An insurgent movement wins in Chicago
An alliance of union activists, teachers, and community-based organizations took Rahm and his machine candidates to the woodshed.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: A big smile. Photo from the Chicago Tribune.
“We are sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
– Chuy Garcia quotes Fanny Lou Hamer in his election-night speech
CHICAGO — We used to have party primaries in Chicago. But after Harold Washington defeated Jane Byrne and Rich Daley in the 1983 Democratic primary, and went on to become the city’s first black mayor, they changed the rules. No longer would it be possible for a black or Latino candidate to split the white vote in a primary and win a three-way primary with less than 50% of the vote.
As a result, Chicago’s Democratic Party machine candidates have dominated the electoral scene with mayors like Rich Daley and Rahm Emanuel, with millions in their pockets, locking up City Hall and bringing in with them a gaggle of eager yes-men into the City Council. But change is in the air and it’s coming fast.
Last week’s nonpartisan elections saw an alliance of union activists, teachers, and community-based organizations take Rahm and his machine candidates to the woodshed and spank the hell out of them. Rahm had the benefit of a $30 million campaign war chest and warm embraces from the Obamas, Nancy Pelosi, Eric Holder, and you-name-it from the national Democratic hierarchy. Yet long-time community activist and Washington ally Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and three other oppositions candidate were able to keep Rahm under 50% and force an April 7 runoff between Rahm and Chuy, the second highest vote-getter. Rahm became a national embarrassment to his party and his wealthy backers.‘Nobody thought we’d be here tonight. They wrote us off…’
Chuy spoke to his supporters at an election-night victory rally:
Nobody thought we’d be here tonight. They wrote us off … said we didn’t have a chance … said we didn’t have any money … while they spent millions attacking us. Well … we’re still standing. We’re still running. And we’re going to win.
He had only weeks to mount a campaign. Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis was a leading contender to run against Rahm. Lewis was leading in the polls last fall, until her candidacy was derailed by a brain tumor. With Lewis’s encouragement, Chuy stepped up and won the backing of the CTU and a large section of the union movement and an alliance of community groups.
With a late start and with little chance of winning, Chuy could only raise a fraction of the money that Karen could have raised. Yet he was able to ride a wave of anti-Rahm sentiment that transcended traditional racial and community lines.
Rahm’s three years of attacks on public employee unions; his mishandling of teacher union contract negotiations which led to the 2012 historic teachers strike; the closing of 50 public schools mainly in black neighborhoods on the south and west sides; his throwing of billions in city Michael Klonsky : An insurgent movement wins in Chicago | The Rag Blog:
Click here to go to Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for Mayor of Chicago Website
