CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[bnk]

There is talk Lori might not make it to the runnoff.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ut/ar-AA17FRX4

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot is in danger of an early re-election knockout

NBC News ^ | February 19, 2023 | Natasha Korecki


CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot is the first to admit her bid for re-election will be far from smooth.

“There’s nine people on the ballot,” Lightfoot said in an interview with NBC News. “It’s impossible not to have a runoff.”

What’s appearing increasingly possible, however, is that Lightfoot will fail to make it even that far.

In Chicago’s municipal election, if a candidate fails to win a majority, then the top two vote-getters face off against each other in a second round of voting in April.

But with less than two weeks to the Feb. 28 election, the firecracker Democratic first-term mayor — who quickly brandished a national hate-hate relationship with conservatives — faces credible threats from at least three opponents in the nine-person race. Her unfavorables have soared with Chicagoans fed up with gun violence. In recent polling, she's failed to break into the top two.

All that adds up to the stunning prospect that a sitting big-city mayor could be eliminated from re-election contention in the first round of voting.

"It's looking harder and harder for her," one of her competitors, Rep. Jesús "Chuy" Garcia, said in an interview. "It's a hell of a front to be fighting on, from her vantage point."

[twister244]

Originally Posted by bnk

There is talk Lori might not make it to the runnoff.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ut/ar-AA17FRX4

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot is in danger of an early re-election knockout

NBC News ^ | February 19, 2023 | Natasha Korecki


CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot is the first to admit her bid for re-election will be far from smooth.

“There’s nine people on the ballot,” Lightfoot said in an interview with NBC News. “It’s impossible not to have a runoff.”

What’s appearing increasingly possible, however, is that Lightfoot will fail to make it even that far.

In Chicago’s municipal election, if a candidate fails to win a majority, then the top two vote-getters face off against each other in a second round of voting in April.

But with less than two weeks to the Feb. 28 election, the firecracker Democratic first-term mayor — who quickly brandished a national hate-hate relationship with conservatives — faces credible threats from at least three opponents in the nine-person race. Her unfavorables have soared with Chicagoans fed up with gun violence. In recent polling, she's failed to break into the top two.

All that adds up to the stunning prospect that a sitting big-city mayor could be eliminated from re-election contention in the first round of voting.

"It's looking harder and harder for her," one of her competitors, Rep. Jesús "Chuy" Garcia, said in an interview. "It's a hell of a front to be fighting on, from her vantage point."

Which is why you are going to see LL do everything she can to tie Paul Vallas to Ron Desantis this week.....

Don't pay attention to the issues impacting Chicago residents day-to-day (looking at you O'Hare). But instead, let's chat about how Paul Vallas is really Desantis in Sheep's wool.

LL knows she's in danger, and Vallas has the momentum going into this election.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by twister244

Which is why you are going to see LL do everything she can to tie Paul Vallas to Ron Desantis this week.....

Don't pay attention to the issues impacting Chicago residents day-to-day (looking at you O'Hare). But instead, let's chat about how Paul Vallas is really Desantis in Sheep's wool.

LL knows she's in danger, and Vallas has the momentum going into this election.

How many Chicago residents are affected by problems at O'Hare day to day?

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by twister244

Which is why you are going to see LL do everything she can to tie Paul Vallas to Ron Desantis this week.....

Don't pay attention to the issues impacting Chicago residents day-to-day (looking at you O'Hare). But instead, let's chat about how Paul Vallas is really Desantis in Sheep's wool.

LL knows she's in danger, and Vallas has the momentum going into this election.

I've been to O'Hare 4 times this month and haven't encountered one issue. Is breathless reporting by Fox News and NY Post really how we should judge an issue's day-to-day impact on Chicagoans?

The Vallas stuff matters to me because we have no idea how he might govern. Lightfoot isn't great (or good?) but at least we know what to expect. Vallas flat-out stated that conspiracy theorist Shannon Adcock should run for Governor. Then, when he was called out for his affiliation with her organization (Awake), he changed course. He did the same thing after courting the FOP endorsement and now they are "promoting" a DeSantis appearance in the suburbs. I think it is fair to question where he actually stands on issues.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

I've been to O'Hare 4 times this month and haven't encountered one issue.

If you've been through T2 baggage claim you would definitely have noticed. . .

. . .

[lakeshoredrive]

I'm still torn on who to vote for... This is why I wish we could have ranked choice voting. Hopefully one day soon. Do we think Lightfoot will have a chance to go to the runoff?

[jtown,man]

I bet parents with kids attending schools requiring a "Safe Route" would love school choice. The CTU, that's another issue.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

I bet parents with kids attending schools requiring a "Safe Route" would love school choice. The CTU, that's another issue.

We already have school choice. It was brought by Vallas and doesn't seem to have improved the school district in the long run. That is the point, not whatever distraction you are trying to bring up.

