Garcia’s candidacy was once considered a long shot because of his comfortable position in Congress and his behind-the-scenes success as a political power broker. But Garcia, who has long dreamed of leading the nation’s third-largest city, has decided to enter the mayoral race in a risky move that could see him become Chicago’s first Latino mayor or mark him as a two-time mayor. lost. Two days after winning another term in Congress, Garcia announced his candidacy for the Feb. 28 local election on video Thursday and held a rally with dozens of supporters at Navy Pier, where he noted the difficult recent years of economic instability, the pandemic and a racial account, but portrayed himself as the candidate who can unite the city. “Now is the time to revitalize our neighborhoods, strengthen our schools, and restore safety to our streets because we believe in a Chicago for all, a welcoming Chicago, the same Chicago that welcomed me as a 9-year-old immigrant boy and gave me a fighting chance to dream big,” Garcia said. [ Who’s in, who’s out and who’s still thinking about running for Chicago mayor ] He also took a dig at Lightfoot without naming her, saying Chicago “needs a mayor who will bring us together and bring us together instead of dividing us.” Lightfoot’s campaign responded with a statement calling García a “career politician.” “While Mayor Lightfoot is doing the hard work of leading our city through difficult times, career politician Congressman Garcia is putting his own ambitions first. Mr. Garcia has spent months questioning whether to enter this race, saying publicly that he would only run if Democrats lose the House,” spokeswoman Christina Freundlich said in a statement. “Now, just 36 hours after voters re-elected him to Congress, and as Republicans prepare to use their new slim majority to take away our rights, Mr. Garcia is abandoning ship and going after a fellow progressive Democrat. This is not the tough, principled leadership our city needs.” In 2015, García pushed Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the city’s first runoff. Although Garcia lost the campaign, he became a progressive folk hero and transitioned from the Cook County board to the U.S. Congress in 2018 after Rep. Luis Gutierrez retired. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, left, and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia speak at a Tribune Editorial Board meeting on January 27, 2015. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Garcia enters the race with high name recognition and a long record as a progressive, but he will need to extend his support beyond his traditional allies, as some of the unions that backed his bid against Emanuel are supporting the County Commissioner Cook Brandon Johnson. He will also need to find ways to attract more black and white voters than he had in his failed 2015 campaign. The battle for progressive voters also represents a generational clash between Garcia, who was an ally of former Mayor Harold Washington in the 1980s, and Johnson and others in the race seeking the progressive mantle, including Ald. Sophia King, activist Ja’Mal Green and state representative Kambium “Kam” Buckner. Born in Durango, Mexico, Garcia was a young protégé of Latino community activist Rudy Lozano, who was a budding political star. Garcia managed Lozano’s 1983 campaign for the 22nd Assembly Ward, where Lozano lost by 37 votes to oust a veteran white incumbent at a time when the Little Village was transforming into the center of Latino Chicago. Months later, Lozano was killed by a gang member, a tragedy that also changed the trajectory of Chicago politics. With Washington’s help, Garcia won election as the District’s Democratic congressman in 1984. He was elected congressman in a special election in 1986, a position he held until he ran for state senate in 1992. He was reelected but lost his bid for a third term. term after being targeted for defeat by the Hispanic Democratic Organization, a political group allied with then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. Mayor Harold Washington, center, discusses his executive order to assure that all Chicagoans have equal access to city benefits and services on March 7, 1985. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, then on the Washington Latino Advisory Committee, he is third from the right. (Carl Hugare/Chicago Tribune) Garcia then turned his attention to building a nonprofit community organization to push for voting rights, economic development issues, legal safeguards for undocumented immigrants, violence prevention and other issues of Latino concern. Now known as Enlace, the government-funded organization made headlines in 2001 when it led a nearly three-week hunger strike by parents that pressured elementary school officials to fulfill a long-delayed promise to build a new high school in Little Village. Since winning a seat in Congress in 2018, Garcia has grown his political power far beyond his Southwest Side base in Little Village. The longtime progressive politician has shown a hands-on side in recent years by building close ties with now-impeached former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, which helped expand Garcia’s influence and his endorsement was sought by candidates across the city. Garcia considered running for mayor in 2019 after Emanuel dropped out of the race, but ultimately decided against a bid. Instead, Garcia helped Lightfoot become mayor that year, endorsing her in a runoff against Cook County Board President Tony Preckwinkle, on whose leadership team he served while on the county board. Garcia timed his public challenge of Lightfoot to coincide with the 40th anniversary of his run for mayor of Washington in 1982. As Garcia sought to position himself as a like-minded politician who could build a coalition, he was introduced by state Rep. Theresa Mah , whose district includes Chinatown, former Lincoln Park Ald. Edwin Eisendrath and Stephanie Gadlin, former spokesperson for CTU President Karen Lewis. Seated aldermen, including Susan Sadlowski Garza, Gilbert Villegas, Felix Cardona and Mike Rodriguez, attended Garcia’s rally. In his speech, Garcia talked about the Mexican American shopping district on 26th Street and the feeling of being at home with the hustle and bustle. But, he said, the city is at a “crossroads,” with crime and other issues that need to be addressed. “We should be able to look out on our horizon and see cranes and new growth and equitable growth in our neighborhoods, bringing new, good-paying union jobs, new retail and new vitality to our city,” Garcia said. “I want to see our city grow and thrive. And I want to see our children and grandchildren raise families here in Chicago, so they can start a small business or buy their first home.” In addition to Garcia, the race includes King, Buckner, Johnson, Green, Lightfoot, Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, former CPS Chief Paul Vallas, Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, and businessman Willie Wilson. Ald. Tom Tunney and former governor Pat Quinn are still considering entering the race. [email protected]
