Chicago mayoral election: Garcia casts early ballot as new poll released in race for city's top office

CHICAGO - Chicago mayoral candidate Jesus "Chuy" Garcia visited his local public library Tuesday to cast his ballot early for the upcoming election.

Then the congressman received some good news from a new voter opinion survey.

The poll done for Northwestern's Office of Diversity and Inclusion found that, among likely Chicago voters, 21% back Paul Vallas, 15% Garcia, 13% Mayor Lori Lightfoot and 11% Willie Wilson.

On Good Day Chicago Tuesday morning, Garcia said he's a progressive who will work with police to reduce crime.

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"I'm a lifelong Chicagoan. I've worked with cops in the 10th District, in other parts of the city while doing violence prevention at work. Tough work, trying to save lives, trying to prevent retaliation among gangs. And what we saw was a productive, healthy relationship of mutual respect. You can have that relationship. You can build trust and you can collaborate to make Chicago safer," Garcia said.

At a brief news conference outside the polling place where he voted Tuesday, the congressman called on Lightfoot to release the full text of an inspector general's report that was very critical of how her administration badly bungled a demolition project in 2020 that caused a huge plume of dust and smoke to drift across the Little Village community.

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Lightfoot has refused to release the full report, which is harshly critical of city hall, but WTTW obtained it.

They quote the inspector general concluding the Lightfoot administration could have prevented the dusty debacle by following rules which required extra precautions when explosives are used in a demolition.