Cook County clerk David Orr should consider running in the 49th Ward.

My obit for the lakefront liberal was barely out before I got one of those calls for clarification from a man I’ll call Michael Gaylord James—as that’s his name.

He’s not to be confused with Gaylord Perry, the great spitballer for the San Francisco Giants.

No, Mr. James is, among other things, the former proprietor of the Heartland Cafe and president of the Democratic Party of the 49th Ward.

As such, he’s sort of Mr. Progressive for the far north side.

James wanted me to know that, yes, liberalism may be dead as a doornail in Lincoln Park, where 43rd Ward voters gave Mayor Rahm more than 80 percent of the vote.

Not only that, they went on to reelect Alderman Michele Smith, largely because her opponent, Caroline Vickrey, wasn’t enough of a mayoral rubber stamp.

Apparently, 43rd Ward residents are worried that having an alderman who might occasionally vote against some of the mayor’s dumber ideas might hasten Chicago’s transformation into Detroit.

Anyway, James wanted me to know that Jesus Garcia won about 52 percent of the vote in the 49th.

So liberalism remains alive in at least one north lakefront ward.

Not bad, though I’d like to point out that it’s not as good as the 35th Ward, where Chuy got 65 percent of the vote. Or the 22nd Ward, where he got 80 percent. Or in my household—where he got 100 percent!

I think we can all agree that Chicago’s got a ways to go before it catches up to the Joravsky household. At least when it comes to liberalism.

The 49th Ward is what I call a schizo ward.

Roughly 67 percent of the voters went for Alderman Joe Moore, who’s undergone his own personal evolution in the last few years as he’s come to the conclusion that it’s better to make love—not war—with the man.

As such, he’s emerged as one of Mayor Rahm’s loudest defenders. As you can see in this WTTW debate where he tries to outshout Alderman Scott Waguespack.

In contrast is Moore’s onetime political mentor, Cook County clerk David Orr, who was one of Chuy’s most enthusiastic backers.

In fact, if you want to see Orr at his finest, check out his take on the city’s TIF program from a recent taping of the radio show Live From the Heartland, hosted by Thom Clark and the aforementioned Mr. James.

You tell ’em, David!

Orr still lives in the 49th. So I say it’s high time Moore and Orr faced off for all the marbles.

Coincidentally, there happens to be a vacancy in the Democratic committeeman position, with an election coming up next year.

Yes, people, I’m already looking forward to next year’s election. A sure sign that I’ve lost my mind.

So, Joe and David, do everyone a favor and run against each other.

Then we’ll see just how liberal the 49th Ward really is.