Chicago's Mayoral Election: Candidates and Issues

Since the announcement by Mayor Richard M. Daley that he would not be seeking another term, the stories that have followed by most media outlets consistently beg the question, who would be taking his place? Now with the election coming up on February 22, the final list of candidates has dwindled to Gery Chico, Rahm Emanuel, Miguel del Valle, Carol Moseley Braun, Patricia Van Pelt Watkins and William "Dock" Walls III.

All of the candidates have significant experience in local and national politics, and strong ties in the City of Chicago.  Carol Moseley Braun served as US Senator, State Representative, United States Ambassador, and Associate U.S. Attorney General. Gery Chico served as Mayor Daley's Chief of Staff from 1992 through 1995, President of Chicago Public Schools and later The Chicago Park District, and Chairman of City Colleges. Rahm Emanuel most recently served as White House Chief of Staff for President Obama, he has also served in the U.S. House Representative, and Senior Advisor for President Clinton.

Northeastern Illinois University alumni Miguel del Valle was elected as Illinois State Senator in 1986 and gained a position as the first Hispanic Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois General Assembly. In 2006, del Valle was appointed Chicago City Clerk by Mayor Daley and was later elected for a 4-year term in the same office. 

Patricia Van-Pelt Watkins is a candidate that is presenting herself as a community leader; she founded the Target Area Development Corps that produces jobs for the community. The last mayoral candidate is William "Doc" Walls; he is a political activist, and is a former aide for the late Mayor Harold Washington, he is currently the director of the Committee for a Better Chicago.

All candidates are addressing various issues but mostly concentrate on economic development, job creation, open and transparent city government, city financing, education, public safety, and issues of the GLBTQ community.

Although NEIU government relations are more closely tied to the State, which is where the school receives its funding, one must consider what is important is the effect that the next mayor will have on Chicago's educational system, since about 60 percent of NEIU students come from Chicago Public Schools and 26 percent are transfers from the City Colleges of Chicago, this is highly relevant.Suleyma Perez said,   "What is more important is to keep a working relationship with the leaders of the education system in the city, and the next mayor will be responsible in making those appointments." Perez is currently NEIU Office of the President Director Government Relations. She discussed the fact that for NEIU, it is important to maintain retention and competitive graduation rates, and the best way to do that is if Chicago's primary and secondary educational institutions are producing well prepared students.

In recent days, the most popular of the candidates are Chico, Emanuel, Braun and Del Valle. All of them were present on the February 27th debate held at WGN studios, where they addressed questions regarding sales taxes among other hot button topics. Candidates Watkins and Walls were not invited to attend the debate.

As of the last week in January, according to the polls, Emanuel holds the lead at 44 percent, with Moseley Braun trailing at 21 percent, Chico at 16 percent, del Valle seven percent, and nine percent of the voters are undecided.

If on Election Day, February 22, no single candidate receives more than 50 percent of the votes a run off election will be held on April 5 to decide the mayor of Chicago.