* If he does raise $5 million, he won’t be the lowest spender. But where will his money come from? It’s not like the cash-rich CTU is gonna be a big contributor. They were furious when Gov. Pat Quinn put Vallas on the 2014 ticket. And the downtown money is pretty much all with Mayor Emanuel. Out of state? Maybe. Could this be Chris Kennedy Part 2? I dunno. But after working with Kennedy, Bill Daley has popped his head up again to criticize the mayor. Wait and see, I suppose…
After declining to say earlier this week how much money he hopes to raise for his mayoral campaign, Paul Vallas gave reporters a goal during his campaign kickoff Wednesday.
“Our goal is to raise a minimum $3 million and we hope to raise $5 million,” he said. “When we release our financial reports in June, I think you’ll see a healthy balance.”
So far, Vallas doesn’t have much of a balance. In fact, he hasn’t reported any contributions of at least $1,000 since he filed the paperwork creating his campaign fund on April 2. […]
“I don’t think it’s essential. I’m not convinced I need it,” [Vallas told the Tribune earlier this week about campaign money]. “Suffice to say, I will be the candidate who spends the least on TV ads.”
Instead, Vallas said he will rely on “human infrastructure,” saying he has numerous campaign volunteers at the ready, will visit all of the city’s neighborhoods and hopes Chicagoans echo his efforts on social media.
Emanuel has already raised $5.7 million this cycle.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:00 am:
I think it’s interesting that Vallas might be the one person the Teachers dislike more than Rahm.
And then there’s Gerry McCarthy, the one guy the rank and file cops dislike more than Rahm.
Hard to see a path for either of them, but it’s easy to see how they might actually help Rahm.
- Roman - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:05 am:
The Greek community in Chicago has always been pretty good at raising campaign cash, but $3 to $5 million seems a bit optimistic. Maybe if he can show he’s electable, an anti-Rahm union (like SEIU) will help out.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:05 am:
===Instead, Vallas said he will rely on “human infrastructure,” saying he has numerous campaign volunteers at the ready, will visit all of the city’s neighborhoods and hopes Chicagoans echo his efforts on social media.===
Yeah.
Everyone says they have a ground game until they don’t.
This is a red flag for me.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:10 am:
–Hard to see a path for either of them, but it’s easy to see how they might actually help Rahm.–
I think more candidates increase the likelihood that Emanuel won’t get 50% plus one, forcing a runoff. The challengers are all jockeying to finish second to be the Anti-Rahm in a one-on-one second round
- SaulGoodman - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:10 am:
**“Our goal is to raise a minimum $3 million and we hope to raise $5 million,” he said. “When we release our financial reports in June, I think you’ll see a healthy balance.”**
Why will he release financial reports in June?
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:11 am:
Two words: De Lusional
- Obamas Puppy - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:21 am:
Already playing martyr. The Tribune is like a giddy high school crush which is so comical to watch. I think Kass not only wants him to win but also to take on a date.
- Levois - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:29 am:
If Rahm already has $5 million now he’ll have more by the time of the campaign.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:29 am:
===The challengers are all jockeying to finish second to be the Anti-Rahm in a one-on-one second round.===
Agreed. But with Vallas in the race, it makes it harder for a Troy Laraviere to break through. I don’t think Rahm would mind going head-to-head with Vallas, who’s more of a known-known that Laraviere.
I forgot to add that Dorothy Brown is perhaps the one person that honest government groups dislike more than Rahm.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:31 am:
“I think more candidates increase the likelihood that Emanuel won’t get 50% plus one, forcing a runoff. The challengers are all jockeying to finish second to be the Anti-Rahm in a one-on-one second round”
This is my understanding as well.
The opponent of my opponent is my candidate (in the runoff).
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:35 am:
- Wordslinger - is spot on.
In 2015, Chuy got 33.5% in a “crowded” field, but most importantly, Rahm was just north of 45%. The point being, as this field evolves, someone like a Vallas could get 27-33% (maybe) with limited monetary involvement, but the first goal needs to be to get Rahm below 50% to make that 27-33% worth coming in second.
Rahm gets 50% + 1… Vallas at 33% means nothing.
- Montrose - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:36 am:
A solid ground game takes either money or lots of enthusiasm. Ideally, you have both. I don’t see the money based on Vallas’ estimates and I don’t see a huge groundswell of folks excited about a Vallas campaign.
- SaulGoodman - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:55 am:
** it makes it harder for a Troy Laraviere to break through.**
Troy has a lot bigger issues than Vallas. CTU doesn’t even like the guy.And just wait until the oppo comes out…
- MissingG - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 11:05 am:
Vallas: “I will be the candidate who gets the least votes”
- TominChicago - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 11:15 am:
Darn, MissingG. That was going to be my exact post.
