Despite endorsing him, the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune is positively giddy that Rahm Emanuel failed to win an outright majority in his reelection effort and is now forced to defend his mayoralty in an April runoff.
Precinct tallies came early, as if the numbers couldn’t wait to be heard. They spoke for an electorate that delivered a megadose of humility — of embarrassment, really — to a once-confident incumbent. More than half of Tuesday’s voters tried to fire Mayor Rahm Emanuel. They exposed him as beatable. Toe-to-toe with Anybody But Rahm, Emanuel lost.
Even the power of incumbency, even a huge money advantage, even a splashy endorsement from the president of the United States couldn’t lift Emanuel. He finished first, yes, but against poorly funded candidates. Who knows what the suddenly unified forces opposing Emanuel now can do with six weeks, a head of steam and, in Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a likable survivor whom Emanuel could not demolish.
I’ve never been a Rahm hater, but I think he’s been an obnoxious mayor and I’m glad the people of Chicago sent him a message. His opponent, Chuy García, was born in Mexico so he has that in common with George Romney. You might want to familiarize yourself with García’s résumé because he definitely comes from a different wing of the Democratic Party than Rahm. Preliminary results show that García (34%) only trailed Emanuel (45%) by 11% points despite being vastly outspent. I wouldn’t assume that Rahm has this wrapped up. It might even become a galvanizing cause for progressives around the country who have been angry with Emanuel for years.
Here’s some local analysis:
The school closures fueled a tumultuous relationship with the Chicago’s Teachers Union, which went on strike in 2012. The union, which also clashed with Emanuel over other changes to the city’s education system, endorsed Garcia after a brain cancer diagnosis sidelined its own president, Karen Lewis.
Political expert John P. Frendreis said while Garcia is “funny, he’s got a good speaking presence, he’s been around long enough, he’s got this colorful nickname so people kind of know him,” it was the support of the teachers that made the race competitive.
“It’s really the school controversy, the closure of schools, the continued opening of charter schools and then the … battle with the CTU and Rahm that has generated any kind of heat in this and has made him even remotely vulnerable,” the political science professor at Loyola University in Chicago, said ahead of Tuesday’s race.
Maybe some Chicagoans can chime in and give their opinion on how much of Rahm’s weakness came from substance and how much came from style.
