By: Ashmar Mandou

Mayor Rahm Emanuel was re-elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday, enduring a grueling challenge from Cook county Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who had hopes to become the city’s first Latino mayor. With 98 percent of precincts counted, Emanuel earned 56 percent of the vote, while Garcia earned 44 percent, making it a narrow win for the mayor. “I have had the good fortune to serve two presidents. I’ve had the fortune of being elected to Congress. Being mayor of the city of Chicago is the greatest job I’ve ever had and the greatest job in the world,” said Emanuel. “To all the voters, I want to thank you for putting me through my paces,” Emanuel continued. “I will be a better mayor because of that.”

Mayoral candidate Garcia conceded to incumbent Emanuel after months of grassroots campaigning, which helped bring Garcia close to winning the April 7th election. “Today, tens of thousands of people from all over this great city came together — people from the north side and the south side and the southeast side and the northwest side and the southwest side — people of every color and creed, people who speak every language on the face of this earth,” said Garcia “People — good, hardworking people — came together today and spoke with one clear voice to say you want to be heard. You want a government that works for you. You want a city that works for everyone, and I mean everyone — not just for downtown or for the neighborhoods, but for both. We’ve got some big problems in Chicago, and no matter who is Mayor, we’ve got to work together to solve them.”

Upon Garcia’s official petition drive in late October, he earned more than 63,000 signatures to win a slot on the ballot. After a vigorous push from volunteers, the city faced a non-partisan mayoral run-off. ““In the last fifteen years, Chicago has lost over 200,000 people who just up and left,” said Garcia. “You can’t have a thriving city unless people are moving here, not leaving. That means a growing middle class, not a shrinking one — a less violent city, with great schools and thriving neighborhoods. A prosperous, growing city won’t have a pile of bills it can’t pay and a pile of forgotten people it can’t care for.

“Today, tens of thousands of people voted for a Chicago where everyone has a voice, and where our leaders really listen — a Chicago people want to move to, not run away from — a Chicago that works for you, not just a few,” said Garcia. “We may have fallen short on votes today, but we will make sure these people’s voices are heard. We will not stop fighting for people — not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”