Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot claims she simply “misspoke” when she told residents on the South Side who don’t support her not to vote.
Lightfoot is facing a re-election campaign against other frontrunners U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
It is a very crowded field and the incumbent, according to a recent poll, is languishing in third place.
As such, it appears she opted for a message of voter suppression to give her campaign the boost it needs.
Speaking at a “Get Out the Vote” rally this past weekend the mayor said, “Any vote coming from the South Side for somebody not named Lightfoot is a vote for Chuy Garcia or Paul Vallas.”
“If you want them controlling your fate and your destiny, then stay home,” she added. “Then don’t vote.”
At South Side rally ft. Bobby Rush, Mayor Lightfoot reiterates, “Any vote coming from the South Side for somebody not named Lightfoot is a vote for Chuy Garcia or Paul Vallas. … If you want them controlling your destiny, then stay home. Then don’t vote.” pic.twitter.com/3mQXta1Pvt
— Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) February 18, 2023
Lori Lightfoot – I Didn’t Mean It When I Said Don’t Vote
Can you even imagine the 24/7 media outrage if a Republican politician told predominantly black voters to stay home and ‘don’t vote’ the way Lori Lightfoot did?
Fear not, however. The Chicago Democrat who sometimes moonlights as the superhero ‘Rona Destroyer,’ said she didn’t mean what we all heard her say.
“If I said anything other than everybody everywhere needs to vote, then I misspoke in the heat of a campaign rally,” she told reporters as she cast her own vote.
“But I’ve been very consistent all along saying everybody everywhere needs to step up, and they need to vote just as I said today.”
RELATED: Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Explains ‘The Shining’ Email Where She Went Ballistic On Aide
Another Off the Cuff Remark
Lightfoot’s remarks had all the echoes of President Biden telling black voters that if they don’t vote for him, then “you ain’t black.”
But, as she checks off all the desired diversity boxes Democrats and the media are always on the lookout for, she likely won’t see much in the way of political backlash.
Earlier this week, Lori Lightfoot told people if they weren’t going to cast their ballot for her, not to vote– later apologizing for misspeaking.
Now, @LoriLightfoot tweets a graphic that apparently encourages people to vote more than once.
CONTEXT: There are six (6) days to go. pic.twitter.com/WQgh1lAK3A— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) February 23, 2023
Garcia and several other opponents in the Chicago mayoral campaign, though, jumped all over Lightfoot’s initial comments telling black voters to stay home if they don’t support her.
“This is disqualifying rhetoric for anyone hoping to lead a Chicago that is a multi-racial and multi-ethnic city,” Garcia said.
Philanthropist Willie Wilson called Lightfoot’s words “delusional, divisive, dangerous and disappointing.”
But then, Lightfoot has a history of ‘delusional, divisive, dangerous and disappointing’ rhetoric.
During the Spring of last year, Lightfoot issued a “call to arms” in the wake of the then-likely Supreme Court abortion ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
To my friends in the LGBTQ+ community—the Supreme Court is coming for us next. This moment has to be a call to arms.
— Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot) May 10, 2022
She made those remarks even as pro-abortion advocates were protesting outside the homes of several Supreme Court justices and the headquarters of a pro-life group in Wisconsin was set on fire while other churches had been targeted.
Maybe she simply misspoke then as well?
At least if Lightfoot ends up losing the election, she’ll have a career in dancing with marching bands to fall back on.
Lori Lightfoot dances in the streets — and asks for votes — as crime continues to climb.
READ: https://t.co/tYCvpP3PYN pic.twitter.com/7R7psbar72
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) January 30, 2023
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