Kim Foxx overwhelmingly defeated Anita Alvarez in the race for Cook County State's Attorney Tuesday – becoming the biggest story of the Illinois primary.
Foxx thanked voters and raced to interviews Wednesday, showing her appreciation for her victory.
"This work is deeply personal to me, as someone who grew up in this county, who grew up in an impoverished, tough neighborhood, wanting to be able to tackle these issues so that there's safety and fairness for all of us," Foxx told NBC Chicago.
After her win, the Chicago Tribune posted a photo of an article showing Foxx as a 2-year-old waiting for food stamps with her mother in 1975.
“It speaks to what happens when you invest in kids that come from these neighborhoods," Foxx said.
Alvarez, who served as the Cook County State's Attorney for 8 years, was deluged with public outrage over her handling of the Laquan McDonald case. Nevertheless, she stood by her tenure Tuesday after her defeat.
“I am very damn proud of the fact that I am a good prosecutor,” Alvarez said Tuesday.
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Young activists took to the streets and social media claiming victory.
“We got Anita Alvarez out of our communities but I think and I would hope this would set the president for how other young black people will organize in their cities,” activist Tess Raser said.
Discussing Tuesday's results, Rahm Emanuel said he’s focused on the future.
“I got elected back in April, stronger than May, and my work is to ensure that the city moves forward,” Emanuel said.
