Progressive Grassroots Organizing Campaign Trumps Rahm's Super PAC in Key Council Races

Registered nurses joined with their partners in Reclaim Chicago, a new grassroots political organization with a long-term plan to build a progressive majority in city council, to declare Tuesday's primary election a success.   

“Reclaim Chicago is doing something completely new and different in Chicago politics,” said Jan Rodolfo, Midwest Director of National Nurses United. “We’re not just talking to voters about candidates. We’re talking to voters about building people power to reclaim our government from the corporate interests that currently run city hall. We’re training people who share this vision to organize their neighbors to join this movement.  And we’re building membership and advancing issues in between election cycles."

The following Reclaim Chicago endorsed candidates won outright: Leslie Hairston (5), Roderick Sawyer (6), David Moore (17), Ricardo Munoz (22), Scott Waguespack (32), Carlos Rosa (35), Nicholas Sposato (38).

The following Reclaim Chicago challengers pushed Emanuel’s incumbents into a run off: Tim Meegan, (33), Tara Stamps, (37), Amy Crawford, (46).

Reclaim Chicago relies on mobilizing people power at the grassroots level to counter the influence of corporate donors on electoral campaigns. Reclaim Chicago leaders and volunteers, including NNOC/NNU members, gave a total of 4,980 hours and, through phone banking and door knocking, attempted almost 59,000 voter contacts between the organization’s launch November 15, 2014 and Election Day.

Nurses look on as Carlos Rosa gives acceptance speech at Reclaim Chicago election party last night.  

“Across the city of Chicago people voted to reject the Mayor and City Council's corporate austerity policies," said David Hatch, director of Reclaim Chicago. "Despite the power of incumbency and more than $2 million to attack his opponents in city council, Rahm Emanuel was not able to defeat a single sitting progressive. Emanuel’s money was also not sufficient to protect three key allies from facing runoffs by Reclaim Chicago endorsees, nor was it enough to protect him from a run off.”

Reclaim Chicago is supported by The People’s Lobby and National Nurses United. National Nurses United, with 6,000 registered nurses in Illinois and close to 185,000 members across the country, is the largest union and professional association of RNs in U.S. history. The People’s Lobby works on issues ranging from austerity and budgets to mass incarceration, good jobs, climate change and campaign finance.