Mayoral candidates try to lock down last-minute support before election
CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's the last day of campaigning before Tuesday's election, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his four challengers tried to lock down last-minute support on Monday.
The stakes in the race for mayor are especially high for Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He courted seniors at several stops Monday morning, but held no public events after making this closing argument mid-day.
"We have big opportunities and big challenges ahead for the city of Chicago and you have to have both the solutions and strength to see them through," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel, candidate for re-election.
On Monday night, the four men who want to replace Emanuel hope to keep his vote total below the 50-percent plus one he needs for an outright win.
"We are surging big time in the City of Chicago. You saw some of the responses here tonight. The mayor seems to be having trouble and we will have our forces out tomorrow ready to go to keep him below 50 percent," said Cmsr. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, candidate for mayor.
Candidates like Alderman Bob Fioretti concede it's easy to gripe about the mayor, but harder to turn complaints into votes.
"The problem is getting people to the polls. A lot of people have one foot out of the city and they just don't feel good and proud about the direction," said Ald. Bob Fioretti, candidate for mayor.
"I just refuse to believe that Chicago will even think of voting for this man you got running right now, this mayor, who sold himself out to major corporations," said Willie Wilson, candidate for mayor.
"The media presume automatically Rahm will make the run-off, I'm not convinced," said William "Dock" Walls, candidate for mayor.
If no one gets 50 percent plus one vote on Tuesday, the top two finishers will face each other in April.
GARCIA PRESSES ADVANTAGE AMONG LATINO VOTERS
If challenger Jesus "Chuy" Garcia can get in a runoff with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, it would signal the coming of age for the Latino vote in Chicago.
Garcia is pressing his advantage among Latino voters. He says the incumbent mayor is "a tale of two Rahms" on immigration reform.
"The bad Rahm when he was in the Clinton and Obama White House, telling them not to move forward with significant immigration reform. And then over the past three years, a convert to being very pro-immigrant, saying the right thing," Garcia said.
Mexican-born Garcia hopes to win big majorities among Latinos, who could make up as much as 20% of the turnout on Election Day. But high-profile Hispanic politicians - who opposed Rahm Emanuel four years ago - are supporting the mayor's re-election.
"I did everything I could to stop him from becoming mayor of the city of Chicago. I did everything I could. Once he was elected by the people of Chicago it was my responsibility to work with him," said U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, an Emanuel supporter.
"I think that Gutierrez is really dishonest for doing that," said Carlos Arango, an immigration reform activist.
Arango and other Latino activists do not trust Gutierrez or Emanuel, and believe the time has come for a Hispanic mayor.
"This is a great opportunity to change the face of the city," Arango said.
"We shouldn't support people because they're white because they're yellow or because they're of a particular color or ethnicity," Rep. Gutierrez said.
Ald. Danny Solis says he and other Latino politicians endorsed Emanuel before their friend Garcia entered the mayor's race.
"Chuy announced kind of late," Ald. Solis said.
"There's something to be said about loyalty. So I understand that but I think that my candidacy represents change and its embracing communities all over Chicago and I'm very proud of it," Garcia said.
Latinos are considered the city's fastest growing minority group and, all counted, perhaps a plurality in Chicago.
