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Rahm Emanuel Wins Chicago Mayoral Election in Landslide

A landslide win in the Chicago mayoral election for Rahm Emanuel. With more than 88% of the precincts counted, the former White House Chief of Staff has 55 percent of the vote so far.

Former Board of Education President Gery Chico is in second place with 24 percent. City Clerk Miguel del Valle has 9 percent. Carol Moseley Braun, the former senator and veteran equality advocate, is in a distant fourth place with 8 percent.

The leading candidates needed at least a 50 percent showing to avoid a run-off. The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners predicted a 50 percent turnout. It appears it will be in the mid-40 percent range, reports WLS, possibly due to snow and cold.

Chicago's Anti-Gay Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus Drops Out of Mayoral Race

Add the Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus to the growing list of those pulling out of the race to replace Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The influential anti-gay evangelical mega-church pastor folded his long-shot mayoral campaign and endorsed pro-LGBT Gery Chico for mayor, reports the Tribune.

Chico stood with the minister at his Humboldt Park New Life Covenant Church to receive the endorsement. De Jesus had been running for mayor, but did not register any sizeable support in the Tribune’s last poll. In a statement from the Chico campaign, De Jesus said he is backing Mayor Daley’s former chief of staff and Board of Education president because he feels Chico is the most qualified for the job. De Jesus said that the two share a commitment to jobs, fighting poverty and homelessness.

The Sun-Times adds: "De Jesus was losing his battle to prove he had gathered enough signatures to stay on the ballot and a Board of Elections hearing officer recommended he be removed."

In 2009, Daley considered appointing Jesus to the vacant 26th Ward alderman seat. De Jesus' candidacy was promoted by the outgoing alderman but later rejected by Daley after heated opposition from Chicago's LGBT leaders. The previous year, De Jesus made national headlines with his opposition to Chicago's proposed gay high school.

Two major mayoral candidates also withdrew in the past two weeks: Veteran progressive/pro-equality Rep. Danny Davis and outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and Illinois State Sen. James T. Meeks, who was the only black legislator voting against the recent landmark vote on civil unions.

Some Background...
Anti-Gay Pastor: Beliefs Will Not Influence Role as Alderman
Anti-Gay Minister Appointed as a Chicago Alderman?
Opposition Grows to Anti-Gay Rev. De Jesus as Alderman
Anti-Gay Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus to Run for Mayor?
Danny Davis Drops Out of Chicago Mayor's Race
Anti-Gay Rev. Meeks Withdraws from Chicago Mayor's Race

Pro-LGBT Rep. Danny Davis Drops Out of Chicago Mayor's Race

A dramatic year in Chicago politics ends in one final dramatic flourish on New Year's Eve. Pro-LGBT Congressman Danny Davis drops out of the race to succeed Mayor Richard Daley and endorses Carol Moseley Braun, the former senator and veteran equality advocate.

Davis said he is endorsing Braun in the name of unity. "I'm proud that I will be here when Carol Moseley Braun becomes the next mayor," Davis said. "I come here tonight...to help prove unity is more than just a concept."

The announcement at Davis' West Loop headquarters came after African-American leaders met privately for days with the candidates in an attempt to unify behind a single contender who could improve the odds of an African-American winning the Feb. 22 election. Davis and Braun both had insisted Thursday that they would keep running for Chicago mayor. Then they met again today, leading to Davis' departure from the contest.

Last week saw the departure of outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and Illinois State Sen. James T. Meeks, who has called homosexuality "an evil sickness" and was the only black legislator voting against the recent landmark vote on civil unions.

Davis is a veteran progressive in Chicago politics and scores 100% by the Human Rights Campaign on LGBT issues. Davis opposed the Defense of Marriage Act, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and supports marriage equality. Davis endorsed and spoke at the National Equality March in October 2009.

In 1992, Braun became the first Black woman  elected to the United States Senate. Braun has long been a champion of gay rights, was one of only 14 Senate votes to oppose DOMA in 1996 and also voted against DADT. In 2007, Braun was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community.

The mayoral field  includes former White House Chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, former School Board President Gery Chico and City Clerk Miguel del Valle. Davis' departure clears the field for Braun to run as the Black consensus candidate. The Chicago Tribune adds the unspoken reality "is that black and white voters are still focused on race more than two decades after the late Harold Washington was elected the city's first African-American mayor."

Anti-Gay Rev. Meeks Withdraws from Chicago Mayor's Race

An early Christmas present ...

Outspoken anti-gay mega-church pastor and Illinois State Sen. James T. Meeks has withdrawn his candidacy for Chicago mayor today, the deadline for candidates to drop out to avoid having their names appear on the Feb. 22 ballot.

In a statement, Meeks urged the remaining Black candidates to follow his lead and rally around a single "unity" candidate.

"Unfortunately, though, our house is divided. I have met with each of the four other African-American candidates and urged them in the strongest terms to consider withdrawing from the race in the interest of unity and for the greater good of our community. ... It is long past time that we build on the tremendous successes of the great Harold Washington and his administration by electing another African-American to become our mayor. But as long as our community remains divided and splintered – to the specific advantage of the front-running, status quo candidates – we will never see things improve. We need to speak with one voice."

Meeks decision comes one day after meeting with fellow Democratic candidates U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun. The meeting was described by the Sun-Times as "a last-ditch effort to unite behind a consensus black candidate for mayor." It was anticipated that Meeks was "likely" to "drop out ... soon."

The statement made no reference to the series of controversies that have plagued Meeks' candidacy from almost the beginning. Last  week during a mayoral forum, Meeks said that Asians, Hispanics and women "should not" be considered "minorities" in the city’s affirmative-action contracting programs. The comment created a firestorm. Meeks later retracted the statement.

