If Mayor Daley thinks you said something wrong, you probably did. May Day took some time yesterday to rebuke a comment made earlier in the week by Jim Sweeney, a union leader with Operating Engineers Local 150. Sweeney called Rahm Emanuel a "Wall Street Judas" who collected "bags of silver" while helping pass NAFTA through Congress. Daley said Sweeney's comment was anti-Semitic (Emanuel is Jewish) and that the tone of the campaign should not be lowered. more ›

On the heels of the Chicago Firefighters Union's endorsement of Gery Chico yesterday, the Teamsters stepped out on their ledge and endorsed Rahm Emanuel for Mayor today. more ›

Even though Rahm Emanuel probably didn't need Bill Clinton's endorsement for his mayoral campaign, he got it all the same today. When you have an ace in your hand, you play the ace. more ›

Gery Chico launched his first campaign ad yesterday, as he snagged the endorsement of 4th District Congressman Luis Gutierriez. Meanwhile, the Sun-Times dug up an article it published in 2003, when Chico was running for the Senate seat that Barack Obama ultimately won. Back then, Chico was touting his business experience as a chairman of the Chicago law firm Altheimer & Gray. That quickly turned into a liability for the mayor's former school chief, as the firm went under in the summer of 2003, closing after 88 years in business, leaving hundreds unemployed. more ›

Mayoral hopeful Gery Chico spent some of that $2.5 million he's raised for his campaign on some brand spanking new ads that tout his life and career arc as "a Chicago story." Well, that's about as good a way of saying "troubleshooter for Richard Daley" as one can without bringing it up. more ›

Interesting little note from former Chicagoisto Hunter Clauss over at Chicago News Co-Op about how veteran political consultant Delmarie Cobb is endorsing 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale for reelection, despite their diametrically opposite views about having a Wal-Mart in the Roseland neighborhood. more ›

The Chicago Federation of Labor released its endorsements for the upcoming city elections, and it's more notable as much for who wasn't endorsed as who was. more ›

And if you that person and are insisting on voting today, then we want to arm you with the resources to at least make an informed opinion at the ballot box. more ›

A press release from State Representative John Fritchey yesterday indicates a slight rift between 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack and Fritchey over supporting the state Democratic ticket. more ›

Joe Berrios, who is running for Cook County Assessor, announced in a press release that he received the "Nod From Latino Elected Officials," yesterday. "Joe Berrios has spent his career in public service working to level the playing field for the minority communities," said 4th District Congressman Luis Gutierrez. "He will continue that work when he becomes Cook County's next assessor, making sure that everyone is treated equally, no matter their color or income level." more ›

Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk received the endorsement of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. The endorsement shouldn't come as a surprise, given that the generally Republican-leaning Chamber has only endorsed a Democrat once before - when Dick Durbin ran for re-election in 2002. Nonetheless, Chamber president Doug Whitley told the Sun-Times that they would have considered Alexi Giannoulias had he agreed to meet with the Chamber's board before the endorsement. In describing the Chamber's rationale for endorsing Mark Kirk, Whitley noted Kirk's "depth of knowledge and experience; national defense; his position on international trade," adding that "he supports policies that will bring jobs to Illinois." Giannoulias spokesman Matt McGrath shot back, attacking Kirk on trade policies: "Mark Kirk does have a notable record on job creation, if you count jobs in China." (The Chamber has not responded to our email asking if Hartmarx, which Giannoulias fought to keep open and in Illinois, was still a member of their organization.) more ›

Tomorrow is the big primary, full of races both state-wide and local. And while we're not actually going to tell you who to vote for, here's a quick run-down of where to go to see a comprehensive list of who's been endorsed by whom. So, if you're a teacher or a carpenter, a state, county or municipal employee, a gay Chicagoan, a gun enthusiast, a lawyer (or just a fan!), an independent, or a the righteous head of a Christian family, or if you just read the daily newspapers, there's an endorsement for you. more ›

The two leading Democratic candidates to replace Rahm Emanuel in Chicago's Fifth Congressional District both made news over the weekend. In Federal Elections Commission reports that cover that cover Jan. 1 through Feb. 11, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz's campaign reported that she has raised $550,594 since the campaign began, with $306,000 in the bank and $70,000 in debts. Regardless, she announced that she will loan her campaign $100,000 because she is "close to winning" the Tribune reports. "I want to put my money where my mouth is," she said. Adding muscle to her claim is State Comptroller Dan Hynes's endorsement of her. Hynes, who may be a gubernatorial candidate next year, is only the second statewide office holder to endorse in the race. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who may be a candidate to replace Roland Burris in the U.S. Senate, has endorsed state Rep John Fritchey. more ›

The Chicago Tribune, which Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama called, "a Republican-leaning newspaper" in Wednesday's debate, has leaned the other way, endorsing Obama for president, the first time in the paper's history it has endorsed a Democrat for president.
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Local boy presidential candidate Obama received the endorsement of a lifetime, of sorts. Just before death row inmate Dale Leo Bishop was executed in Mississippi earlier this week, he spoke his final words: more ›

Leading up to the special election this Saturday in Illinois's 14th Congressional District, Bill Foster's campaign has announced a slew of endorsements. The list included the Aurora Beacon News, the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, the Kane County Chronicle, the Algonquin Countryside, and the Chicago Tribune. Besides local and regional editorial boards, he's also been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, who cited his credentials as a scientist, and the Illinois Federation of Teachers, who like Foster's support of smaller class size, teacher recruitment programs, and more funding for technology in classrooms. more ›