[Peace-discuss] Chicago Tribune: Willie Wilson backs Garcia over Emanuel in mayor's race

[Robert Naiman]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-willie-wilson-backs-garcia-over-emanuel-in-mayors-race-20150311-story.html

By Juan Perez, Jr. and Hal Dardick

Former mayoral candidate Willie Wilson endorsed Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on
Wednesday, giving a potential boost to the challenger as he and Mayor Rahm
Emanuel try to win support of African-American voters ahead of next month’s
runoff election.

“I’ve always said that I would vote for anybody except the mayor,” Wilson
told the Tribune.

The businessman and political newcomer, who collected 10.7 percent to
finish third last month, said he sought input from community members before
deciding whether to back Emanuel or Garcia.

“It was Garcia way out in front,” Wilson said of the feedback he received.
“It was the school closings, the red light cameras, then the equal
opportunity for contracting jobs. And the mayor’s attitude.”

Wilson said he would appear with Garcia on Thursday morning to make a
formal announcement. Wilson said he sent a text message to Emanuel with
word of his decision Wednesday morning, but has not received a reply so far.

Garcia campaign manager Andrew Sharp said Garcia was pleased with the
endorsement, which he described as another sign that the Cook County
commissioner was gaining support among black voters.

“It’s more evidence that the election of Feb. 24 was about change, and the
candidates (opposing Emanuel) were focused on changing the city for the
better,” Sharp said. “We’ve been very clear from the outset that we are
building a new coalition in Chicago that is going to combine people from
all communities.”

Garcia has spent the week highlighting his efforts to organize
African-American leaders behind his campaign. On Monday, the Rev. Jesse
Jackson endorsed Garcia, citing Garcia’s “consistent track record of
service,” including his work with Harold Washington, Chicago’s first black
mayor. On Tuesday, former Illinois State President Emil Jones Jr. endorsed
Garcia.

Emanuel’s endorsements include a rather well-known African-American
politician: President Barack Obama.

Still, both Emanuel and Garcia’s campaigns sought to earn Wilson’s
endorsement.

Emanuel defeated Garcia in 18 city wards that have a majority
African-American population. But the mayor got less than 50 percent in all
those wards as Wilson, the primary’s third-place finisher, won one-fifth to
one-fourth of the votes.

Wilson said he was prepared to campaign for Garcia, if asked.

“He hasn’t asked me,” Wilson said. “If he asked me, I guess I could do it.
I need to get back to my business, number one. But I think that would be
wise to ask me.”

===

Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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