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7th Ward Remains a Toss-Up Between Natashia Holmes, Gregory Mitchell

By Sam Cholke | April 6, 2015 5:35pm
 Greg Mitchell (l.) is challenging current Ald. Natashia Holmes in the 7th Ward.
Greg Mitchell (l.) is challenging current Ald. Natashia Holmes in the 7th Ward.
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DNAinfo/Sam Cholke; Metro Strategies Inc.

HYDE PARK — Ald. Natashia Holmes is fighting to hold onto the 7th Ward seat she was appointed to in 2013 against challenger Gregory Mitchell.

Holmes has held the seat since Sandi Jackson stepped down in 2013 and is asking voters to let her show them what she can do with a full term in office.

She was seen as weak enough in the election that 14 candidates vied to unseat her in February, though she was able to survive to face Mitchell in the runoff after capturing 25 percent of the vote to Mitchell’s 20 percent.

Mitchell, a former financial analyst and help desk manager, has been banging on doors from South Shore to Jeffery Manor promising that he can bring new levels of customer service and efficiency to the ward office.

Sam Cholke breaks down the race:

In a ward where the mayoral race has not riled up voters, local issues of bringing in new development and increased safety have dominated the campaign.

Both candidates promised a clean race after the lead-up to the Feb. 24 vote was marred by the eight candidates lobbing accusations of trickery and dirty tactics at the other campaigns.

The runoff campaign was relatively mild, even after former candidate Keiana Barrett moderated a forum that many believed would turn against Holmes. During the forum, candidates stuck to the issues — mostly — although Mitchell snarled at Holmes after she claimed his house in Jeffery Manor, just steps from his childhood home, was not in the ward.

Mitchell was banking on a ground campaign and that is mostly what he’s gotten so far.

Chicago Forward, the deep-pocketed independent expenditure committee backing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, did not step in with financial support like it did in the lead up to Feb. 24.

Holmes’ campaign benefited from $8,425 from Chicago Forward on March 31. Holmes benefited from $36,677 in spending on her behalf by Chicago Forward in the first half of the race.

The mayor’s campaign has also been very selective with its support, and, as of March 31, had not thrown financial support behind Holmes, leaving the two candidates nearly neck-and-neck in fundraising heading into the final weeks of the election.

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