Major Debate Coming For Mayoral Candidates
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four major candidates for mayor will appear on Jan. 27 for a major mayoral debate ahead of this year's election.
Candidates Gery Chico, Miguel del Valle, Rahm Emanuel and Carol Moseley Braun will participate in the debate, which is being organized by the Chicago Tribune and the City Club of Chicago.
The debate will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at the studios for WGN-TV, Channel 9, 2501 W. Bradley Pl. WGN-TV news anchor Micah Materre and Chicago Tribune editorial page editor Bruce Dold will moderate.
The four invited candidates were those who received the highest support in a Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll last month. State Sen. Rev. James Meeks (D-Chicago) and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) had also been invited to participate, but both have since dropped out of the race and thrown their support to Braun.
The Tribune is also offering tickets for a studio audience. To apply, readers are asked to submit an essay with a job description for mayor. The writers of the most intriguing submissions will each receive a pair of tickets.
It has been a long time since a mayoral debate has been held in Chicago.
Then-mayoral candidate Richard M. Daley debated his opponents in 1989 – both for the primary and the general election – in the special election he went on to win to finish Mayor Harold Washington's unexpired term.
But two years later, Daley declined to debate his primary opponent, former Mayor Jane Byrne. He has also declined to debate opponents in the elections he has won since.
Daley announced late last year that he is not seeking reelection.
Another mayoral debate is scheduled for Feb. 17 at the Oriental Theatre.
