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Chicago Mayor Daley poised to Rush back into office
February 23, 1999 CHICAGO (AllPolitics, February 23) -- The winner takes all in Tuesday's mayoral race in Chicago. The first nonpartisan election for the top spot in the city pits two Democratic political veterans -- popular incumbent mayor Richard Daley against Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush. Daley is heavily favored, but Rush wants Chicago voters to believe Daley may have trouble holding onto his job. The 52-year-old Rush says voters will deliver results that shock, surprise and amaze. But according to a recent Chicago Tribune poll, voters aren't likely to dump Daley yet. The son of legendary Mayor Richard J. Daley leads Rush by a whopping 52 percentage points.
Despite the demise of his father's extraordinary vote-producing political machine, Daley has succeeded in attracting votes from all over the city, as well as the support of nearly every member of the City Council. "People are very happy and when they're happy they're not going to change horses," political analyst Don Rose says. Daley has spruced up Chicago's image with his beautification projects, street cleaning, and trash collections. And a building boom is underway. Yet Daley thinks his crowning achievement is reforming the public school system, once considered the worst in the nation. "That's why Chicago is rebuilding because of the public school system. Nothing more. Nothing less," says Daley, who if he wins will become the longest serving mayor in city history. "Other cities are losing. We're gaining." Test scores in reading and math have improved for most grades, but Daley's opponent -- four-term U.S. representative and former Black Panther Rush says that's not good enough. "The public school system right now is nothing but an assembly line for test takers. They dummy down the curriculum," Rush says. The Georgia native says he would teach students to think critically instead. Hammering the theme that Chicago's prosperity hasn't reached the poor such as those living in the Cabrini Green public housing community, Rush advocates wage hikes.
He's also been quick to capitalize on Daley's troubles during the mayor's ten year tenure. For example, while Daley received high marks for keeping the streets clear during this year's blizzard, the city's public transportation system screeched to a halt. In another embarrassment, Daley's police chief resigned under pressure after reports of a friendship with a man allegedly tied to organized crime. "If the economy were not so good, then you'd probably would be seeing more criticism of Mayor Daley than we see now," says Bob Crawford, a political editor for WBBM-AM radio. Voters seem willing to forgive Daley and focus on his accomplishments. They now give him a 78 percent job approval rating. CNN's Patty Davis contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Tuesday, February 23, 1999
• Congress ponders independent counsel demise • Governors want control of federal education money • Dole does Iowa swing in 'non-campaign' • Governors drum up support for another Bush presidency • Republicans waffling on 10 percent tax cut • Moderate GOP veteran to replace Gingrich • Chicago's Daley beats Rush for third term as mayor • Starr, Reno have 15 days to comment on possible independent counsel probe • White House shifts Y2K focus to states • Fed chief's talk about economy and overvalued stocks rattles markets • Legislation aims to keep Y2K bug out of the courtroom • U.S. Census OKs Web filing test • Buchanan takes leave from `Crossfire' to explore presidential candidacy • New Census statistics on blacks posted • Watergate Hotel to hold GOP fund-raising event • How to pass legislation: Give it a catchy name • Clintons returning to Park City for family time on the slopes • Administration, in policy reversal, rejects Hughes satellite export • ABC set to air Lewinsky interview | |||||||||||||||||
