Alderman Pat Dowell , 3rd Ward, defeated State Rep. Ken Dunkin Tuesday in a race to become the Democratic ward committeeman.

Dowell declared victory Tuesday night, ending what had become a bitter campaign, with Dunkin publicly accusing Dowell of going back on a pledge not to seek the position.

According to Dunkin, he supported Dowell's campaign for the alderman seat because she agreed she would not seek to win the committeeman position as well.

Dowell has denied entering into any such agreement. 

Dunkin, a member of the Illinois house of representatives since 2002, is not the first political veteran defeated by Dowell.

Last April, Dowell defeated 22-year incumbent Dorothy Tillman to become 3rd Ward Alderman.

The committeeman position is the Democratic Party's ward leader and often controls much of the political power in the ward.

Dunkin had argued that citizens were better served by a committeeman who is not the alderman, because it creates a "greater system of checks and balances."

Final results from the Cook County elections office show Dowell with 6,523 votes, or 70 percent. Dunkin collected 2,788 votes; 30 percent of the votes cast.