CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel doesn’t face any big-name challengers in his push for a second term, but the former White House chief of staff isn’t taking any chances.
He’s pulled in more than nine times more money than any of his challengers through fundraising and a PAC. He’s dominated the airwaves with commercials, including a radio spot this week featuring an endorsement from his old boss, President Barack Obama. And he’s agreed to attend no less than six forums and debates – far more than the single debate he did during his 2011 bid to lead the nation’s third-largest city.
Never known to be bashful, Emanuel says he takes every challenge seriously. But his acknowledgement that he’s not in position to coast to victory is rooted in political reality.
He has struggled with poor popularity ratings after confronting contentious issues like school closures and gun violence that resonate in Chicago’s neighborhoods. And he appears determined to capture a majority in the Feb. 24 vote to avoid an embarrassing April runoff that could allow a sole remaining challenger to consolidate the opposition.
Since launching his bid, Emanuel has defended his policies by taking a set of campaign talks on the road and confronting his challengers head-on, a change from his first campaign when he largely stayed out of the fray. He’s asked his opponents to release tax returns and turned the intensity up this week, going after two candidates in the first debate.