Greek-American Paul Vallas, the former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, is now in a commanding position to win the mayoral race in Chicago. Voting is scheduled to be held on February 26, 2019.
The Influential Chicago Magazine last week threw their support behind Vallas, endorsing as the candidate “who’s been most impressive in the debates.”
“No one has shown a better grasp of a mayor’s essential duties than Vallas,” the magazine stated.
The journal noted that “working against Vallas is the fact that doesn’t have enough money for TV ads, so he’s been mass-texting voters, which has become the subject of a federal lawsuit.”
The Magazine warned that “he won’t stay on top unless he raises money.”
The election is officially nonpartisan, and the winner will be elected to a four-year term. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff election will be held on April 2, 2019.
Vallas is among 15 candidates for the post. The winner will succeed incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is not running for a third term.
The Greek-American politician headed up the Chicago school system from 1995 to 2001 and has served as superintendent for multiple other school districts in New Orleans, Bridgeport, Connecticut and Philadelphia.
In 2001, the New York Times credited Vallas for leading the turnaround of Chicago’s troubled school system. The metamorphosis of the city’s schools became a national template for urban school reform.
The Chicago-born offspring of working-class Greek immigrants also ran for Illinois governor in 2002, losing in the Democratic primary to now-disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Vallas later ran for lieutenant governor with Pat Quinn and lost in 2014.
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