In The Mayoral Money Race The Rich That Is Rahm Gets Richer

• Richard A. Chapman / Sun-Times
• Mayor Rahm Emanuel officially kicked off his campaign in early December, but his fundraising machine has never stopped running.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has raised $1.4 million for his reelection bid—and that’s just in the last few weeks.

Along with $250,000 Garcia received earlier this month from SEIU Healthcare, the contributions have brought his campaign fund up to about $700,000.

But millions more came from rich supporters with access to the mayor and city government.

But now money buys foot soldiers. Earlier this fall Emanuel’s campaign took out ads to find workers to gather signatures to get him on the ballot.

No way, say the challengers. “I’d laugh at the notion that the lifting of the caps helps us more than it helps the mayor,” says Michael Kolenc, a spokesman for Fioretti. “Rahm’s rich friends are able to write $100,000 checks, not Bob’s.”

Garcia’s hopes start with the support of progressive organized labor.