Flannery Fired Up Finale: Congressman Chuy Garcia, Sheriff Tom Dart tackle money in politics and mental health

CHICAGO - Congressman Chuy Garcia spoke with FOX 32 Political Editor Mike Flannery Friday night for the final edition of Flannery Fired Up. 

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart will also join him. He and Garcia have defied the growing trend toward needing big bucks to win in politics.  Dart's been an innovator, winning praise for recognizing that about half of the 6,000 detainees in the county jail have significant mental health issues. 

He has a dozen staffers who follow up on those folks after they are released.

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"We know people are coming in and out of our custody that have mental illness, they tell us they're homeless. We try to connect all of them with housing, many cases we do, but for the other ones, we stay connected to them," said Dart.

Like Dart, Garcia has usually struggled to raise big money, often relying on labor unions for large contributions, making it all the more remarkable when Garcia broke with the Chicago Teachers Union in 2019 and did not back their endorsed candidate for mayor. Mike Flannery said he reminded Garcia that when CTU says jump, many of his colleagues only respond, "How high?"

"We have maintained our principles through thick and thin — when we win, when we lose, and we know how to run campaigns with frugal means, we've always relied on volunteers and people power," said Garcia.

This will be Mike Flannery's final edition of Flannery Fired Up!