CHICAGO (CBS) --Election Day is eight days away – and as Chicago decides who the next mayor will be, a comment that Mayor Lori Lightfoot made over the weekend is raising eyebrows.
As seen on a video from the event posted to social media, the mayor told an audience at a South Side rally Saturday: "Any vote coming from the South Side for somebody not named Lightfoot is a vote for Chuy Garcia or Paul Vallas. If you want them controlling your fate and your destiny, then stay home. Then don't vote."
As CBS 2's Andrew Ramos reported, Mayor Lightfoot's campaign went on to do some backpedaling.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Lightfoot said Sunday:
"The Mayor urges every Chicagoan to exercise their rights and get out to vote. The stakes of this election are high, and Chicagoans should take action to make sure we keep moving forward on the economic progress she's led on the South and West Sides, raising the minimum wage to $15, and investments in public safety and affordable housing."
But appears the damage has already been done. The mayor's opponents are now weaponizing the remarks, and it has led to a firestorm of criticism on social media too.
Mayor Lightfoot responded to it all herself on Monday after casting her own vote.
"I'm going to say it again – if you look at what I've consistently said, everywhere that I've gone, I encourage people; I frankly beg them to participate in our democracy – to vote," the mayor said. "So if I misspoke, then I misspoke, but I'm very clear – everywhere, and again today – people need to vote, no matter who they're voting for. Our democracy depends upon participation. That is clear. We need everybody to vote in every neighborhood, in every ward. Get out and vote – and exercise the most potent tool that we have in our democracy, which is the power to vote."
Reporters pressed Mayor Lightfoot further – asking if the insinuation that Black voters casting a vote for anyone other than her amounting to a vote for Vallas or Garcia could exacerbate racial tensions.
"I believe it to be true – and the context, if you report that, is this. There's no other candidate that's on the ballot that has a shot at winning, period. When you've got people polling that are basically within the margin of error, what I'm doing is educating people about the facts. And others have said it – that the fact that people are polling at 1 or 2 percent this close to election, says that they can't win," the mayor said. "So dividing up the vote – as many have expressed concerns about – makes no sense. The only viable candidate of the Black candidates that are on the ballot is me. I'm the only one who is in City Hall. I'm the only one who's going to stay in City Hall. So that is just a fact, based upon what we're seeing – and have consistently seen in the polling data. So we need to make sure that people are educated, and making smart decisions about how they cast their vote. And of course – I'm doing that; I'm educating people about what I see from my perspective based upon the data that's out there."
A reporter went on to point out that Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson – another Black candidate for mayor – is not polling at the bottom. The reporter noted that Mayor Lightfoot has been putting out ads against Johnson.
"Brandon Johnson is not going to make it to the runoff," Lightfoot said before going on about why her campaign was "exposing" Johnson.
Ramos got a chance to sit down with two political consultants to get their take on the controversy surrounding the mayor's initial remarks over the weekend. Both agree it wasn't the mayor's best moment.
"I think it was probably unfortunate wording," said University of Illinois Chicago political science professor and former alderman Dick Simpson. "What she was trying to express is that she is the only African American likely to make it into the runoff."
The mayor who has been lagging in the polls - is one of seven Black candidates on the ballot. The African American vote being split has become a growing concern for her campaign - which according to political consultant Delmarie Cobb was expressed clumsily
"It came out as though she's telling people to stay home - and that's the last thing you want to do when already, we're known for low voter turnout during non-partisan races," Cobb said.
Simpson says the is simply focused on a numbers game a week from Election Day.
"All the votes are vital for her, but the African American vote may be enough to take her over the top," he said.
"This is new territory for Lori Lightfoot, in terms of making the case to Black people that: 'I really need you this time. Last time I had my base. This time my base has turned on me,'" Cobb added.
Cobb said it amounts to a last-ditch effort.
"It is a last-ditch effort on Lori's part - and I don't think she ever thought she'd be in this position," Cobb said.
