Staff Reports
Some Republican donors are backing Paul Vallas, a former school administrator and Chicago mayor candidate, due to his stances on education and crime.
Michael Keiser, a golf course developer, gave over a quarter of a million dollars to Republican candidates in the 2022 midterms. He has also contributed to the campaign of Paul Vallas. Other prominent donors who gave to the campaign of Vallas included John Canning, a private-equity executive, and James Perry, Jr., an equity advisor. According to the polls, the former school administrator is running neck-and-neck with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chuy Garcia, a Democratic congressman.
Craig Duchossois, a Republican donor, stated that he would not support former Mayor Lori Lightfoot due to her lack of understanding of the city's current crisis. He said that he told her that he was not supporting her.
The race for mayor of Chicago is not considered to be a partisan one. In an email sent to her supporters, Lori Lightfoot criticized Paul Vallas for being a Republican. She noted that he was not a moderate Democrat and could not be considered for the position.
During a debate, Lori Lightfoot likened Paul Vallas to a character from the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. He has responded to the attacks by saying that he is a lifelong Democrat.
During her time as mayor, the murder rate in Chicago increased significantly. She has blamed various factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the flow of guns from states such as Mississippi, for the rise in the city's homicide count. According to data from the Chicago Police Department, the city set a record in 2021 with the most homicides.
The Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the city's police officers, has endorsed Paul Vallas. He has pledged to hire more officers and fire David Brown if he is elected mayor.
Lori Lightfoot was also involved in several teacher strikes. In 2019, the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike after officers said that the offer they received was not enough. In 2022, teachers refused to teach in person due to the rise of COVID-19 cases, and the union is now supporting Brandon Johnson, a commissioner in Cook County.
In his platform, Paul Vallas supports the establishment of vocational and charter schools in Chicago. He also claims that the city's schools are contributing to the systemic underinvestment in children.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
