Mayoral hopeful Gery Chico said Monday he is not intimidated that rival Rahm Emanuel had already begun airing broadcast TV ads.
The Chicago News Cooperative reported Friday that Emanuel would be the first candidate for mayor to air such commercials on Monday.
“I’m not sure it’s the smartest strategy,” Chico said, saying voters are weary of political ads after the Nov. 2 federal, state and county elections.
Chico tried to cast Emanuel as an outsider because he spent the last two years in Washington as White House chief of staff.
“Maybe he needs to go on TV today,” Chico said. “When you haven’t been here for a long time, you’ve got to tell people who you are.”
Chico said he had more than enough campaign funds to air ads, but he said he did not need to do so yet because voters are familiar with his record as city school board president and chief of staff to retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley.
“Different [candidates] have different needs,” Chico said. “I’ve been here for 20 years.”
Chico also proposed holding 10 candidate debates in neighborhoods across the city.
Chico can make a good case for mayor but I question some of these early comments. Rahm is airing a positive ad for one. It’s not going to hurt him. I also can’t help but think Chico’s pledge to fire Weis is such an obvious pander to the police rank and file for their votes. And his idea to have 10 debates is silly. No one will have the stomach for that.