Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins phone bank workers on election day, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, in Chicago. Emanuel hopes to avoid a runoff election, as voters head to the polls and decide whether to give the former White House chief of staff a second term in office. (M. Spencer Green/Associated Press)
CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel appeared headed to an April runoff Tuesday after voters weighed his record on school closings, crime and jobs in deciding whether to award the former White House chief of staff a second term.
With less than a quarter of the city’s precincts still to be counted, Emanuel was easily leading the five-candidate field but had managed to get less than 46 percent of the vote. He needs more than 50 percent to win re-election outright in the nonpartisan race. Otherwise, he’ll have to go head-to-head with the runner up, which appears likely to be Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who was running a strong second.
A runoff could be embarrassing for Emanuel, who enjoys not only a huge financial advantage but the backing of business leaders and the endorsement of the city’s major newspapers.
Emanuel raised millions of dollars, plastering the airwaves with ads and winning an endorsement from his former boss, President Barack Obama. However, his four challengers say Emanuel’s tenacious style and handling of some major city issues have left voters wanting a change.
Turnout appeared to be lighter than four year ago, when Mayor Richard Daley retired after more than two decades and the race was wide open.
The cold and wind may have had an impact. The temperature was 8 degrees with a wind chill of 8-below when polls opened, though temperatures were expected to rise through the day and election officials said there could be an evening rush. Chicago voters also are deciding several contested aldermanic races.
Several voters casting ballots in the South Side neighborhood of Englewood said they were supporting Emanuel because he is positive on issues such as job creation, education and safer neighborhoods.
“Rahm has all (those) contacts and he is getting those corporations here, so he is giving people hope they can get a good job,” said Willie King, a 56-year-old retired janitor.
But others said they remain angry about the school closings. Joyce Rodgers, who is retired, said she believes they cost Emanuel the trust of the African-American community — and possibly the president’s.
“There is total disappointment (in Emanuel),” she said. “I believe that Obama’s been let down, too, he’s just not going to say it.”
Emanuel has campaigned on the idea that his tested leadership is what the city needs.
“You gave me a chance to make the tough decisions this city needed, and we’ve improved our schools, our infrastructure, and our public safety,” he told supporters in an email Monday. “But there’s more work to be done, and I’ll need your help to make sure we can continue the progress we’ve made.”
The Democrat was facing Garcia, Alderman Bob Fioretti, businessman Willie Wilson and perennial candidate William Walls.
They put Emanuel on the defensive over his handling of a contract dispute that led to Chicago’s first teachers’ strike in 25 years, the closing of nearly 50 neighborhood schools and a spike in violent crime. They have also criticized his sometimes-combative style.
“In Chicago neighborhoods, people are largely turned off,” Garcia said. “They have found him to be distant and uncaring, not really engaging in neighborhoods.”
A public-school performing arts teacher said she has been disappointed in the way Emanuel has treated arts education.
“He made some pretty big promises about getting all four fine arts represented in every single school in the city by certified arts teacher when instead what he’s doing is pushing for drive-by arts education ... getting private arts organizations to come in after school for two weeks,” said Grace Martinez, 35. “And the kids never see them again.”
Several South Side voters disagreed, saying they felt Emanuel was compelled to close underperforming schools and schools where enrollment had declined.
“If they ain’t performing, what are you going to do? Keep them going?” said Ernest Hudson, a 49-year-old unemployed maintenance worker. “You can take that money and spend it somewhere else where it can do some good.”
Emanuel took a neighborhood-focused approach to the campaign trail, including talking up his push to increase the city’s minimum wage, from $8.25 to $13 by 2019.
___
Associated Press writer Don Babwin contributed to this report.
___
Follow Sophia Tareen at http://ift.tt/QAfWEc
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
No comments:
Post a Comment