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Colon had reason to enjoy the moment. He’d run for reelection this winter with all the baggage of a sitting official–a public record of council votes, zoning and development decisions, and campaign contributions available for dissection and critique–and few of the assets. For one, his leading opponent was Vilma Colom, the former alderman Colon had defeated after a bitter race in 2003 (and lost to in his first stab at the City Council, in 1999). Though Colom had managed to alienate thousands of her constituents during her time in office, she still had a political base, access to cash, and operatives ready to pull some dirty tricks–thanks largely to her political benefactor, 33rd Ward alderman Richard Mell. Colon ran as a go-it-alone guy, and though he hasn’t tried to forge an identity as a Daley opponent, he also hasn’t cozied up to the mayor. He had some union support, but not tons of it. In many ways, he really was on his own.
Mell and Colon began to make up at a committee meeting a couple weeks ago, when the powerful 33rd Ward alderman went up to Colon, offered his hand, and told him, “You’re the man.”
On Monday, as Colon chatted with some reporters and friends outside council chambers, Mell strode strode up and slapped him on the back. “Congratulations, big guy,” Mell said.
