With Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx stepping down after her term ends, eyes are turning to both parties to see which candidates will enter the race to secure one of Illinois's top criminal justice positions following years of criticism and pushback.

Foxx announced in April that she would not be seeking another term, marking the end of her eight years in office. She was praised for her slew of systemic reforms to the criminal justice system, but she also faced heavy criticism from opponents who perceived her prosecutorial policies as too soft on crime.

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Only one Democrat has declared a run for the wide-open state's attorney's seat, which encompasses most of Chicago. The Cook County Democratic Party continues to run pre-slating throughout June, a process in which prospective candidates can make their pitches to try and sway the party for an endorsement.

Here are the declared or potential candidates for Cook County state's attorney.

Clayton Harris III (Democrat — declared)

Clayton Harris III is the only candidate to throw his hat in the ring for state's attorney. He is an attorney and lecturer at the University of Chicago, focusing on public policy. His recent research examines the parallels between “the genesis of America policing through slavery in the 1600s” and “policing in the new millennium,” according to his university bio.

He has held various roles in government over the years, including assistant state's attorney working in criminal appeals, narcotics, and special prosecutions. He was the chief of staff at the Illinois Department of Transportation and the general counsel for the Chicago Department of Transportation, as well as an assistant to former Mayor Richard Daley.

He pledged to focus on “retributive justice, restorative justice, and reformative justice" during pre-slating on Friday.

"I believe that prosecuting criminals is the focus of the office. Crime has levels, and while I do not believe that things such as retail theft are victimless crimes, I also do not believe that prison is necessarily the correct response to certain low-level crimes. I saw too much of this while I was an ASA in narcotics, and we cannot continue to throw away Black and brown bodies for addictions, conditions, and a lack of expectations,” Harris said at pre-slating, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Harris made comments about youth offenders that seemed to contrast with the stance of Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has recently responded to recent youth criminal activity by claiming it was "not constructive" to "demonize" young people who have been "otherwise starved of opportunities" in Chicago.

“I understand the need to help first-time nonviolent youth offenders accept accountability for their actions while not reaching for sentences that will ruin their lives and weaken our communities,” Harris said. “However, that being said, I do not believe that there should be a free pass for those who continuously flout the system and purposely avail themselves as noncontributing members of our society. The mission of the state’s attorney is to preserve the dignity and the best interest of the victims of crime.”

Harris has the support of Toni Preckwinkle, the president of the Cook County Board and the chairwoman of the county's Democratic Party, who said that the campaign for state's attorney would be a "tremendous challenge," given the backlash from Foxx's role in the Jussie Smollett case and her support of progressive criminal justice policies, such as eliminating cash bail.

“It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that we have one candidate this morning for this job,” Preckwinkle said. “This is a tough job, and I think he has the breadth of experience to take it on.”

She thanked Harris for being willing "to take on this obligation, this responsibility, especially in light of what happened to the candidate we supported twice previously." The Democratic Party threw its support behind Foxx during both of her election campaigns.

Jim Durkin (Republican — potential)

Former Republican Illinois House Leader Jim Durkin is being eyed as one of the conservative candidates for state's attorney.

Durkin, who is also a former Cook County assistant state's attorney, stepped down from his leadership position in the Illinois legislature this year. He is known for blasting his party's shift toward far-right ideologies championed by former President Donald Trump and associated politicians.

He told the Chicago Tribune that he's "not even thinking about it" but added that he's “just interested in putting good people in the county office and make sure they’re doing their job right and holding criminals accountable."

“I live in Cook County, and I would just say that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Cook County can be a safe county again down the road," Durkin said. "So, I’m very concerned about what’s happening in the city of Chicago and also throughout the suburban area. And so, I will just say that I’m going to keep my eye on that. But I’m enjoying my life as a private person.”

He told ABC 7 News that he believes the Cook County state's attorney's office is in "disarray."

Richard Boykin (Democrat — potential)

Former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin is considering a run for Cook County state's attorney.

Boykin has engaged in state politics many times over the years. He served as Cook County District 1 Commissioner until 2018, when he lost reelection to Johnson, who served as commissioner up until winning his mayoral bid in April 2023. In 2020, Boykin lost the Democratic primary for Cook County circuit court clerk and failed to unseat Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary in 2022.

In April, Boykin told the Chicago Crusader that he is weighing his decision and listening to voters.

"I’ve been talking to a lot of people about running. I got a lot of encouraging comments from people who said I should run," Boykin said. "It’s an important decision, and the people of Cook County deserve to be safe. I’m confident I’ll make the right decision.”

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Looking ahead

Given the strained relationship between former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Foxx, questions remain over whether the next Cook County state's attorney will be able to collaborate well with Johnson in addressing the city's rising crime rates.

Other candidates are likely to emerge in the coming months. Petition passing does not begin until September, with the primary election scheduled for March 19, 2024.