Feb. 20--Challenger Jesus "Chuy" Garcia on Friday dismissed President Barack Obama's embrace of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a last-minute ad buy by a super political action committee that's supporting the mayor.
"The mayor's desperate," Garcia said when asked about Obama hugging Emanuel during a public appearance Thursday. "Hugs are always good. It's loyalty, but I think it comes late. He's got a record to defend, and that's what will decide his fate on Tuesday."
Garcia similarly dismissed $457,000 that the Chicago Forward political action committee just spent on commercials backing the mayor and opposing Garcia.
"The mayor has called on his donors to come to his rescue to try to put him over the top on Tuesday, but it's too late," Garcia said. "I think he's got a record to stand by, and that record will speak for itself and the voters are going to decide on Tuesday."
Garcia predicted the mayor would get less than half the vote Tuesday, which would send the contest into an April 7 runoff election between the top two vote-getters. A recent Chicago Tribune poll found the mayor at 45 percent, well ahead of Garcia at 20 percent. Ald. Bob Fioretti and businessman Willie Wilson were at 7 percent, and community activist William "Dock" Walls was at 2 percent. Another 18 percent were undecided.
A lot could depend on turnout and which candidates get their voters to the polls. Garcia said he has volunteers and union backers working on that effort.
Garcia spoke after a City Hall news conference held by union organizers backing the rights of charter school teachers to join a union. Garcia signed a pledge backing that effort.
Earlier, while voting early at the Cook County government building, Emanuel told reporters he supported the rights of charter school teachers to organize, campaign spokesman Steve Mayberry said.
"Just as he was supportive when the teachers at UNO and other charter schools decided to organize with a union, Mayor Emanuel fully believes in the fundamental right of workers to bargain collectively," Mayberry said.
Garcia said that was "hypocritical" after the mayor's confrontation with teachers that triggered a 2012 strike by the Chicago Teachers Union, which backs Garcia.
