Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard lost her bid for re-nomination as Thornton Township supervisor in a historic Democratic caucus Tuesday night. Henyard, who currently holds the position, was disqualified from the ballot for failing to meet slate requirements, including not having a certified assessor.
Illinois State Senator and Thornton Township Democratic Committeeman Napoleon Harris won the nomination by a significant margin. Harris had shifted the township from a primary to a caucus format, the first in decades. He defended the process as transparent and consistent with state traditions, despite Henyard’s objections.
“You didn’t run none of this the right way,” Henyard protested, calling the process “illegal.” Harris countered, emphasizing the fairness of the process and voter involvement. The Democratic Party also barred supervisor nominees from running for other positions, further narrowing Henyard’s options.
Henyard can still run in April’s general election as a write-in or independent candidate, though she has not announced plans to do so. After losing the nomination, she declared she would sue those involved in the caucus.
Henyard’s political career faces mounting challenges. She is running for re-election as Dolton mayor while under scrutiny for alleged embezzlement and accusations of using her office to target political opponents. An investigation by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot into Dolton’s finances revealed troubling findings.
Lightfoot’s preliminary report showed Dolton’s general fund had a $5.61 million balance in 2022, which plummeted to a $3.65 million deficit by May 2024. Additionally, Henyard was accused of misusing village credit cards, including a $33,000 Amazon purchase on January 5, 2023.
The ongoing scandals and her loss at the caucus cast doubt on Henyard’s political future as she battles challenges on multiple fronts.
