The Chicago Teachers Union has decided to endorse Toni Preckwinkle’s campaign for mayor, according to multiple sources who attended Wednesday night’s House of Delegates meeting. The vote took place with delegates standing to express their vote and multiple sources say the vote was close.
The results will be formally announced 10 a.m. Thursday at the SEIU Headquarters.
Preckwinkle, who supports an elected school board, fought hard for the teachers support — she’s a former teacher herself —but those who attended the meeting said there was also concern for Preckwinkle’s longtime support for Joe Berrios and her late support for the National Teachers Academy.
While Amara Enyia had also pushed hard for the powerful teachers union support, there was no groundswell. At one point during the discussion, a delegate argued that Mayor Emanuel would get Susana Mendoza elected if the teachers union did not support Preckwinkle.
In 2015 the teachers support Chuy Garcia and that was seen as the tipping point for Garcia forcing Emanuel into a run off.
