Meeks Under Pressure To Leave Mayoral Race
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- While Rahm Emanuel's candidacy for mayor is moving forward, another mayoral contender is under pressure to drop out.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Regine Schlesinger reports, the three African-American candidates in the race – former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), and state Sen. Rev. James Meeks (D-Chicago) – reportedly got together Wednesday, trying once again to unite behind a consensus candidate.
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Davis tells the Chicago Sun-Times they discussed poll results and "their chances of being successful in the election."
A source familiar with the talks says if any of the three is to drop out, it is likely to be Meeks. He stumbled last week with a comment that only African-Americans should qualify for contracts set aside for women and minorities.
Speaking in an interview on WVON radio, Meeks' exact words were: "I think that the word minorities from our standpoint should mean African-Americans. I don't think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title."
Spokesman Bryan Zises later told CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine Friday that Meeks meant to say African-Americans are lagging far behind minority- and women-owned businesses when it comes to the set-aside program. He said Meeks believes African-American firms need extra help when it came to bidding on city jobs.
The spokesman denies Meeks is dropping out of the race.
