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Chicago politics gets even messier

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* I told subscribers about most of this on Tuesday…

Democratic Chicago Ald. Scott Waguespack is going to run as a write-in candidate for the 32nd Ward committeeman seat that he currently holds.

Here’s why: The only guy in the race, Ishan Daya, was caught on video recently tearing down a poster in New York City of an Israeli hostage being held by Hamas.

“Many party members have objected to him based on his actions,” Waguespack told Playbook, adding, he’s filing to run as a write-in after initially planning not to seek reelection. Waguespack had endorsed someone else for the post, but that person didn’t file on time — leaving Daya as the only one in the race. Now Waguespack is back in. […]

20th District state Senate race: After the video of Daya went public, he stepped down as a co-host of a fundraiser for Graciela Guzman, a progressive challenging incumbent state Sen Natalie Toro in the Democratic primary. The war is now a talking point in the race, with Guzman condemning Daya’s actions, and Toro calling them out as “hateful and antisemitic.”

I mean, we’ll see, but it’s not like Waguespack has a ton of friends these days. And his bumbling with his preferred replacement is what caused this to be a one-person ward race to begin with.

Anyway, the video is here, but be careful if you’re at work. Click here for Daya’s statement. Subscribers know more about other reactions and responses. And there’s more at that other link about a couple of congressional primaries.

Take at least one deep breath before commenting, please. Thanks.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:15 am

Comments

The lack of moral clarity from the far left in Chicago on protecting all people from violence and their botched job on immigration is no doubt a problem for progressive candidates.

Comment by Traci Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:24 am
And who’s idea was it to host the DNC convention in Chicago next summer? A perfect storm awaits … shades of 1968

Comment by This Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:30 am
Anyone who follows politics in the UK and how the Labour party tore itself apart has a strong feeling of deja vu.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:37 am
If anything Waguespack is on the upswing after the last nine months.

Comment by Sonny Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:38 am
somewhere there is a list of people who have thrown away their lives by the hateful action of tearing down a poster of a hostage, a public defender in NYC prominent among those. the 32nd ward actions affecting the cauldron of the 20th is a sad addition to an already difficult situation.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 9:51 am
The lack of moral clarity from the far right in Chicago on protecting all people from violence and their botched job on immigration is no doubt a problem for “conservative” candidates.

Fixed.

Comment by Jerry Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:04 am
@Jerry:

How many “far right” elected officials hold office in Chicago and Cook County at the present time?

Comment by Gravitas Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:08 am
Chicago is a mess in general.

Comment by Teve Demotte Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:16 am
I’m surprised at how bad the community organizers in power have been at doing just that: organizing. From the top of city hall to the bottom. Geez!

Comment by DisappointedVoter Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:17 am
I hope that Waguespack gets lots of institutional backing for this, even if people have disagreements on other things with him. lake county democrat is right, there are important lessons to be learned from the Labour Party in the UK, and supporting efforts like this is such an important moment for the party implement those lessons from across the pond.

Preventing Daya from taking this seat is the same kind of test for the left as it has been a test for the right whether they would allow insurrectionists to be party leaders. The right failed that test, will the left be any better at keeping the extremists at bay?

Comment by CornAl DoGooder Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:31 am
Crafty has a pinned Tweet announcing the firing of Ishan Daya. Good on them.

Comment by allknowingmasterofraccoondom Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:38 am
==but to help you understand my intent==

As RR once said, “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” Once Hamas kidnapped 250 people, they lost the argument…end of story.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:43 am
- CornAl DoGooder - Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 10:31 am:

Would this be the same Labour Party that is poised to so wipe out the Tories in the next general election that rather than call a snap election, the Tories have bumbled through a succession of increasingly ineffective leaders not elected by voters? (And Labour has been crushing by-elections aka special elections, which similarly to the United States at the federal level can be a harbinger of things to come)

Comment by Google Is Your Friend Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 11:52 am
I’m guessing Ald. Rodriguez, Ald. CRR and UWF will be coming to the aid of Ishan Daya. From the River to the Sea as said by both alderman online and at rallies.
They could go join the Presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT who have all released statements and/or videos about their huge mistake in front of Congress.

Comment by Frida's boss Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 1:01 pm
Lets hope Daya doesn’t survive the inevitable ballot challenge and Waguespack can have a fairly simple path forward. Otherwise, we will be in for an ugly and divisive race that would be low key under usual circumstances.

Comment by LastModDemStanding Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 1:04 pm
The bigotry and anti-Semitism on the Left has reached a level that is beyond shocking. And the Democratic Party tolerates it all because a good chunk of the party’s base is now proudly anti-Semitic and wants to wipe-out Israel. The strategy of just hating on Donald Trump some more and hoping no one notices is not working.

Comment by Lordy lordy Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 1:36 pm
While tearing down the poster is just plain awful, the group filming these altercations is a bit… odd. I’m unsure when it became normal behavior to bait folks into engaging in hateful action on hidden camera so you can alert their employers. Obviously when you put yourself on a ballot you become fair-game, but I don’t think they were specifically targeting a candidate for Chicago ward committeeman in Brooklyn. There’s gotta be a better tactic to do politics-by-addition than entrapping random passerby.

Comment by Drury's Missing Clock Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 1:40 pm
===to bait folks===

Those two didn’t look like they needed any encouragement.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 1:42 pm
===And the Democratic Party tolerates it all ===

Guzman, who may be the most far-left candidate to ever legitimately compete for the Illinois Senate - supported his decision to step down from her fundraising committee.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 2:13 pm
The 32nd Ward committeeman candidate was ripping down posters of hostages taken by Hamas. The party should step in and ask that the candidate drop out.

Comment by pragmatist Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 2:14 pm
Hate is hate. Antisemitism is hate. Islamophobia is hate. There is not any justification for either, and this is enough.
I have been angry and dealing with this personally as a Jew.

Elected officials who support hate, and I won’t name them need to lose their seats, and that is a bipartisan critique.

Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 2:42 pm
Has anyone asked a follow up question to Daya regarding his claim about the poster:

“Under his picture was large text with claims about Palestinians that were racist and vitriolic – language that has been used to justify acts of violence”

What language is he referring to?

Comment by Pacifist Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 3:07 pm
==Those two didn’t look like they needed any encouragement.==

Sure, but they *were* encouraged, which is also abnormal behavior that should be called out.

Comment by Drury's Missing Clock Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 4:13 pm
===Sure, but they *were* encouraged===

Where?

Also, the other person was repeatedly saying “dog” in Arabic while pulling down the poster. Stop deflecting. They have agency. And they did it *knowing* they were being recorded.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 4:30 pm
“bait folks” the DSA again trying to explain away their deplorable behavior.
They love to destroy everything then when getting called out for their own decisions and behavior, they always have an excuse for how it’s really the other people’s fault. Most recently all the DSA came to CRR’s rescue after using his position to physically intimidate a female black alderwoman and use his position to threaten projects in people’s wards.

Comment by Frida's boss Thursday, Dec 7, 23 @ 11:05 pm