A new poll shows Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel headed toward a majority re-election vote that could keep him from having to enter a runoff race,
Politico reports.
The poll of likely voters, taken last week by ABC Research on behalf of the Chicago Tribune, found the former Obama White House chief of staff, 55, earning about 45 percent. His closest competitor, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a Cook County commissioner, earned 20 percent, Politico said.
Emanuel's pulling away from the mayor's race pack comes in stark contrast to several months ago when his re-election bid seemed imperiled. But he has fought back in an advertising blitz to earn support from minority groups where he was previously weak, Politico noted.
Election rules show Emanuel, who first took office in May 2011, must earn 50 percent plus 1 to avoid a runoff. About 18 percent of voters remain undecided,
the poll found.
The Tribune said his new 45 percent figure represents an increase of 3 percentage points over previous polling.
Emanuel's campaign coffers run deep, helping him in a final push, the Tribune noted.
He has raised about $30 million, with about 5 percent, or $1.7 million, coming "developers; from employees of companies that do business with City Hall, city pension funds or city agencies; and from Chicago’s two financial exchanges, which Emanuel has supported by speaking out against proposals that would tax stock and futures trades," the
Chicago Sun Times said.
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