Chicago Mayor's Race Reveals Deep Divide In Democratic Party
One of the nation's savviest politicians is in an unexpected fight.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's former White House chief of staff, is in an unprecedented runoff election next month.
The challenger, Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, contends that Emanuel favors the rich and powerful over working-class Chicagoans. But Emanuel is firing back, attacking Garcia for having no plan to deal with the city's deep financial problems.
Emanuel is the first incumbent Chicago mayor to be forced into a primary runoff — and it's a race that's signaling a deeper, growing divide between liberal and more moderate Democrats.
Several national progressive groups, including Democracy for America, MoveOn.org and the American Federation of Teachers, have banded together to take the fight to Emanuel in what they see as a fight between the "Elizabeth Warren Wing" and the "Wall Street Wing" of the Democratic Party.
Taking It To The Streets
Garcia walked through the Englewood neighborhood on the city's South Side with a natural ease that comes from three decades in Chicago politics, shaking hands with residents, talking with them about their jobs, families, and schools. And, of course, asking for their support.
For many residents of this mostly African-American community, the attention is welcome.
"I'm a neighborhood guy," he told residents.
That is the key distinction Garcia is trying to make in his campaign to unseat Emanuel, the first-term mayor: that he is of the neighborhoods and for the neighborhoods, while Emanuel's policies benefit the wealthy downtown.
"Chicago neighborhoods are hurting," he said. "They haven't seen much recovery since the recession, and that will be the paradigm shift under my administration."
Garcia walked door to door on this block during recent campaigning, in particular because it's home of one of the 50 schools Emanuel's administration closed two years ago.
Carrissa Johnson, 38, who works in the Social Security Administration, says her son now has to walk a longer, more dangerous route to school. And she's also upset about the lack of investment in Englewood and neighborhoods like it under Emanuel.
"I don't think that he really cares about the inner community," she said. "I think everything goes more so up north than comes here."
Johnson admitted she "really doesn't know too much about" Garcia, but she added, "I don't think that it can get any worse, because Emanuel is not really doing his job, so I think that a change is very much needed."
Money Talks
Progressives have highlighted the millions of dollars Emanuel has spent to underscore the perception that he favors the well-heeled and well-connected.
Campaign finance reports show Emanuel has raked in about eight times as much as Garcia has. Emanuel has raised close to $20 million, including a recent $1.4 million haul from just eight wealthy donors, as of Wednesday.
Garcia, meanwhile, has raised $2.6 million, much of it from the Chicago Teachers Union, other unions, and progressive groups such as Democracy for America.
Looking to boost those figures, Garcia has a trip scheduled Thursday to Los Angeles to Chicago Mayor's Race Reveals Deep Divide In Democratic Party : It's All Politics : NPR:
