CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel hoped to avoid being forced into a runoff as voters headed to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to give the former White House chief of staff a second term.
Emanuel was poised to get the most votes after having raised millions of dollars, plastering the airwaves with ads and winning an endorsement from his former boss, President Barack Obama. However, his four challengers say Emanuel’s tenacious style and handling of some major city issues have left voters wanting a change.
He needs more than 50 percent to win re-election outright in the nonpartisan race. Otherwise, he’ll have to go head-to-head with the runner up, which could be embarrassing for the incumbent, who enjoys not only a huge financial advantage but the backing of business leaders and the endorsement of the city’s major newspapers.
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Associated Press writer Don Babwin contributed to this report.
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