Meeks’ opposition to the recent landmark vote on civil unions drew harsh criticism from fellow politicians and lgbt activists. Meeks, who has called homosexuality "an evil sickness", was the only black legislator voting against the bill. Meeks also opposed Illinois' LGBT non-discrimination legislation and was the only Black in the General Assembly to vote against that bill, too. Days after voting against civil unions, Meeks greeted diners at the restaurant owned by openly gay Ald. Tom Tunney (44th). The largely gay clientele was not enthused.

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Illinois Senate Passes Civil Unions; Gov. Quinn Promises to Sign

In a landmark 32 to 24 vote, the Illinois Senate has passed legislation recognizing civil unions among gay and lesbian couples. Thirty votes were needed for passage. The bill now heads to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who has pledged to sign it.

The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act (SB 1716) passed the Illinois House on Tuesday by a 61-52 majority. The bill will provide spousal rights to same-sex partners on surrogate decision-making for medical care, burial decisions, wills, adoptions, as well as accident and health insurance.

State Sen. and Rev. James Meeks, the Chicago mayoral candidate and outspoken anti-gay pastor of one of the city's largest mega-churches, voted no. "Other city mayoral candidates, including Rahm Emanuel, Carol Moseley Braun, Gery Chico and Danny Davis, made calls to lobby lawmakers to support the legislation," reports the Sun-Times.

llinois will become the sixth state to allow civil unions. California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington have also passed similar laws. Same-sex couples can marry in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington D.C. and Iowa.

Chicago's Anti-Gay Mayoral Hopeful Meeks "Derailing" Civil Unions?

More on SB1716, the Illinois civil unions legislation that Gov. Pat Quinn has urged legislators to fast track. The Illinois General Assembly is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday on the legislation.

Almost all of Chicago's leading mayoral candidates support the bill. The lone holdout: State Sen. and Rev. James Meeks, the outspoken anti-gay pastor of one of the city's largest mega-churches, who is reportedly working "behind the scenes" with other anti-gay Black pastors to "derail its passage", reports ChicagoPride.com.

"Requesting anonymity, a source in Springfield tells ChicagoPride.com that State Sen. and Rev. James Meeks, who represents the 15th District on Chicago's south side, has allegedly been working behind the scenes with other African-American ministers to derail passage in the House as an effort to keep the legislation from making it to the Senate, thus relieving the prominent minister from declaring his vote, for or against, on record. 'Rev. Meeks has been playing fast and loose with the LGBT community,' said the source.

"The 54-year-old Meeks ... reached out to influential members of Chicago's LGBT community in October after concerns were raised over his anti-gay stance. ChicagoPride.com tried unsuccessfully Monday afternoon to reach Rev. Meeks for comment. Unlike Meeks, several other high-profile Chicago mayoral candidates have endorsed the bill, including former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun and Gery Chico."

llinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says there are enough votes to pass the legislation, adds ChicagoPride.com.

In October, Meeks was passed over as the so-called Black "consensus candidate", reportedly because he planned to continue to pastor  the anti-gay 22,000 member Salem Baptist Church if elected mayor.

Meeks, who has called homosexuality "an evil sickness", opposed Illinois' LGBT non-discrimination legislation and was the only African American in the Illinois Senate and House to vote against the bill. Meeks is chairman of the Illinois General Assembly's Black Caucus but it's not known how many votes he could influence at this point. Last year when the bill was in committee, White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett reportedly lobbied black state lawmakers "who were on the fence about backing the legislation" and several changed their minds.

The Roman Catholic Church and the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) are also lobbying against the bill. Cardinal Francis George, the head of the Chicago's Roman Catholic archdiocese, claims the bill will "change the nature of marriage" and urged state lawmakers to reject it.

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Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to Fast Track Civil Unions?
Pro-LGBT Davis, Anti-Gay Meeks Launch Bids for Mayor
Black Leaders Reject Anti-Gay Rev. James Meeks
Rev. Meeks Will Consider Gay Rights if He's "Bored"

Chicago Mayoral Candidate Chico Wants "Yes" Vote on Civil Unions

The Illinois General Assembly is expected to vote this week on SB1716, the civil unions legislation that Gov. Pat Quinn is urging legislators to fast track. Chicago mayoral candidate Gery Chico said he supports civil unions for same-sex couples and will lobby state lawmakers to pass the bill, reports the Tribune.

"Chico talked about his support for the legislation ... during a meeting with a dozen members of the LBGT community at the North Side restaurant Ann Sather. 'To me, it’s a matter of basic fairness and decency and it ought to pass,' Chico said. Other mayoral candidates, including former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and Emanuel, support passage of the civil unions bill that could get a vote during the legislature's veto session this week. If elected, Chico said he would extend domestic-partner benefits to city contractors and work to implement mandatory LGBT diversity training for all members of the Chicago police and fire departments. Chico, a longtime troubleshooter for Mayor Richard Daley, has a history of advocating for gay rights."

Attorney Chico has served as outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley's chief of staff, head of the parks, school board and City Colleges of Chicago. When Chico ran for U.S. Senate in 2004, he was the only candidate who supported gay marriage, Rick Garcia, director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois, tells the Sun-Times.

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, and state Sen. James Meeks, the outspoken anti-gay pastor of one of the city's largest mega-churches, have also announced their candidacies. Meeks has not said he will vote for the civil unions bill. Braun supports marriage equality and was one of only 14 Senate votes to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act. Davis has previously supported marriage equality and repealing DOMA.