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| Chicago mayoral runoff: Rahm Emanuel fights to keep African American support | Chicago mayoral runoff: Rahm Emanuel fights to keep African American support |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The April sun beats down as hundreds of supporters wait at a west side church to hear Jesús “Chuy” García, the county commissioner and former legislator who is looking to unseat Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. In an effort to drum up support among African American voters, García is flanked by black leaders like Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr, the philosopher Cornel West and Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, which has given the Mexican American candidate more than $300,000 in campaign donations to date. | The April sun beats down as hundreds of supporters wait at a west side church to hear Jesús “Chuy” García, the county commissioner and former legislator who is looking to unseat Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. In an effort to drum up support among African American voters, García is flanked by black leaders like Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr, the philosopher Cornel West and Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, which has given the Mexican American candidate more than $300,000 in campaign donations to date. |
| In February, Chicagoans pushed a sitting mayor into a runoff – a first in the city’s history. The vote will take place on Tuesday, and it may now hinge on support from African Americans, who represent a large percentage of the city’s undecided voters. Four years ago, after leaving his position as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Emanuel rode into city hall on such support, picking up 58% of the African American vote and capturing every black ward in the city. | |
| Related: Chicago lays off 1,150 teachers and school staff as enrollment dwindles | Related: Chicago lays off 1,150 teachers and school staff as enrollment dwindles |
| But on re-election night, Emanuel took just 42% of the black vote – a phenomenon many attribute to factors including the mayor’s unprecedented closing of almost 50 schools, his consistent allocation of city funds to resource-rich downtown neighborhoods, and what some say is an abrasive, closed-off personality. | But on re-election night, Emanuel took just 42% of the black vote – a phenomenon many attribute to factors including the mayor’s unprecedented closing of almost 50 schools, his consistent allocation of city funds to resource-rich downtown neighborhoods, and what some say is an abrasive, closed-off personality. |
| A recent poll of Chicago’s African American voters showed Emanuel with a 10-point lead over García, though 18% of those voters remained undecided. That is why for the past month both candidates have courted black leaders, run TV ads featuring black police officers, and ultimately painted themselves as the candidate who cares about poverty and unemployment – issues affecting voters on the city’s predominantly black south and west sides. | A recent poll of Chicago’s African American voters showed Emanuel with a 10-point lead over García, though 18% of those voters remained undecided. That is why for the past month both candidates have courted black leaders, run TV ads featuring black police officers, and ultimately painted themselves as the candidate who cares about poverty and unemployment – issues affecting voters on the city’s predominantly black south and west sides. |
| García told the Guardian that poll didn’t faze him. | García told the Guardian that poll didn’t faze him. |
| “Not at all”, he said on Friday. “On election day, we’ll have 6,000 campaign volunteers knocking on doors. And remember, most of the polling done has always had us behind. That’s why we’re in a runoff and that’s why I expect to win on Tuesday.” | |
| Both Emanuel and García have had their share of success and failure. | Both Emanuel and García have had their share of success and failure. |
| In March, an Instagram photo of Emanuel posing next to a straight-faced African American man exploded on social media, after it was picked up by media sites such as MSNBC and Bloomberg. | |
| The photo’s caption, written by health store worker Albert Griffith, read: “The Mayor of Chicago came by my job, still can’t stand this muthafucka tho.” | The photo’s caption, written by health store worker Albert Griffith, read: “The Mayor of Chicago came by my job, still can’t stand this muthafucka tho.” |
| Griffith said he could not stomach many of the mayor’s policies, especially the decision two years ago to close almost 50 schools. | Griffith said he could not stomach many of the mayor’s policies, especially the decision two years ago to close almost 50 schools. |
| “Most of those schools that closed was either on the south side or the west side, none on the north,” Griffith told the Guardian. “Now you wanna be all happy-go-lucky with African Americans, but where was you before the election? A lot of violence has happened on the south side. Where was you at?” | “Most of those schools that closed was either on the south side or the west side, none on the north,” Griffith told the Guardian. “Now you wanna be all happy-go-lucky with African Americans, but where was you before the election? A lot of violence has happened on the south side. Where was you at?” |
| ‘Rahm owns the air. This election will be won on the ground’ | ‘Rahm owns the air. This election will be won on the ground’ |
| Related: Chicago schools fight closure as drive for charter schools continues | Related: Chicago schools fight closure as drive for charter schools continues |
| While Griffith vehemently opposes Emanuel, he said would not be voting for García either – apathy that suggests anger toward the mayor doesn’t equate to a win for his opponent. | |
| García has netted key support from African American leaders. In late March, he held a luncheon for 50 prominent African American women. The next week, Emanuel outdid him, inviting more than 1,500 African-American women to a free lunch hosted by notables like former Obama social secretary Desirée Rogers and Rochelle Trotter, wife of late Chicago culinary legend Charlie Trotter. | García has netted key support from African American leaders. In late March, he held a luncheon for 50 prominent African American women. The next week, Emanuel outdid him, inviting more than 1,500 African-American women to a free lunch hosted by notables like former Obama social secretary Desirée Rogers and Rochelle Trotter, wife of late Chicago culinary legend Charlie Trotter. |
