Ex-aide Obama wins Chicago mayoral vote
February 23rd, 2011 - 3:14 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, Feb 23 (IANS) US President Barack Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has won the mayoral election in his home town Chicago over five other challengers, topping the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff vote.With almost 75 percent of the vote counted, Emanuel, who quit his White House job last year to contest the election had almost 55 percent of the vote, far outdistancing his rivals, according to CNN projections.
Former Chicago School Board head Gery Chico was in second place with 25 percent, while City Clerk Miguel del Valle had 9 percent and former US Senator Carol Moseley Braun had more than 8 percent. The other two candidates both had less than 2 percent.
While Tuesday’s vote was technically the Democratic primary, there is no Republican contender in the heavily Democratic city, so Emanuel will succeed Richard M. Daley in the top job long associated with the Daley family.
Daley has been mayor since 1989, and his father held the post from 1955-76, making them the two longest-serving mayors in the city’s history.
Emanuel, 51, started his campaign in November as a relative unknown to many in his native city, despite having served three terms as a congressman, being a key aide to President Bill Clinton and Obama’s chief of staff.
He worked hard to introduce himself, assembling a well-organized campaign operation and canvassing the city to deliver a series of high-profile campaign speeches as well as making 357 informal stops to meet voters — 229 at various community locations, such as schools, grocery stories and churches and 110 at subway stations, CNN said.
Emanuel also has hit the airwaves with a series of ads, buoyed by a large war chest, that touted his record and connections with Obama and Clinton while attacking his opponents.
For much of the campaign, Emanuel fought off an accusation that he was not a legal resident of Chicago and therefore could not run.
The accusation stemmed from the renting of his house when he joined Obama’s White House in 2009. Emanuel maintained he never gave up his residency.
After a series of conflicting rulings the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously Emanuel’s name should be on the ballot.
- Rahm Emanuel wins Chicago Mayor bid with over 50 percent votes - Feb 23, 2011
- Illinois SC allows Rahm Emanuel to run for Chicago's Mayor post - Jan 28, 2011
- Rahm Emanuel Desires To Occupy The Post Of The Chicago Mayor - Apr 21, 2010
- Democratic Supreme Court puts Rahm Emanuel Back on Mayor Ballot - Jan 26, 2011
- Rahm Emanuel Reveals His Political Aspirations - Apr 21, 2010
- Rahm Emanuel ruled ineligible for appearing on mayor's ballot by Illinois appeals court - Jan 25, 2011
- Rahm Emanuel departs as White House Chief of Staff - Oct 02, 2010
- Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley won't run for the re-election - Sep 08, 2010
- US court disqualifies Emanuel from contesting Chicago's mayor post over residency issues - Jan 25, 2011
- Mayor Daley Calls It Quits After 20 Years - Sep 08, 2010
- Rahm Emanuel Resigns As Chief Of Staff - Oct 02, 2010
- Illinois Appellate Court Bars Rahm Emanuel From Contesting In Elections For Mayor - Jan 25, 2011
- Rahm Emanuel Allowed To Run For Mayor Finally - Jan 28, 2011
- Rahm Emanuel wants to become the Mayor of Chicago - Apr 21, 2010
- Obama faces uphill re-election climb, says ex-aide - Oct 10, 2011
Tags: barack obama, campaign speeches, carol moseley braun, chicago school board, cnn, democratic city, democratic primary, gery chico, large war, mayoral election, miguel del valle, president bill clinton, profile campaign, rahm emanuel, republican contender, richard m daley, runoff vote, senator carol moseley, subway stations, war chest