New Garcia ad released by PAC ahead of mayoral debate

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A political action committee (PAC) has released a new ad attacking Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and with less than two weeks to go to their runoff election, both mayoral candidates will take part in a debate Thursday night.

"Every street that I walk down, people are honking their horns, they're rolling down their window. They're giving the peace sign, they're giving the thumbs up sign," Garcia said.

The chat between Garcia and CTU President Karen Lewis at a South Side restaurant was a reminder that one-time candidate Lewis - who dropped out of the mayor's race to undergo cancer treatment - recruited Garcia to pursue her vision of change at city hall.

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

"Chicago is the third largest city in the nation," said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. "It's important for us to have good leadership."

Secretary White, who supports Mayor Rahm Emanuel, hosted yet another gathering of black ministers for the mayor, who after the event, suggested a win by Garcia would be an economic setback for Chicago.

"If you don't have the leadership willing to make the tough calls, jobs will leave the city, companies will leave the city," Emanuel said.

Meanwhile another anti-Emanuel TV ad will debut Thursday night before and after the debate. The Real Chicago PAC has bought broadcast airtime.

"Rahm makes money. Rahm's family makes money. Chicago gets screwed," the ad says.

The PAC is run by Republican William J. Kelly, who ran for mayor before ending his campaign late last year. Kelly says his PAC will produce more ads asking Chicago republicans to vote against Emanuel.

"His political career is on the rocks," Kelly said. "The last thing any republican should ever do is throw Rahm Emanuel a lifeline."