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Lightfoot expected to join the long line of mayoral contenders

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Illinois

Lori Lightfoot has resigned as head of the Chicago Police Board, the board confirmed Monday. […]

Her resignation comes days before sources say the former U.S. attorney is expected to announce her campaign for mayor, set to happen Thursday.

Lightfoot has been meeting with key political operatives to build a team, but will not confirm the Thursday timing.

* Fran Spielman reports that Lightfoot has already “hired a fundraiser, a pollster, a campaign consultant and a firm to handle her direct mail.” OK, but she hasn’t even filed a D-1 yet. From Fran’s piece…

Greg Goldner, who managed Emanuel’s 2002 congressional campaign, advised Lightfoot to follow the playbook that carried County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to a landslide victory during a 2010 campaign master-minded by Ken Snyder, who just happens to be Lightfoot’s political consultant.

“She unified the African-American community to a large extent, and she was able to get white progressives,” Goldner said of Preckwinkle. […]

Jacky Grimshaw, who served as a top aide to former Mayor Harold Washington, has her doubts about Lightfoot’s ability to pull it off.

“Dorothy Brown has the church ladies. I don’t know what constituency Lori has,” Grimshaw said. “If police and police misbehavior is your issue, then you pay attention to it. If it’s not, what else have you done? How’s that gonna help me get a job? How’s that gonna help me keep my health care?”

Grimshaw is right. Dorothy Brown does, indeed, have “the church ladies.” Brown visits several churches every weekend and she’s the only Emanuel opponent so far with a readily identifiable and historically friendly base. If she survives the federal investigation (which has dragged on for years and years), she could very well make the runoff without having to spend much. Don’t laugh. Weirder things have happened.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:04 am

Comments

I wish her the best with her campaign. If she can raise around $20 million she has a chance.

Comment by Rocky Rosi Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:10 am
The more alternatives to Emanuel, the higher the likelihood of a runoff. He’s no slam-dunk in a one-on-one vs. anyone, no matter how much money he has.

Emanuel might want to get an early start, dig that Mr. Rogers sweater out of the crawlspace and get on the TV box to remind everyone what a kind, gentle, friendly neighbor he is.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:18 am
Can Lightfoot really tap into the activist community? I mean, she is pretty identified with the police. What is there from her time at OPS too? That’s not an easy job. I think she is going to end up looking hypocritical like a lot of the other candidates. You can’t effectively criticize Rahm for stuff that you were a part of too.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:19 am
There really ought to be time limits on Federal investigations
If Brown is as dirty as some claim and the Feds cannot prove it after years of looking then maybe she is not dirty. In any event Brown is either brace or nuts to stick a finger in their (investigators ‘) eye.

Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:42 am
==dig that Mr. Rogers sweater out of the crawlspace==

It’s under the wedding dress.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:43 am
Goldner & Reyes are selling something…the Toni 2010 model where she unified the black community???? Toni got roughly 40% of the black vote in that primary, not really unified in my humble opinion.

Comment by Glass half full Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 11:11 am
No chance whatsoever.

Not sure who wins the race but I suspect Gainer and another one or two serious candidates will also enter. Rahm is in serious trouble.

Comment by Dorothy Brown Runoff LOL Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 1:09 pm
Fran Spielman’s article stated that Lori Lightfoot is the “only candidate who is openly gay.” There goes any chance at “the church ladies.”

Comment by Christopher Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 1:09 pm
I think she’s suffering from TMPOFYES (too many political operatives feeding your ego syndrome). No chance. And this is a run off whether she’s in it or not. Four or five candidates guarantee it, so let’s just all assume the real election is in April.

Comment by Shytown Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 1:32 pm
You are spot on Rich. Dorothy Brown does have a constituency and stranger things have happened. I suspect Rahm is praying that this is the case. I think he would lose to Vallas, lose to Lightfoot but probably beat McCarthy.

Comment by Paddyrollingstone Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 2:21 pm
I assume anyone commenting that Dorothy Brown has a chance does not live in an area code beginning with 606.

Comment by Dorothy Comments Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 3:40 pm
=Rahm is in serious trouble.=

Easy folks. He has a lot of cash in the bank and the ability to raise lots more. And he didn’t accidentally trip into the office…twice. He has a challenge ahead of him, but “in trouble” is over the top.

Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 4:09 pm
Vallas is the only candidate that I might vote for over Rahm. CTU hates him probably more than Rahm, so he must be good.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, May 8, 18 @ 10:01 pm