Only two Chicago mayoral candidates attend forum hosted by Republican group
MERRIONETTE PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A mayoral forum was held Monday night, and it was unusual by Chicago standards.
As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, the reason is that it was hosted by a group you don't hear too much about when it comes to politics within the city of Chicago.
The candidate forum was held at the entertainment complex 115 Bourbon Street, which is not actually in Chicago – it's in southwest suburban Merrionette Park. But it was hosted by a Chicago organization – the Southwest Side GOP Club.
Almost 100 voters showed up to hear the candidates for mayor, and for 19th Ward alderman, discuss positions and platforms.
On the mayoral side, only two of the nine candidates showed up – businessman Willie Wilson and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th). The absence of the other candidates did not sit too well with the crowd.
Wilson led off the mayor's portion of the forum, addressing several dozen of the city's Republican voters in what turned out to be a pretty quick event – given, again, that he and Sawyer were the only mayoral candidates there.
"If they don't come, then to me that means they don't care what we have to say," said Christine Shanahan McGovern, sergeant-at-arms of the Southwest Side GOP Club.
And what any voter has to say could prove important in this election. There are nine candidates – and with such a crowded field in a nonpartisan race, deciding who wins or heads to a runoff could come down to single-digit votes.
"These are all voters, and they're going to talk to their wives, their kids, their neighbors. If I'm running for office, I'm going to try to get votes anywhere I can," said Southwest Side GOP Club President Steve Graves. "So to not show up, I think, is a bad move. It's a mistake."
Graves believes Republicans make up about 13 to 15 percent of the city's voters.
"Thirteen, 15 percent of the vote – if you're pushing toward somebody, whoever that is, I think it helps that candidate win," Graves said.
Chicagoan Jimmy Lee Tillman of MLK Republicans outlined the political issues he said were most important to his party.
"Crime is important to Republicans. Taxes are important to Republicans," he said.
Tillman said instead of appearing to exclude voting blocs, all nine candidates should reach out to everybody.
"I feel that all the candidates should take Republican voters seriously," he said.
All nine candidates were invited. It was not clear late Monday why the other seven did not show up.