Lightfoot trailing, goes on attack

CHICAGO — After attending a series of forums across the City this past weekend, mayoral hopefuls honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday as the overview of the race for Chicago’s top political office continued to take shape.

For incumbent Lori Lightfoot, it’s crunch time. Trailing in private polling, Lightfoot is on the attack, accusing Paul Vallas of staying silent following the United States Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, as well as trying to paint Vallas as a Republican, which he is not.

“All of us were up in arms, all of us took to social media,” Lightfoot said at a forum on Jan. 14. “All of us were doing everything that we could, except for Paul Vallas who’s been silent on this for seven months.”

“I am and have always been pro-choice,” Vallas replied.

Lightfoot also took jabs during the same forum at Alderwoman Sophia King — the lone other woman running for mayor — pointing out she did not support the most recent city budget that included millions for abortion access.

“Some of the people on this stage voted for that budget, some didn’t,” Lightfoot said.

“We need a mayor who can lead with collaboration and not confrontation,” King said at a forum on Jan. 15.

On TV, Lightfoot has focused the majority of her energy attacking congressman Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia.

“Crypto crooks, indicted politicians and pa-to-play profiteers,” says a recent Lightfoot advertisement. “The more you know, the worse it gets.”

For his part, Garcia has returned fire, taking shots at Lightfoot on her handling of public safety.

“While she was managing our police pointing fingers and hurling insults, Chicagoans were dying,” Garcia said. “A mayor who cannot keep us safe is a mayor we cannot afford to keep.”

Up next, candidates for mayor will face off in the first televised debate of the election cycle Thursday.