Gery Chico’s mayoral campaign expects to receive the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), sources told the Chicago News Cooperative on Saturday.
Chico’s spokeswoman, Brooke Anderson, declined comment. Gutierrez could not be reached for comment.
Gutierrez is the most prominent Latino politician in the state, and he had publicly pondered running for mayor before announcing in October that he would not enter the race after all and would instead remain in Washington to focus on achieving changes in federal immigration law.
But the endorsement of Chico could be as much a jibe at another mayoral candidate as it is meant to be a boon to Chico.
The veteran congressman has been highly critical of Chico’s mayoral rival Rahm Emanuel. Gutierrez blamed Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, for the failure of immigration reform efforts. “I don’t believe that he has helped facilitate the process to get us to comprehensive immigration reform,” greater backing among Latino voters. Like del Valle, Gutierrez is Puerto Rican.
Another Puerto Rican who was running for mayor, the Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus, dropped out of the race on Friday and endorsed Chico.
Chico also has received endorsements from Latino aldermen Danny Solis (25th Ward), Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st) and George Cardenas (12th), as well as former 1st Ward Ald. Manny Flores.