Competing Endorsements Roll In For Emanuel, Garcia
(CBS) -- There were dueling endorsements Friday: Latinos for Emanuel and progressives for Garcia.
That's not all. CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine says there's a lot more going on behind the scenes of the Chicago mayoral race.
It's a political triangle involving incumbent Rahm Emanuel, Gov. Bruce Rauner and a suddenly popular newcomer, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who is squaring off for the mayor's job.
"Get ready for March Madness in terms of endorsements," Garcia said Friday.
Let's start with Gov. Rauner, who's known to have ties to both the mayor and ousted mayoral candidate, Willie Wilson, whose endorsement could help win over black voters.
Rauner says Wilson will decide for himself whom he'll endorse. Wilson says Rauner hasn't mentioned the contest to him.
Rauner, however, may have telegraphed his preference by criticizing Garcia's relationship with the Chicago Teachers Union.
Meanwhile, City Clerk Susana Mendoza headed a prominent group of Latinos who threw their support behind Emanuel. Levine asked if they were turning their back on a fellow Hispanic, whose election would be historic.
"To make this into an issue of race is insulting to the electorate and to me as a Latina," Mendoza replied.
Garcia responded with a group of progressive aldermen.
"My candidacy represents a coalition, like I said repeatedly, (is) multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-geographic," he said.
The mayor, CBS 2 has learned, will meet with Willie Wilson again on Saturday. So will Garcia. And Rauner.
The suspense builds leading up to the April 7 runoff.
