CITY HALL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel will face a different City Council when all the victorious candidates are placed in office.
And while he still figures to hold sway over aldermen, they figure to be much less of a "rubber stamp."
Aldermen-elect David Moore (17th) and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) have already aligned themselves with the progressive reform caucus, while incumbent Ald. John Arena (45th), who voted against the mayor more than anyone else on the Council, won a runoff, and his progressive colleague Ald. Toni Foulkes declared victory after switching to the 16th Ward (though her opponent had not conceded as of Tuesday night).
None of the eight members of the progressive caucus lost.
Ald. Natashia Holmes (7th), whom Emanuel appointed to replace Sandi Jackson, lost her bid for re-election to Gregory Mitchell.
Incumbent aldermen also lost in the 18th Ward (Lona Lane), the 29th Ward (Deborah Graham), the 31st Ward (Ray Suarez) and the 41st Ward (Mary O'Connor). Graham and Lane were big benefactors of support from the Emanuel-aligned Chicago Forward super political action committee.
Ald. James Cappleman (46th), won re-election, but other candidates who got campaign cash from Emanuel remained in too-close-to-call races Tuesday, including Ald. John Pope (10th), Michele Smith (43rd), Emma Mitts (37th) and Howard Brookins Jr. (21st).
Tuesday was a good day for the Daleys, who figure to align themselves with the mayor and the powers that be. Brian Hopkins, former chief of staff of Cook County Board Commissioner John Daley (D-Chicago), won in the 2nd Ward, and Patrick Daley Thompson won in the 11th Ward.
The mayor pledged in his re-election speech Tuesday night to "bridge the gaps" with opposing forces, and while his Council majority does not appear to be in jeopardy, the number of aldermen who figure to be skeptical rather than agreeable is clearly on the rise.
Those gaps with the Council might be widening rather than narrowing.
DNAinfo/Tanveer Ali
For more election coverage, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
