By Caitlin Emma
RAHM HEADS FOR A RUNOFF: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fell short of clinching a second term outright on Tuesday night when he failed to secure a majority of the vote. Recent polls predicted a close race and ultimately, Emanuel pulled in 45 percent of the vote to 34 percent for his Democratic challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia with 84 percent of precincts reporting. Garcia has had the strong backing of the Chicago Teachers Union. Local and national unions have poured their resources into ousting Emanuel, with plans to fight his education reform agenda to the bitter end. Now, Emanuel will now fight for his political career for the next six weeks, Pro Campaigns’ Kyle Cheney reports. And the runoff, which will be held on April 7, isn’t just a knock to the Chicago mayor — but a blow to President Barack Obama, as well. More: http://politi.co/1vxrOia
— Democrats for Education Reform still lauded Emanuel’s “strong showing” and double-digit lead over Garcia. “Mayor Emanuel goes into the runoff as a strong leader with widespread support in Chicago,” the group said in a statement. “His impressive lead over Garcia means that tonight is also a win for everyone who has worked to improve education in our country by keeping what works and getting rid of what doesn’t.”
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