Emanuel, Garcia go head-to-head in 2nd debate

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel and challenger Jesus "Chuy" Garcia faced off in another debate Thursday night, less than two weeks before the runoff election.

Compared to the first debate, Garcia was a lot more aggressive Thursday night, attacking Rahm Emanuel's version of what's happened in Chicago during the past four years.

"I finally closed the coal plant that was there spewing pollution," Emanuel said.

As the mayor claimed to have shut down a coal plant on the Southwest Side, a chuckling Garcia interrupted him.

"People worked on that for ten years before you were ever elected. You were still in Washington," Garcia said.

And when Emanuel listed other accomplishments, the challenger questioned the mayor's role.

"He's simply claiming credit because he got to go and cut a ribbon," Garcia said.

"I'm trying to be respectful of the process. I don't interrupt you. Why don't you let me finish here," Emanuel said.

A defensive mayor warned again that Garcia's campaign promises - including more cops and reopened mental health centers - could wreck Chicago's economy.

"If you make all the pledges that have been just made without the ability to pay for them companies and jobs will flee the city of Chicago because we'll be bleeding red ink again," Emanuel said.

Meanwhile, the Service Employees International Union is teeing up a new negative ad against the mayor. ABC7 obtained an exclusive preview of it.

Before the debate, Garcia posed with Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, whose illness ended her mayoral campaign. She recruited Garcia to pursue her vision of a change at city hall.

"Nobody's making tough decisions. They're making easy decisions that are hard on a small group of people," Lewis said.

As Lewis spoke, the mayor met with more African American ministers continuing his effort to woo the city's crucial black voters.

"I have that responsibility to show people and explain to them a city that's on the move that they're part of that city," Emanuel said.

A third debate is scheduled for public television on March 31.

Meanwhile, early voting has been underway since Monday. The city election board reports the turnout during the four days is more than double the turnout for the same period before the February 1 election. Over 44,000 Chicagoans have already early-voted.