Oct. 28--A little-known Cook County commissioner said Monday he's preparing to run for Chicago mayor, hoping to tap into the support of "disaffected Chicagoans" who feel Mayor Rahm Emanuel hasn't lived up to his promises and doesn't take their concerns seriously.
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, 58, is a former Southwest Side alderman and state senator who lost a bitter 1998 contest to Tony Munoz, a candidate backed by the Hispanic Democratic Organization allied with then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. Four years ago, Garcia made a political comeback and won election to the County Board.
Garcia said he put nominating petitions on the street Monday and will continue to listen to people's complaints with the Emanuel administration the next few weeks.
Garcia ticked off many of the campaign themes that drove the possible mayoral run of Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis before she opted not to run after being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.
Unsafe neighborhoods "have made it so children can't sit on their porches in many parts of this city," he said. School closings and other educational policies of Emanuel "have created a divisiveness, a feeling among people in lots of neighborhoods that the current mayor doesn't have children's best interests at heart."
Asked about Garcia on Monday, Emanuel said anyone is welcome to run, and he's focused on the work he's doing.
"People will make their own cases if they decide to run or not," Emanuel said. "I think the most important thing is to have a city on the move, facing its challenges head-on, resolving those challenges and making sure you're doing the work people elected you to do."
Garcia faces a tough task. In addition to collecting 12,500 valid signatures, he has to try to quickly make up a massive funding deficit to Emanuel, who has nearly $8.7 million in his campaign fund. Garcia had $3,160 to start the month and reported raising $15,000 since then, including $12,000 from County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
jebyrne@tribune.com
