Emanuel Has 18 Times More Cash Than His Competitors
Big money is already flowing into the next Chicago mayoral election, even though it’s more than nine months away. At present, all mayoral candidate combined - which include Rahm Emanuel, Garry McCarthy, and Willie Wilson, along with several others - have about $5 million on hand. Mayor Emanuel holds the lion’s share of that cash - $4.7 million - 18 times as much as all of his challengers combined. His top donors this cycle are Michael Sacks, Chairman and CEO of Grosvenor Capital Management, the Chicagoland Operators Union, and the Ironworkers Union. Emanuel’s next two closest competitors - McCarthy and Wilson - each have raised a little over $100,000. Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, who has expressed interest in running but not formally announced, has more than $800,000 on hand. (Illinois Campaign for Political Reform)