 3 State Rep. Luis Arroyo had no opponent and got 11.614.

District 4 State Rep. Cynthia Soto also had no opponent and received support from 14,986 voters.

District 5 incumbent State Rep. Kenneth ”Ken” Dunkin had an opponent named Collin Johnson. The incumbent won 22,016 ballots or 82.69% of the vote.

District 5 Democrat Esther Golar, a Democrat, received 18,865. Note that is more votes than Franks received.

Eighth District Democrat La Shawn K. Ford got 14.824 votes.

District 9 State Rep. Arthur Turner won 20,409 votes. He was unopposed. Note that is more votes than Franks received.

In District 10, Democrat Pamela Reaves-Harris beat out opponent Mark Calonder by 20,683 to 35,86. Reaves-Harris not only got more votes than Franks, but her percentage of the vote–85.22%–was 27 percentage points higher.

In District 11, State Rep. Ann M. Williams received 22,078 votes, again more than Jack Franks.

In District 12, Sara Feigenholtz’ 25,008 votes belies Franks’ claim to be “the most popular elected official with a ‘D’ at the end of his name.” (Maybe Feigenholtz doesn’t count because she is not a guy.)

District 13’s Democratic Party candidate Gregory Harris received 22,244 votes, again more than Franks got.

There was a contest in District 14. Democrat Kelly M. Cassidy got 22,202 over Denis Detzel or 86.85% of the vote, almost thirty percentage points better than Jack Franks.

In District 15 there was a contest between Democrat John C. D’Amico and Gregory A. Bedell. The Democrat got 9,425 ballots for 69.20%, beating Bedell’s 4,194 votes. D’Amico’s margin was a bit more than ten percentage points more than Jack Franks beat Steve Reick.

You get the point.

There are a lot of Democrats who received a higher percentage of the vote than Jack Franks.
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Tomorrow, I’ll look for Democrats who got a lower winning percentage than Jack Franks’ 58.8%.