Illinois Congressman Jesus “Chuy” García announced his candidacy for Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s spot on Thursday. García officially launched his campaign at Navy Pier, completely surrounded by supporters. He was making small talk as well as taking pictures with them.
García’s Video on Running for Mayor of Chicago
He made his announcement through a video stating, “Chicagoans are calling out for help. From crime to unemployment to affordable housing — there is so much uncertainty ahead. People suffered through a pandemic. We experienced a racial reckoning that underscored our painful history of inequity. And people are still living paycheck to paycheck.”
The Contemplation
García was thinking about running for mayor, but then he realized that “Chicago needs a leader with the vision of our future and the know-how and the empathy to get us there together. From crime to unemployment to affordable housing, there is so much we need to build.”
García pointed a finger at our current mayor since 2019, Lori Elaine Lightfoot, and said that Chicago wants a mayor who “will bring us together and unite us rather than driving us apart.”
“I gave Lori Lightfoot a chance to deliver on promises she made as it relates to reform, and she has not delivered,” he added.
Jesus “Chuy” García’s Profile
- He joined the U.S. Congress in 2019-2022.
- Joined the race for mayor of Chicago in 2015.
- Became Cook County Board of Commissioners 2011-2018.
- He joined the Illinois Senate in 1993-1999.
- Joined Chicago City Council in 1986-1993.
Chicago’s Approval
García served in the Illinois General Assembly as a State Senator and a Cook County Commissioner before being elected to Congress, in addition to being an activist and alderman. In the meantime, he was able to run a non-profit. He claims that his expertise approves him for mayor.
“Folks know me… They know what I’ve done. I know we will eventually get their support. I’m the only guy left from the Harold Washington coalition… No one in Chicago politics today has been involved in fighting the old corrupt and racist and sexist Chicago machine longer than myself,” he added.
Lori Lightfoot’s Remarks
“Mr. García spent months dithering on whether to get in this race, saying publicly he’d only run if Democrats lost the House,” Freundlich said. “Now, a mere 36 hours after voters reelected him to Congress, and as Republicans prepare to use their new slim majority to strip away our rights, Mr. García is abandoning ship.”
García seems to have 18 days to gather a minimum of 12,500 signatures on his mayoral petitions and send them to election officials. Starting November 21, most candidates could very well submit three times the amount required to help make sure they can handle any difficulties. The election is scheduled for February 28. If neither candidate secures the majority of the votes, the top two finalists will face off on April 4.
If García wins, this will make him the first-ever Latino mayor of Chicago.
Source:
CBSNews: Lori Lightfoot Attacks Rep. Jesus Chuy García as He Launched Bid to Challenge Her
Politico: Rep. ‘Chuy’ García runs for Chicago mayor again
Chicago Sun-Times: Chuy’s in: García makes another run for mayor of Chicago
WTTW: ‘Chicagoans Are Calling Out for Help’: Jesus ‘Chuy’ García Launches Bid for Mayor of Chicago
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Sean Davis Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
