Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson campaign around city on election eve
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Voters will decide Tuesday who will be Chicago's mayor for the next four years.
With the finish line in sight, both Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson spent the day campaigning across the city Monday – delivering last-minute messages to undecided voters.
Each candidate hopes his message resonates with Chicagoans such that he wins. The race is tight – which is why Vallas and Johnson were still campaigning all day Monday.
Vallas is 69, while Johnson is 46 – for an age difference of 23 years. But the two men hoping to make it to Chicago's City Hall have fought hard over the past five weeks.
As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, Vallas started his day in Roseland – greeting voters at Old Fashioned Donuts at 11248 S. Michigan Ave., not far from his childhood home.
Vallas told reporters he is not paying attention to polls. He is staying laser-focused on his message – addressing public safety.
"Ultimately, my success as a mayor is going to be my ability to make the type of investments that are long overdue – sustainable investments that are long overdue – in communities that have been long underserved, and in many respects, disenfranchised – because that's what it's about," Vallas said. "That's ultimately going to be my legacy as mayor – to get at the underlying causes of crime and violence and social dislocation – and that's why I'm here."
Johnson also stayed on message for the final day of the campaign. He started Monday morning in Humboldt Park – meeting with the House of Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to getting kids into the trades as a means of keeping them off the streets.
Asked about trailing in the polls, Johnson said he isn't sweating it.
"I was polling at 2.3 percent. Why worry now?" Johnson said. "The work that I've done as a Cook County commissioner – investing in workforce development, investing in universal guaranteed income, investing in retiring medical debt, investing in affordable housing for our seniors – I've done all that as a commissioner, as an organizer, as a teacher. The city of Chicago wants a leader that can bring people together."
On Tuesday night, both candidates campaigned at Chicago Transit Authority rapid transit stations.
Vallas caught up with voters at the Clark/Lake 'L' stop downtown Monday afternoon. He shook a few hands, and by his side was one of the first to endorse him - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois).
"So I look forward to being the next mayor - you know, God willing if the vote turns out the right way," Vallas said.
Vallas made a point to drive home a sticking point throughout the campaign – once again, public safety, including the CTA.
"Because CTA ridership is dramatically down - and the major reason, the primary reason, is public safety," Vallas said.
A recent poll had Vallas up five points – and leading with Latino voters. So how crucial will the Latino vote be on Tuesday?
"To me, every vote's important - and obviously, voter turnout is critically important - and getting our voters out," said Vallas.
Johnson on Monday also rallied in the 12th Ward on the Southwest Side – surrounded by Latino voters.
He considers this race too close.
When CBS 2's Jermont Terry asked Johnson whom he needs to come out truly to win, Johnson said: "We need everyone. We're bringing the city of Chicago together."
Johnson knows the undecided voters could sway the election – which was also why he campaigned down to the last minute.
"This multicultural, intergenerational movement has taken our movement polling at 2.3 percent to be here," Johnson said. "So the people of Chicago are confident that they need a leader that can bring people together; that's going to invest in them."
Voter turnout will be key – and so far, 107,868 vote-by-mail ballots have been returned, and 184,723 people voted early.
"What's that's showing and demonstrating? The excitement that's around our candidacy, right?" said Johnson.
"I believe that my candidacy will be successful because I've been speaking to unifying issues," said Vallas.
And the candidates will hit the campaign trail again on Election Day – at the end of which we will learn who will be Chicago's 57th mayor.
