41ST WARD
Emanuel’s Shorter Coattails
It would seem like Mayor-elect Emanuel has an easy choice in the 41st Ward runoff election. The nonpartisan race pits the ward’s Democratic committeeman, Mary O’Connor, against a Republican, Maurita Gavin.
Mr. Emanuel, long one of the nation’s top Democratic operatives, has remained neutral, even after meeting with both candidates. A spokeswoman for him declined to comment on the race.
But the reason seems obvious: Mr. Emanuel’s coattails may be short in the 41st Ward, one of only 10 wards where he was not the top vote-getter in the February election. Mr. Emanuel received 42 percent there, to 50 percent for Gery Chico.
The police and firefighter unions endorsed Mr. Chico over Mr. Emanuel. Brian Doherty, the retiring alderman, said the unions’ stand against him most likely cost Mr. Emanuel many votes in the suburban-like ward on the far Northwest Side, which is home to many city workers. Mr. Doherty is supporting Ms. Gavin, his aide.
“Police and firefighters don’t like him and are afraid of him,” Mr. Doherty said of the mayor-elect. “They are the backbone of the vote up here.”
Matt Joyce, a ward resident who works as an engineer for the City Colleges of Chicago, said he voted for Miguel del Valle for mayor because Mr. Del Valle seemed less likely to balance the city’s budget on the backs of public workers.
But Mr. Joyce said that with the poor economy, “anyone who gets in there is going to have to cut jobs.”
Last week, in a campaign office in the banquet hall of her restaurant, O’Connor’s Deli and Market, Ms. O’Connor said that she did not ask for Mr. Emanuel’s endorsement.
“I think there will be many times where we passionately disagree, and I’m O.K. with that,” she said.
Behind her, on the wall of the banquet hall, hung a reminder of an era in the city’s history when the mayor clearly was not O.K. with City Council dissent: A black-and-white picture of former Mayor Richard J. Daley.
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Ballot Subtext - Budget Crisis and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - NYTimes.com
Why did the NYTs interview Doherty? He isn't running. And they didn't interview Gavin...interesting. The Republicans probably told Gavin to stay away from reporters after the Sun-Times debacle.
ReplyDeleteAnd the NYTs list Gavin as a Republican - even though she lists herself (as of this week anyway), and independent? hahaha...
This just gets better and better! And I'm not an O'Connor supporter either. I don't even live in your ward. I come here for giggles.
CTU, CFF, Chicago police sargeants association and many other city worker unions endorsed O'Connor. And they will bring in the vote for her in the 41st. They aren't afraid of Rahm - at this point they want to get along to decrease the workforce by attrition.
ReplyDeleteThis article isn't New York Times, per se.
ReplyDeleteIt is article by Chicago-based free-lancer, Hunter Clauss, of "Chicago News Cooperative". Story was picked up by the New York Times.
Only a part of the article has been posted here.
The full article is here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/us/03cncrunoffs.html
The Doherty quotes are old.
Hunter Clauss did indeed interview Gavin this past week.
Sun Times article was not at all debacle for Gavin.
8:45pm's comments are biased and uninformed.
Aldermanic Elections are non-partisan; Chicago primary elections are partisan.
O'Connor lists herself as "non-partisan" on her facebook's "information" page, directly above where she lists her current office as "Democratic Ward Committeeman".
These are facts, as neutrally stated as I can state them.
This blog reeks of O'Connor supporters. Have fun with the SEIU and tax increases.
ReplyDeleteIf Hunter Clauss interviewed Gavin, where are her quotes? Most likely nothing said of any substance - offering excuses of why the ward fell apart in the last 15 years, playing the victim, and having no clue as to the real issues that taxpayers are facing.
ReplyDeleteSo, Hunter pulled out old quotes from Doherty rather than new quotes from Gavin who runs off in two days? huh?
ReplyDeleteAbsence of Gavin input says it all for me.
ReplyDeleteMy house is cool with the new man. Go O'Connor!
ReplyDeleteTo 5:52am:
ReplyDeleteLike the TAX INCREASE Doherty VOTED for with the PARKIN METER deal?
THAT TAX INCREASE, that HUGE mess?
GO SEIU.
Look at 5:52am and you can see Gavin and her supporters are anti-union.
ReplyDeleteUnion Blogger here:
ReplyDeleteGo O'Connor!
Good picture of O'Connor going door to door in the NYT article.. I think that was my house!
ReplyDeleteHey Dougherty:
ReplyDeleteI'm CFF and I am not AFRAID of Rahm. What the heck are you talking about. Doherty don't talk for the CFF. You slugging one of us during one of your binges as we tried to render first aid - with no public apology was enough for us.
Since when is Doherty a spokesperson for city workers? When he ran for senate he said union government workers were the cause of the state budget crisis. He said the unions were the issue and the state workers need to go - he talked just how Walker, Wisc Govenor talks today. Doherty has a he__ of a lot of nerve. Worse yet are these old timers/cronies who supported Gavin. They are shooting themselves in the foot. People like Gavin and Doherty don't care at all about union workers.
ReplyDeleteBlog reeks of O'Connor supporters because there are more O'Connor supporters. Simple fact.
ReplyDeleteJust wait: Doherty is going to vote for privatizing recycling. Mark my words, you saw it here first. Doherty doesn't give a rip about city workers and neither will Gavin. His parting middle finger to this ward will be to screw city workers.
ReplyDeleteanyone see a FOP member going door to door? just saying
ReplyDeleteGood story Hunter - although, I work for the CPL and have for over 20 years and I'm not "afraid" of Rahm. This voter more "afraid" of Gavin. We have needed change here for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteDoherty a spokesperson for city workers? That's rich, talk about irony. When he was running for state senate, he wanted to get rid of unionized state workers.
ReplyDeleteThis IBEW worker voting for O'Connor! Good Luck Maryann.
ReplyDeleteSaw the Times article - excellent picture. Mary came to my house and asked if I had questions or concerns. Good luck to you Mary O'Connor.
ReplyDeleteI just read this and I thought, quoting Doherty is ridicuous at this point. And I really don't understand why he thinks we (city workers) are afraid of the mayor elect? CPD and CFF who deal with the most dangerous situations in the city everyday (gangs, shootings, fires, etc) are afraid? I sincerly doubt they are afraid. Maybe relieved that Doherty won't be around to tell the world they are afraid.
ReplyDeleteUnion Blogger here: I already voted for you Mary, but I want you to know I'm rooting for you. Good luck tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe group run by Emanuel's former campaign manager endorsed O'Connnor. More sneaky sneaky hood winking going on with O'Connor. Does this woman ever tell the truth?
ReplyDeleteCFF here: We are afraid of what he will do with man power, pensions and benefits if he is able to buy the Council. We know the Better Chicago group that endorsed and helped bank roll O'Connor is Emanuel. We are angry that our Union President's wife works for O'Connor. We don't forget and we vote.
ReplyDeleteGarrido received mucho money from American crosshairs/Carl Rove, and he says he is "independent"(Republican).
ReplyDeleteHow come Gavin didn't get any of that money?