Also on Monday, Mayor Lightfoot made a point of noting there are eight days until the election – and anything can happen.
Mayor Lightfoot responds to criticism after saying supporters of her opponents shouldn't vote
By Andrew Ramos
/ CBS Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) --Election Day is eight days away – and as Chicago decides who the next mayor will be, a comment that Mayor Lori Lightfoot made over the weekend is raising eyebrows.
As seen on a video from the event posted to social media, the mayor told an audience at a South Side rally Saturday: "Any vote coming from the South Side for somebody not named Lightfoot is a vote for Chuy Garcia or Paul Vallas. If you want them controlling your fate and your destiny, then stay home. Then don't vote."
As CBS 2's Andrew Ramos reported, Mayor Lightfoot's campaign went on to do some backpedaling.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Lightfoot said Sunday:
But appears the damage has already been done. The mayor's opponents are now weaponizing the remarks, and it has led to a firestorm of criticism on social media too.
Mayor Lightfoot responded to it all herself on Monday after casting her own vote.
"I'm going to say it again – if you look at what I've consistently said, everywhere that I've gone, I encourage people; I frankly beg them to participate in our democracy – to vote," the mayor said. "So if I misspoke, then I misspoke, but I'm very clear – everywhere, and again today – people need to vote, no matter who they're voting for. Our democracy depends upon participation. That is clear. We need everybody to vote in every neighborhood, in every ward. Get out and vote – and exercise the most potent tool that we have in our democracy, which is the power to vote."
Reporters pressed Mayor Lightfoot further – asking if the insinuation that Black voters casting a vote for anyone other than her amounting to a vote for Vallas or Garcia could exacerbate racial tensions.
"I believe it to be true – and the context, if you report that, is this. There's no other candidate that's on the ballot that has a shot at winning, period. When you've got people polling that are basically within the margin of error, what I'm doing is educating people about the facts. And others have said it – that the fact that people are polling at 1 or 2 percent this close to election, says that they can't win," the mayor said. "So dividing up the vote – as many have expressed concerns about – makes no sense. The only viable candidate of the Black candidates that are on the ballot is me. I'm the only one who is in City Hall. I'm the only one who's going to stay in City Hall. So that is just a fact, based upon what we're seeing – and have consistently seen in the polling data. So we need to make sure that people are educated, and making smart decisions about how they cast their vote. And of course – I'm doing that; I'm educating people about what I see from my perspective based upon the data that's out there."
A reporter went on to point out that Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson – another Black candidate for mayor – is not polling at the bottom. The reporter noted that Mayor Lightfoot has been putting out ads against Johnson.
"Brandon Johnson is not going to make it to the runoff," Lightfoot said before going on about why her campaign was "exposing" Johnson.
Ramos got a chance to sit down with two political consultants to get their take on the controversy surrounding the mayor's initial remarks over the weekend. Both agree it wasn't the mayor's best moment.
"I think it was probably unfortunate wording," said University of Illinois Chicago political science professor and former alderman Dick Simpson. "What she was trying to express is that she is the only African American likely to make it into the runoff."
The mayor who has been lagging in the polls - is one of seven Black candidates on the ballot. The African American vote being split has become a growing concern for her campaign - which according to political consultant Delmarie Cobb was expressed clumsily
"It came out as though she's telling people to stay home - and that's the last thing you want to do when already, we're known for low voter turnout during non-partisan races," Cobb said.
Simpson says the is simply focused on a numbers game a week from Election Day.
"All the votes are vital for her, but the African American vote may be enough to take her over the top," he said.
"This is new territory for Lori Lightfoot, in terms of making the case to Black people that: 'I really need you this time. Last time I had my base. This time my base has turned on me,'" Cobb added.
Cobb said it amounts to a last-ditch effort.
"It is a last-ditch effort on Lori's part - and I don't think she ever thought she'd be in this position," Cobb said.
Also on Monday, Mayor Lightfoot made a point of noting there are eight days until the election – and anything can happen.
In:- Lori Lightfoot
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