[CrazyCres]

Vallas updated his website and added his plans for Education, Aging in Place, the Pension crisis, reducing youth violence, women's health and safety, and environmental justice.

Some are more comprehensive than others

[cityofneighborhoods]

Surprised no one mentioned this, but it is increasingly looking more likely that the run-off will be Vallas vs. Johnson: https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/ch...vallas-johnson

[Kngkyle]

Originally Posted by cityofneighborhoods

Surprised no one mentioned this, but it is increasingly looking more likely that the run-off will be Vallas vs. Johnson: https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/ch...vallas-johnson

This is the worst case scenario IMO. Vallas/Lightfoot/Chuy are not borderline existential threats to the city's future like I feel Johnson is... if he's able to implement half of what he's proposing that is.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Kngkyle

This is the worst case scenario IMO. Vallas/Lightfoot/Chuy are not borderline existential threats to the city's future like I feel Johnson is... if he's able to implement half of what he's proposing that is.

Completely agree, almost everyone running is bad, but Johnson is the worst. Anyone with kids in CPS knows that the CTU is the most vile organization. I voted for Vallas to bring a bit of sanity back to the city. I do wonder if it's too late though.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Completely agree, almost everyone running is bad, but Johnson is the worst. Anyone with kids in CPS knows that the CTU is the most vile organization. I voted for Vallas to bring a bit of sanity back to the city. I do wonder if it's too late though.

Johnson actually scares me more than Lightfoot. Him and Lightfoot in a run off is the worst possible scenario imagineable.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Johnson actually scares me more than Lightfoot. Him and Lightfoot in a run off is the worst possible scenario imagineable.

Agree 100%. Johnson is the worst candidate running.

[sentinel]

Seems like this might be a good idea here in Chicago too:

How one city cut gun violence in half and may become a model around the country

Omaha, Nebraska, has seen a marked decrease in shootings.
ByElla McCarthy
Video byJessie DiMartino
February 22, 2023, 4:16 AM

https://abcnews.go.com/US/omaha-nebr...=pocket-newtab

'More than 6,000 people have been fatally shot in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

While many lawmakers debate various solutions -- restrictions on firearms, increased mental health funding, investment for youth -- ABC News recently talked to community leaders in Omaha, Nebraska, where officials have seen a steady drop in reported gun violence over the past 15 years.

Police and advocates attribute some of that to Omaha 360 -- an initiative started in 2009 by the Empowerment Network that involves nonprofits, neighborhood associations, churches and local law enforcement.

"It really did help to build a lot of trust between the police and the community and just amongst these various organizations," Scott Gray, the deputy chief of the Omaha Police Department, told ABC News. "Empowerment Network is the hub, because it kind of pulls together all of these different organizations that by themselves tend to not stay connected and more effective."

The number of reported shooting victims in Omaha, which only includes people who survived, dropped from 246 in 2009 to 121 in 2022, with the lowest at 90 victims in 2017, according to data from the Omaha Police Department.

Citywide shooting incidents involving an individual or group in that same time dropped from 191 to 90, with the lowest at 77 incidents in 2018. (One incident can include multiple victims.) And homicide clearance rates were at 87% in 2022. The Omaha Police Department follows the FBI's definition of a cleared case, which is by arrest or by exceptional means, like the death of a known suspect.

Overall homicides in Omaha have also gone down over the last 15 years, according to police department data. Those statistics, which do not delineate different types of homicides, show that average annual homicides fell from about 38 from 2007-2012 to about 28 from 2017-2022.'

[SIGSEGV]

I wanted to vote for Kam, but since we don't have ranked choice (can we please get that?), I'm probably going to vote for Chuy as the least bad (imo) option who has a chance of making the runoff. He's certainly not perfect but he also is the most likely to not get eaten alive by city council.

Now I need to figure out who I want to vote for Alderman in the new 34th ward, though I suspect Conway will win regardless.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

I wanted to vote for Kam, but since we don't have ranked choice (can we please get that?), I'm probably going to vote for Chuy as the least bad (imo) option who has a chance of making the runoff. He's certainly not perfect but he also is the most likely to not get eaten alive by city council.

Pretty much where I'm at as well.

Not a great field, and Chuy seems best overall bet among those with a shot.

[Steely Dan]

An exceptionally weak field.

Of the 5 that are polling in double digits, Lighfoot, Johnson, and Wilson are automatic hard "NO"s for me.

Vallas and Chuy are the only ones of those with a shot that I find remotely palatable.

So I guess I'll be casting my two votes for Vallas tomorrow.

[Kenmore]

i don't know anyone concerned about crime, total suburban media driven mindset

everyone is pissed about the CTA sucking now tho

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

i don't know anyone concerned about crime, total suburban media driven mindset

everyone is pissed about the CTA sucking now tho

You really believe that? Shockingly ignorant statement if you do.