Thomas Charles Hynes (November 5, 1938 – May 4, 2019) was a physics teacher who served as Cook County Assessor, President of the Illinois Senate, and 19th Ward Democratic Committeeman.

[1] Born in the south side of Chicago, Hynes served in the United States Army Reserve as a captain.

[2][3] The 28th district, located on the southwest side of Chicago, included all or parts of Mount Greenwood, Beverly, Morgan Park, West Pullman, Roseland, Auburn Gresham, and Washington Heights.

Initially Hynes, who had not been visible in the racially polarized "Council Wars" of Washington's first term, polled well.

He claimed he was a fresh alternative to the dirty infighting that had defined Chicago politics in recent years.

The commercial comically featured a supporter falling asleep while Hynes droned on and on about budget issues.

[11] Just two days before the general election, Hynes dropped out, leaving Edward Vrdolyak and Republican Donald Haider as Mayor Washington's remaining opponents.

Hynes did not throw his support to any of the remaining candidates, but suggested that either Vrdolyak or Haider should also drop out make it a one-on-one race against Washington.

"What drove Hynes out was the frightening specter of Tuesday night, when the results would show him finishing a drab third in the voting," Mike Royko wrote.

"Then he would have been labeled with the dreaded word 'spoiler,' which in Chicago means a white candidate who causes a black man to become mayor."

Both Vrdolyak and Haider stayed in the race, and Washington still got more than 50 percent of the vote—meaning he probably would have won even with only one white candidate to run against.