Page "Jane Byrne" Paragraph 5

Byrne used special events, such as ChicagoFest, to revitalize Navy Pier and the downtown Chicago Theatre.

She endorsed Senator Edward Kennedy for President in 1980, but could not stop President Jimmy Carter from winning the Illinois Democratic Primary.

She was able to replace Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, County Board President George Dunne, a Daley loyalist, with her ally Alderman Edward Vrdolyak.

However, her attempt to block the election of Richard M. Daley, the son of her late mentor, to the prominent position of Cook County States ' Attorney ( chief local prosecutor ) in 1980 failed as Daley defeated Byrne's candidate, 14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke in the Democratic Primary and GOP incumbent Bernard Carey in the general election.