Bernard Epton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernard Epton
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Epton in 1983
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| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 24th district |
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| In office August 30, 1969 – January 18, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Noble W. Lee |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bernard Edward Epton
August 25, 1921 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 13, 1987 (aged 66) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Chicago, Illinois |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago (B.A.) DePaul University (J.D.) |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Unit | Army Air Corps |
Bernard Edward Epton (born August 25, 1921 – died December 13, 1987) was an American politician. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives, which is part of the state government in Illinois, from 1969 to 1983. He is best known for running for mayor of Chicago in 1983. He was the candidate for the Republican Party in a very close election.
Contents
About Bernard Epton
Early Life and Career
Bernard Epton fought in World War II. He was a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces. He flew 25 missions over Germany. For his bravery, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross twice.
After the war, Epton became a successful lawyer. He specialized in insurance law, which deals with rules about insurance. He went to the University of Chicago and DePaul University College of Law.
In 1960, Epton tried to become a U.S. Representative. This is a member of the national government. He was a "liberal Republican," meaning he was a Republican but held some more liberal views. He lost that election.
Epton was known for being smart and sometimes sharp with his words. In 1969, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. He worked there until 1983. During his time, he led the Insurance Committee, which made decisions about insurance laws.
The 1983 Chicago Mayoral Election
Bernard Epton lived in the Hyde Park area of Chicago. In the spring of 1983, he ran for mayor against Harold Washington. Washington was an African American Democrat.
This election was very competitive. Race was a big topic during the campaign. Epton came very close to winning, losing by only about 40,000 votes out of 1.2 million. This was the best result for a Republican candidate in a Chicago mayoral election in a long time.
Epton received most of his votes from white people in Chicago (81%). Only 3% of Black voters supported him. One of his campaign slogans was "Epton for mayor... Before it's too late." Some people felt this slogan had hidden meanings related to race.
Epton himself later said he felt uncomfortable with how much race became a part of his campaign. This was because he had been active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. This movement worked for equal rights for all people.
If Epton had won, he would have been the first Jewish mayor of Chicago. He also would have been the first Republican mayor since 1931. Rahm Emanuel later became the first Jewish mayor in 2011.
Later Life and Death
After losing the 1983 election, Epton went back to his private life for a short time.
He tried to run for mayor again in the 1987 election. However, he could not get enough signatures to be on the ballot.
Bernard Epton passed away on December 13, 1987. He was 66 years old. He died from a heart attack in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was visiting his son, Jeff Epton, who was a member of the Ann Arbor City Council.
Images for kids
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Epton in 1983