- SSL - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 11:23 am:
Rahm is entirely unlikable, and at some point that will come home to roost. He almost got burned last time, but he promised he had heard the voters and would change. He went right back to being arrogant and self serving right after the election. Throw in the McDonald payoff and you have a vulnerable candidate.
- J - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 11:24 am:
The field looks crowded now, but there are a bunch of guys without a ton of support or money.
It’s tough to make the ballot for mayor without either of those.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 11:34 am:
As a long time Chicago resident, I can tell you I spend a lot of time sitting at home just waiting for Vallas to call to tell me what I need to do in order to get him elected.
Don’t tell anyone else though. They will never see our first class operation until the very last moment. We are everywhere!
We are all just trying to keep it quiet. That’s part of the plan.
/snark/
- Nick - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 12:10 pm:
===The Greek community in Chicago has always been pretty good at raising campaign cash===
Ummm, no. They rarely rally behind their own; very jealous group.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 12:12 pm:
Anon@11:34–I worked for the B of E during the Vallas years. Did you? You sound like it.
- Annonin' - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 12:12 pm:
Bill Daley??????
Apparently you have suffered a recent head injury
But he will love seein’ the name in print
- Anon35 - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 12:24 pm:
The Tribune has four stories on Vallas up on their website right now. The Sun-Times had him on the front page today. All of the media covered him making his announcement. I think that people not being excited about him is a little bit of an overstatement on everyone’s part.
The real question is, can his message be put out through the press continually?
Rahm is very weak right now, and there are lots and lots of stories floating in small political circles, which I won’t say anymore on until they come to light (if they do). He outspent Chuy by $10 million last time around. Yes, downtown loves him. But at least half of his donors are from the suburbs or out of state. Where are his soldiers? They aren’t going door-to-door for him, that’s for sure.
Some of these people will be getting out of the race. Will they throw their support behind Vallas? Garry McCarthy could get 5% of the vote, Willie Wilson 5-10%. If they throw that toward him, it could make a big difference. LaRaviere could always cut a deal with Vallas for something like an appointment to replace Janice Jackson. That could be a couple of percentage points right there.
As of now, Dorothy Brown and Neal Sales are what could hurt Vallas the most. They don’t appear to be serious candidates, and almost appear to have been encouraged to run by people from Rahm’s circle. Did you know that Sales gave the kickoff speech for JB’s run? Those 1871 ties are something that give me a lot of pause.
- Anon35 - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 12:29 pm:
The Daley family still has a considerable amount of clout in Chicago. There are still a lot of people who would run into a burning building for them. I suspect that Bill Daley’s lack of success in fielding Kennedy was a combination of two things: the Daley brand isn’t strong statewide and until the last month, it didn’t appear like Chris was very inspired to run. He got eaten by JB’s cash and his own lack of message.
If the Daley’s aren’t backing Rahm, they are backing someone. If they come out and publicly back someone, whether its Vallas or Gainer, a lot of the old loyalists will jump in.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
===The real question is, can his message be put out through the press continually? ===
Campaigns do not live on earned media alone. Much of the press went ga-ga for Chris Kennedy. Didn’t help much. The lefty media went all in for Biss. Didn’t work.
Not saying he won’t win, but he needs money. Early money.
- Shytown - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
“I will be the candidate to spend the least amount of money on TV”…said every losing candidate in politics ever.
The media wants a fight. He’ll give them plenty to report but that doesn’t translate into votes. He’s always been a darling of the Chicago media, but he has a lot of haters too. Lots. Just wait.
Rahm may be generally unlikeable but he was last time as well. The problem for those running against him is they either (1) won’t have enough money to overcome their single digit name recognition (2) most have baggage and it will come out (hello Vallas) (3) like Rahm or not, he will have a record to run on for reelect and he’ll have the cash to remind every voter 100x about it and (4) too many people in the race.
It will be fun to watch, but I’ve seen how this movie ends already.
- Huh? - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 5:23 pm:
“I will be the candidate to spend the least amount of money on TV”
Not to mention the invisible candidate.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 5:31 pm:
He can sure milk his self-righteouness, can’t he?
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 6:24 pm:
Vallas looked real unprepared on the Obama Library issue. I mean, what does it matter if he can round up Daley support if he can’t run a good campaign?
- Leigh John-Ella - Thursday, May 3, 18 @ 10:04 pm:
Beats his old gov race motto: “I will be the candidate who will not travel downstate”