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* Troy LaRaviere press release…
In November of 2017, I was the first person to enter the 2019 race for mayor. Today, in November of 2018 it looks as if I will become the first candidate to exit the race. Our crew of volunteers did an amazing job. One volunteer collected nearly 2,000 signatures on her own. I thank them all, and I thank the people who invited me into their homes, who took the time to listen to me and my message and who gave of what they had. Unfortunately, however, it appears we’re going to come up short. The responsibility for this is ultimately my own.
With two weeks left in the petition process, it would require more money than we’ve been able to raise in an entire year. We would also require a massive influx of organized petitioners, just to give us a shot at reaching a signature threshold that would survive the aggressive challenge our petitions are going to get from political insiders from the more well-funded campaigns. Then, of course, there are the legal costs of defending ourselves from that legal challenge. So we will soon begin the process of winding down our campaign.
* WTTW…
The latest to throw his hat into the ring is State Rep. La Shawn Ford of the 8th District, which includes much of the city’s West Side.
“What we want is really pretty simple – the people of Chicago want a seat at the table, and our beloved city of Chicago should be financially stable, healthy and safe – and that is why I now announce that I am running to be the next mayor of the city of Chicago,” Ford told supporters Thursday. […]
A supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primaries, the six-term state representative has a history of backing progressive causes, including support for the “ban the box” bill that would bar private sector employers from asking questions about a job candidate’s criminal history. Ford has also championed microloans for ex-offenders. […]
Earlier this year, Ford caused something of a stir when he appeared on the TV show “Fox & Friends” to encourage Emanuel to work with the Trump administration to get more resources to tackle gun violence. Emanuel had been feuding with President Donald Trump over the city’s status as a so-called “sanctuary city,” but Ford said he would welcome Trump to Chicago and argued that the mayor’s poor relationship with the president was ultimately harming the city.
* Related…
* Activist who helped force release of Laquan video will run for 5th Ward alderman
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:07 pm
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Who?
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:10 pm
I kid with the “who?”, but really Troy never had a constituency except a couple reporters.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:13 pm
LaShawn Ford - the announcement no one was waiting for.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:26 pm
My eyebrows raised at the Ford announcement…a gadfly move or a chance to gain more name recognition and relevance long-term?
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:34 pm
A good decision, and a bad decision, in that order.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:36 pm
OFF TOPIC: Rich, has the fax gone out via email yet?
Comment by anon Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:40 pm
===has the fax gone out via email yet===
Yep. Hours ago. Check your spam folder.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:44 pm
Maybe CTU engineered this so they unite behind Preckwinkle
Comment by Fax Machine Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 12:44 pm
Rich, I am trying not to be too mean, but when I met Troy at a Participatory Budgeting Conference, he came off as a bit arrogant.
I would imagine that since Emanuel is not running for re-election, there is less of a reason to continue running, especially with a campaign that has been so underfunded.
Comment by JakeCP Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:07 pm
Troy LaRaviere stuck his neck out and one would assume that the CTU would have his back. Apparently not. Troy seemed to be a sincere advocate for educators. Perhaps this will allow him some space to think about what can truly empower educators to move from being the “renters” of public schools that they are….to owners and operators. Why can a lawyer become a partner in the firm, a doctor can co-own a practice, but a teacher can never fully drive his or her practice. How could Troy help make that happen for educators?
Comment by Ed Equity Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:23 pm
I’d add that Rep Ford has always been an out of the box thinker about educational equity. His thinking is so far left, it sometimes swings back around to the right. Good for him. Too bad Carol Marin did not mention her own article about his indictment being cleared and her own credentialing of his current standing and unfair treatment in the press. He deserves a shot.
Comment by Ed Equity Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:26 pm
Rep. Ford is the type of Rep. who berates staffers when his bills fail because he didn’t do the work to secure the votes.
I share this knowledge sourced from personal experience.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:28 pm
Whatever the personal weaknesses of Troy Laraviere, it’s also a weakness of Chicago progressive activists that they could not get behind one candidate and give that candidate the support needed to win. Progressives easily are 20-40% of the electorate and they could have gotten their own into the run off. Instead, it looks like they will try to ride in on Toni’s back. While she may have progressive policy credentials, she is definitely not a progressive when it comes to whom she backs and how she does politics.
Comment by You could say that, I couldn't Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:33 pm
“it’s also a weakness of Chicago progressive activists that they could not get behind one candidate and give that candidate the support needed to win.”
The label “Chicago progressive activists” covers a lot of people with different definitions of progress. That loose group isn’t organized enough to come around one candidate.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 1:50 pm
Candidates have zero excuse not to have enough signatures this time around, other than a lack of volunteers, which would then signal they don’t really have support anyway.
All one needed to do was stand outside a polling place in the November election and get signatures of registered voters walking out after they voted. In fact, many polling places actually let the petition gatherers stand inside and get them.
Across the north side ward we were working we got about 2,500 for an aldermanic candidate and another 1,000 for Anna Valencia. The one I was surprised at getting such a negative reaction was Preckwinkle so we weren’t able to get as many of those.
Comment by Helm Tuesday, Nov 13, 18 @ 2:39 pm