Byline: Greg Hinz

Yes, she's a self-declared "hockey mom'' who's-yawn-struggling to balance family and career and has taken to wearing a lot of red power suits lately.

She's also a political novice who made history Feb. 5 by beating five men to become the first woman and Hispanic to win a primary for Cook County state's attorney.

Anita Alvarez, 48, a career prosecutor and marathon runner-her best finish is 4:12-is still a relative unknown. But that will change if, as expected, she beats GOP nominee Tony Peraica in the general election in November.

The first person in her family to graduate from college, Ms. Alvarez attended the Chicago-Kent College of Law. ...