No candidate named to replace Rep. Jackson

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SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Illinois Democrats said they were unable to decide on a candidate to fill the congressional seat vacated by Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

A slating meeting in South Holland Saturday drew 16 candidates for the interim post, but Democratic leaders failed to endorse a specific candidate for the Feb. 26 primary election.

Jackson, son of civil rights activist The Rev. Jesse Jackson, represented the state's 2nd Congressional District until last month when he resigned. He was being treated for bipolar disorder at the time and had also come under a federal investigation for financial irregularities.

Saturday's meeting included brief pitches from each candidate and fairly complex weighted votes by the presiding board, which included party representatives from Cook, Will and Kankakee counties.

Organizers of Saturday's meeting told the Chicago Sun-Times the field was winnowed down to five finalists.