Editing Michael Kenna (politician) (section)

===Return to City Council and later years===
Coughlin died of pneumonia on November 11, 1938. Kenna was elected unopposed to fill his vacancy in the following year's [[1939 Chicago aldermanic election|aldermanic election]].<ref name="Tribune 1939">{{cite news |title=Arvey and Kenna assured seats in City Council |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/370446663 |access-date=April 19, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=98 |issue=34 |page=2 |date=February 9, 1939 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Coughlin's death had caused a surge of factionalism within the 1st Ward, and Kenna was thought to be the best candidate to ensure peace.{{sfn|Wendt|Kogan|pp=356&ndash;357|ps=none}} Rich and aging, he had no desire to return to the City Council but was assured that his involvement would be minimal.{{sfn|Wendt|Kogan|p=357|ps=none}} Three opponents initially tried to contest him, but all had withdrawn by February 9.<ref name="Tribune 1939"/>

He received a special ovation at the inaugural ceremony of the new Council on April 12.<ref name="Inauguration">{{cite news |last1=Kinsley |first1=Philip |title=Pull Together! Kelly urges in inaugural talk |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/369851930/ |access-date=April 19, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=98 |issue=88 |page=1 |date=April 13, 1939 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He rarely spoke at Council meetings and would soon stop coming altogether, sending his orders of the Council via his secretary Joe Clark.{{sfn|Wendt|Kogan|p=357|ps=none}} At that point Kenna was a figurehead, being present for name value and with power being held by others within the 1st Ward.{{sfn|Wendt|Kogan|p=357|ps=none}} For the last ten years of his tenure ''de facto'' power of the 1st Ward was held by a gang run by Jack Guzik, who used Coughlin as a figurehead prior to his death and Kenna thereafter.<ref name="Last Ten Years">{{cite news |last1=Doherty |first1=James |title=City Politics: How it's done in First Ward |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/371671714/ |url-access=subscription|access-date=11 April 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |issue=Part 3 |page=1 |date=January 20, 1946 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Throughout this time the Democratic organization considered Clark as the acting committeeman.<ref name="Last Ten Years"/>

Kenna declined reelection to the Council in 1943. Two candidates appeared to take his seat. [[John Budinger]] had previously been alderman of the then-4th ward from 1910 to 1912 and a County Commissioner, and had the backing of the Democratic organization.<ref name="Smith">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Harold |title=Vote Tuesday on bitter ward fights |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/195826370/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 18, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |issue=Part 3 |page=1 |date=February 21, 1943 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> James McVittie was the owner of an electroplating business and had the endorsements of the Business Men's Committee and Better Government Association.<ref name="Smith"/> The contest was particularly aggressive;<ref name="Smith"/> both candidates' petitions were contested in court,<ref name="Petitions contested">{{cite news |title=57 candidates for alderman are challenged |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/372828388/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 4, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=102 |issue=22 |page=3 |date=January 26, 1943 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and McVittie accused Budinger of being falsely registered as a 1st Ward voter and actually living in [[Woodlawn, Chicago|Woodlawn]], with the Business Men's Committee threatening to challenge Budinger if he attempted to vote in the 1st Ward.<ref name="Smith"/> Budinger overwhelmingly won the election in the first round with what McVittie's supporters claimed were illegal and illegitimate tactics such as voter intimidation<ref name="1943 aftermath">{{cite news |last1=Doherty |first1=James |title=Charge threats and intimidation win in first ward |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/371386419/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 18, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=102 |issue=47 |page=3 |date=February 24, 1943 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and took office April 9.<ref>{{cite news |title=New City Council |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/372045300/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 18, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=102 |issue=83 |page=2 |date=April 7, 1943 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Kenna stepped down as 1st Ward committeeman in 1944, effective April of that year.<ref name="Last Ten Years"/> He endorsed Fred M. Morelli as his successor,<ref name="Morelli endorsement">{{cite news |last1=Tagge |first1=George |title=Orlikoski Pushed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/369881328/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 4, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=103 |issue=40 |page=11 |date=February 16, 1944 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and Morelli would be unopposed to succeed him as Democratic leader of the ward.<ref name="Morelli">{{cite news |last1=Schreiber |first1=Edward |title=Ward battles, like flowers, have odor, too |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/372296233/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 4, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=103 |issue=10 Part 3 |page=2 |date=March 5, 1944 |via=Newspapers.com |quote=Fred M. Morelli is unopposed to succeed the aged Michael [Hinky Dink] Kenna as Democratic ward ruler.}}</ref>

In 1943 historians [[Lloyd Wendt]] and [[Herman Kogan]] released the book ''Lords of the Levee'', which concerns Coughlin and Kenna's activities. During the research for the book the pair interviewed Kenna and relatives of Coughlin.<ref name="Levee Lord">{{cite news |last1=Shinnick |first1=William |title=Lusty Chicago comes to Life Again in Absorbing Biography |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/372839372 |url-access=subscription|issue=Blue Ribbon Fiction 14|page=13 |access-date=May 21, 2019 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=January 31, 1943 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Kenna, who had the book read to him by an assistant, complained that he does not appear in the first 20 pages.<ref name="First 20 pages">{{cite news |last1=Babcock |first1=Frederic |title=Among the authors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48586011/among-the-authors/ |access-date=13 April 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |volume=102 |issue=13 (Picture section) |page=16 |date=March 28, 1943}}</ref>