In a surprising turn of events, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he will not seek re-election for a third term. Chance the Rapper and many other Chicagoans took the news as a step in the right direction.
“As much as I love this job and will always love this city and its residents, I've decided not to seek re-election,” the democratic leader said Tuesday at City Hall. “This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime […] Now with our three children in college, Amy and I have decided it's time to write another chapter together.”
Emanuel—President Barack Obama's former chief of staff—has faced a number of controversies throughout his tenure as mayor. He has been criticized for his education policies that resulted in the closure of multiple public schools. Emanuel also received major backlash for the way he handled the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald, a black teenager who was shot 16 times by Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke.
A video of McDonald’s fatal shooting was released one year later, confirming police had lied about what exactly happened in the moments leading up to the 17-year-old’s death. Many outraged Chicagoans condemned Emanuel for failing to properly punish officers for the misconduct and alleged cover-up.
Chance addressed this issue in his 2018 track “I Might Need Security”: “And Rahm you done, I’m expecting a resignation and open investigation on all these paid vacations for murderers.”
Shortly after Emanuel announced he would not seek re-election, Chance congratulated grassroots organizations for their efforts to secure the mayor’s resignation. He also reminded the Windy City that there’s still work to do, as they now have to replace Emanuel with a leader who “Cares about equity in regards to education, job development and healthcare in one of the most segregated cities in the country.”