Chuy Garcia endorses former rival Brandon Johnson as new poll shows tight race for mayor of Chicago

Daily Kos Staff

Friday March 17, 2023 · 1:00 PM PDT

2023/03/17 · 13:00

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 17: U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL) (L) greets Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson during an event at La Vallita Community Church where Garcia announced his endorsement of former rival Johnson on March 17, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, is facing former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in a runoff election for the Mayor's office scheduled for April 4. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) — Rep. Chuy Garcia (left) with Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson on Friday picked up the backing of Rep. Chuy Garcia, a fellow progressive who took fourth place in last month’s nonpartisan primary ahead of the April 4 general election for mayor of Chicago. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, meanwhile, got a notable endorsement of his own from the Chicago Laborers’ District Council, which the Chicago Tribune says has been “generous with financial support for their favored candidates.”

Garcia, who is one of Chicago’s most prominent Latino politicians, performed well in several predominantly Latino neighborhoods even as he was only taking 14% citywide, and Johnson is hoping that the congressman will help him make key inroads in these communities. The Chicago Sun-Times, though, notes that Vallas did “surprisingly well among Hispanics” in the first round and won some majority Latino wards.

Meanwhile, the progressive pollster IZQ Strategies finds Johnson edging out Vallas 46-44 in its first general election survey. The firm, which is led by a Johnson supporter, says it sponsored this poll itself and raised money through crowdfunding. There’s been no agreement on the state of the race among the handful of surveys we’ve seen: A recent Johnson internal from Lake Research Partners also put him ahead 45-40, while releases from 1983 Labs and the GOP firm Victory Research had Vallas up by margins of 44-32 and 45-39, respectively.

Chuy Garcia endorses former rival Brandon Johnson as new poll shows tight race for mayor of Chicago

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