It’s beginning to look like the outcome of tomorrow's mayoral run-off election in Chicago could be determined by race — not issues.
White moderate Democrat Paul Vallas is running against Black progressive Brandon Johnson.
In the general election, Vallas was the only white politician in the field, which included seven Blacks, including former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and one Hispanic candidate — Congressman Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., who has endorsed Johnson.
Vallas was the top vote-getter with 32.9% of the vote, followed by Johnson with 21.6% and Lightfoot, who only received 16.8% of the vote — the first one-time mayor in 40 years.
Vallas, who led public schools in Chicago and several major cities, is an ardent advocate of school choice and vigorous law enforcement and is supported by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.
Johnson serves on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, is a former teacher, and is an organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), which has endorsed him.
Johnson and the CTU oppose school choice and charter schools and using taxpayer dollars for private school scholarships.
Regarding crime, after once vowing to cut the police budget by $150 million, he has recently changed his position, saying he wouldn't reduce the budget "by one penny" after criticism from Vallas.
He also wants to raise taxes.
Johnson has the support of left-wing progressives Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and Elizabeth Warren. D-Mass., while Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a member of the Senate Democratic leadership, has endorsed Vallas.
Durbin's support for Vallas could be significant in attracting white ethnic voters.
The issues have been framed.
According to a recent poll by Echelon Insights for the Illinois Policy Institute, 66% of Chicago parents and 65% overall support school choice and the state’s tax credit scholarship program, which provides scholarships to low-income families to attend the private schools of their choice.
That same poll found that crime was "overwhelmingly" voters’ most important issue, with 51% saying that more police and prosecution of offenders is the best way to address violent crime.
Now that the issues are clear, one would hope they will determine the outcome — Wrong.
Guess who has jumped into the political fray?
The Reverends Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, who most often appear when race is a factor in a given situation.
Jackson endorsed Johnson, and Sharpton held a get-out-the-vote rally for him.
Vallas has received the support of longtime congressman and co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party in the 1960s, Bobby Rush, who retired last year. That could help him with Black voters.
By supporting Johnson, Jackson and Sharpton are affiliating themselves with his positions opposing school choice and his past statements on defunding the police.
That means that the Johnson, Jackson and Sharpton "trio" are taking positions contrary to those of most Chicago voters, as evidenced by the above polls.
If that Trio is singing a political song that is out of tune with voters on the major issues of education and crime, what is left for them to lean on for support?
You guessed it — the old bogeyman of race.
Chicago's population is nearly evenly divided, with whites, Blacks, and Hispanics composing 33, 29, and 29%, respectively.
If Chicago voters of all races vote on the issues — support of school choice and being tough on crime — Vallas and the issues should prevail.
However, if voters, particularly Black voters, are lured into voting for Johnson — who could be referred to as "Lightfoot Lite" — because he is Black, then he, Jackson and Sharpton — and the CTU — will win.
In that scenario, Chicago voters, especially Blacks, and Hispanics — and their children —will lose.
Clarence V. McKee is president of McKee Communications, Inc., a government, political, and media relations and training consulting firm in Florida. He is the author of "How Obama Failed Black America and How Trump Is Helping It." Read Clarence V. McKee's Reports — More Here.