Editing Dan Walker (section)

== Political career ==
Walker announced his candidacy for Governor of Illinois in 1971 and attracted wide attention by walking 1,197 miles across Illinois in 1971.He narrowly won the 1972 Democratic primary against then-Lieutenant Governor Paul Simon. Though Simon had a "good government" reputation, Walker attacked Simon for soliciting and accepting the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party chaired by Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, which Walker charged reflected servility to the "Daley Machine".

In the 1972 general election, he defeated incumbent Republican Richard B. Ogilvie by a 51-49 margin. In the early 1970s, Walker was discussed as a possible presidential candidate.

In 1976 Walker was defeated in the Democratic primary, losing to Secretary of State Michael Howlett, the candidate supported by Mayor Daley, by 54 - 46. In the general election, Howlett was overwhelmingly defeated by James R. Thompson.