Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama
In a hard-fought battle against five other candidates, Emanuel won with about 56 percent of the vote with 86 percent of the precincts reporting in the election with a low turnout. The win allows him to avoid a run-off in April and step into office in May to replace longtime Mayor Richard M. Daley after a 22-year-run.
A jubilant Emanuel thanked his supporters, opponents and their supporters in a 9 p.m. (CST) victory speech.
"Thank you for this humbling victory,'' Emanuel said to a cheering crowd of supporters. "All I can say, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home. What makes this victory more gratifying is that it was built on votes from every corner of this city.''
Flanked by his wife and children, his voice crackled and strained above a raucous crowd that chanted "Rahm! Rahm!'' before he could kiss his wife. He said he spoke to Daley and President Obama before the speech.
While it was a somber night for those who lost the election that was punctuated by name-calling, a protracted court battle to prove Emanuel's residency after he moved to Washington to serve as the president's chief of staff, many candidates tried to be upbeat and promised to support Emanuel. Emanuel faces a mushrooming budget deficit, public safety issues, a floundering public school system, and a high unemployment rate, among other issues.
Rahm Emanuel Elected Next Mayor of Chicago: MyFoxCHICAGO.com
Gery Chico, former chief of staff to Daley who came in second, thanked his supporters "from the bottom'' of his heart in a moving concession speech about an hour before Emanuel spoke.
" We fought hard,'' said Chico, who was accompanied on stage by his wife and five children. "We talked about the issues important to this city. We really worked hard.''
It took Miguel del Valle, outgoing City Clerk who placed third in the race, about 10 minutes to make his way through a crush of supporters to reach the podium.
"This is the future of the city of Chicago,'' he said overlooking the diverse crowd that rippled with cheers and applause. He said he campaigned for government to be more responsive to residents outside of the business district and hoped to represent "progress for all, not progress for some.''
Former state senator and ambassador to New Zealand, Carol Moseley Braun, whose campaign was fraught with missteps and who placed fourth in the race, was brief in her concession.
"It's a painful thing to lose an election,'' she said, in part. "But I believe hope springs eternal.''
Indeed, it was a painful loss for Braun, a veteran on the campaign trail who was the consensus black candidate selected by powerful leaders such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. The hope was to elect a black mayor for the first time since the historic election of Harold Washington in 1983. At one point, Braun was well positioned to do so, holding an early second-place lead behind Emanuel in the crowded field.
But Braun began to lose confidence among voters and elected officials when she referred to a lesser named candidate, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins, as "strung out on crack,'' during a political forum. It was one in a series of perceived missteps by Braun.
Victory, however, was sweet for Emanuel who spent most of the race locked in a court battle to prove his residency status in the city after he moved to Washington to work for President Obama. Needless to say, he overcame the challenge.
Now, the real work begins for Emanuel in a city known for its dicey politics. On the other hand, the hard-biting Chicago native may just be what the city needs.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Source: http://www.bvblackspin.com/2011/02/23/rahm-emanuel-wins-chicago-s-contentious-mayoral-race/
Norah Jones Nicky Hilton Garcelle Beauvais Kristy Swanson Ali Campoverdi
No comments:
Post a Comment