Chicago's first round of city elections are tomorrow. This is a non-partisan election, with a run-off in April if needed. Rahm really only has one challenger with a pulse, the progressive reformer and Cook County Board Commissioner Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia. Probably the best thing that happened to Rahm was the pre-campaign blitz by Chicago Teacher's Union President Karen Lewis. They are sworn enemies, and Lewis got the best of Rahm during the teacher's strike. She's a polarizing figure, but also someone that would have mobilized a left base like no one since Harold Washington. Rahm began 'running against' Lewis well before any actual campaign commenced---he assembled (bought or extorted) a team that could neutralize Lewis' momentum, and devised a strategy to run hard to the left. Unfortunately, Lewis was diagnosed with a brain tumor just days before she was set to announce he candidacy. She's endorsed Chuy, who has run a pretty disappointing campaign.
Rahm has something like four times as much money as his four challengers combined, half of which he has siphoned into a PAC to blow up adlermanic races in the wards. Will the wave of left-center acrimony in the neighborhoods be enough to unsettle Rahm's vice-grip on city council? Probably not, but I think we'll see four or five independent aldermen elected. There might be a socialist who gets into a run-off in Pilsen, and in my ward a lefty HS social studies teacher has a legit shot at unseating the family in charge since 1970 (the same family who nurtured the career of one of its obscure helmet-haired in-laws, Rod Blagojevich).
The only real drama is whether Rahm can avoid a runoff. I predict, in an embarrassing, record-low turnout:
Rahm 52%
Chuy 30%
Fioretti 10%
Other guys 8%
I will include this in my post, so as to save some of you the trouble of typing it: "Who cares. I hope Chicago falls into the lake."
Rahm has something like four times as much money as his four challengers combined, half of which he has siphoned into a PAC to blow up adlermanic races in the wards. Will the wave of left-center acrimony in the neighborhoods be enough to unsettle Rahm's vice-grip on city council? Probably not, but I think we'll see four or five independent aldermen elected. There might be a socialist who gets into a run-off in Pilsen, and in my ward a lefty HS social studies teacher has a legit shot at unseating the family in charge since 1970 (the same family who nurtured the career of one of its obscure helmet-haired in-laws, Rod Blagojevich).
The only real drama is whether Rahm can avoid a runoff. I predict, in an embarrassing, record-low turnout:
Rahm 52%
Chuy 30%
Fioretti 10%
Other guys 8%
I will include this in my post, so as to save some of you the trouble of typing it: "Who cares. I hope Chicago falls into the lake."