| Janette Wilson, of Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, who attended García’s lunch, said his ability to mobilize voters on the ground was key to his strategy in February and will be crucial again in turning out black voters. | Janette Wilson, of Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, who attended García’s lunch, said his ability to mobilize voters on the ground was key to his strategy in February and will be crucial again in turning out black voters. |
| “What Rahm Emanuel owns is the air – he’s purchased the air,” Wilson said. “But this election will be won and fought on the ground, and I think that is the question. Who can get the people out to the polls? If there’s a tremendous turnout in the African American community, that will go in favor of Jesús García.” | “What Rahm Emanuel owns is the air – he’s purchased the air,” Wilson said. “But this election will be won and fought on the ground, and I think that is the question. Who can get the people out to the polls? If there’s a tremendous turnout in the African American community, that will go in favor of Jesús García.” |
| Prior to February’s election, Emanuel raised more than $16m to García’s $1.3m. Since election night, as of 29 March, the two have each spent more than $1m on TV and radio ads, according to the political data site Aldertrack. | Prior to February’s election, Emanuel raised more than $16m to García’s $1.3m. Since election night, as of 29 March, the two have each spent more than $1m on TV and radio ads, according to the political data site Aldertrack. |
| But as much as Emanuel has drummed up divisions in Chicago’s African American neighborhoods, he has had no trouble courting the city’s black leaders. In February, he picked up support from the controversial Father Michael Pfleger of St Sabina’s, a heavily African American Catholic parish on the city’s south side, and was endorsed by US congressman Bobby Rush, an unexpected move considering Rush’s past criticism of Emanuel’s school closings. | But as much as Emanuel has drummed up divisions in Chicago’s African American neighborhoods, he has had no trouble courting the city’s black leaders. In February, he picked up support from the controversial Father Michael Pfleger of St Sabina’s, a heavily African American Catholic parish on the city’s south side, and was endorsed by US congressman Bobby Rush, an unexpected move considering Rush’s past criticism of Emanuel’s school closings. |
| ‘What matters is who shows up on election day’ | ‘What matters is who shows up on election day’ |
| So far, there have been more than 100,000 early voters – almost double the number who voted prior to February’s election. A recent citywide poll from Ogden and Fry had the mayor with a 13-point lead over García, with 18% of voters still undecided. | So far, there have been more than 100,000 early voters – almost double the number who voted prior to February’s election. A recent citywide poll from Ogden and Fry had the mayor with a 13-point lead over García, with 18% of voters still undecided. |
| That poll could sway depending on election day turnout from black voters, according to the political scientist and University of Illinois at Chicago professor Dick Simpson, who also questioned Emanuel’s ability to mobilize a successful ground effort. | That poll could sway depending on election day turnout from black voters, according to the political scientist and University of Illinois at Chicago professor Dick Simpson, who also questioned Emanuel’s ability to mobilize a successful ground effort. |
| Unlike former Chicago mayor Richard M Daley, the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, Emanuel has failed to replicate Daley’s “patronage army”, Simpson said. | Unlike former Chicago mayor Richard M Daley, the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, Emanuel has failed to replicate Daley’s “patronage army”, Simpson said. |
| “What matters is who shows up on election day. Daley had as many as 5,000 city hall workers working for him. Emanuel doesn’t. It’s nowhere near the level of the past,” Simpson said. | “What matters is who shows up on election day. Daley had as many as 5,000 city hall workers working for him. Emanuel doesn’t. It’s nowhere near the level of the past,” Simpson said. |
| Outside a south side polling place on Friday, just down the street from a García press event with African American seniors, early voters weighed in on their mayoral choices. | Outside a south side polling place on Friday, just down the street from a García press event with African American seniors, early voters weighed in on their mayoral choices. |
| Sean Emmett, a 43-year-old educator, said his vote for García was a vote against Emanuel. | Sean Emmett, a 43-year-old educator, said his vote for García was a vote against Emanuel. |
| “His policies have not benefited the south side of Chicago,” said Emmett, who added that he supported García’s plan for a public school board that would be elected, rather than appointed by the mayor. “The school closings across the city particularly happened in black and brown communities.” | “His policies have not benefited the south side of Chicago,” said Emmett, who added that he supported García’s plan for a public school board that would be elected, rather than appointed by the mayor. “The school closings across the city particularly happened in black and brown communities.” |
| “Look at the potholes, look at the streets, look at the joblessness, look at the schools. That’s why I’m voting for Chuy,” said Karlita Dawson, a 42-year-old Chicago public school aide. | “Look at the potholes, look at the streets, look at the joblessness, look at the schools. That’s why I’m voting for Chuy,” said Karlita Dawson, a 42-year-old Chicago public school aide. |
| Back at the west side church, García riled up the crowd. | Back at the west side church, García riled up the crowd. |
| “Turn up and turn out,” García chanted, his voice uncharacteristically charged with emotion. “This type of political fight only comes to Rahm once in a lifetime. Let’s make Chicago a sight to be seen in 2015!” | “Turn up and turn out,” García chanted, his voice uncharacteristically charged with emotion. “This type of political fight only comes to Rahm once in a lifetime. Let’s make Chicago a sight to be seen in 2015!” |
| He then dashed off, leaving Jesse Jackson Sr to lead a mass of mostly black faces dutifully west, to cast their early votes. | He then dashed off, leaving Jesse Jackson Sr to lead a mass of mostly black faces dutifully west, to cast their early votes. |
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