After Historic Election, Lightfoot And Preckwinkle Pledge To Work Together On Progressive Agenda
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After Lori Lightfoot cruised to a landslide victory in the race for mayor, following an often bitter and divisive campaign against Toni Preckwinkle, the mayor-elect and her former rival joined for a show of unity, and pledged to work together to advance a progressive agenda in Chicago and Cook County.
"She and I share many of the same policy goals, from criminal justice reform, to living wages, to equitable investment in our neighborhoods," Lightfoot said a day after handily defeating Preckwinkle in the race for mayor, securing more than 70 percent of the vote. "While this was a spirited campaign, those shared values will serve us well as we work together for the good of the city and the good of the county."
Lightfoot and Preckwinkle shook hands as they met at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition headquarters Wednesday morning, their first joint appearance since the election, and the two thanked each other for a hard-fought campaign.
"She deserves our respect and she will have my personal commitment," Lightfoot said of her former rival.
Noting Preckwinkle is still the Cook County Board President, with more than three years left in office, Lightfoot said she and her former mayoral rival have no choice but to work together for the good of the city and county.
"We're not going to always agree on every issue, but I think if we open up government, put people first, and come together in a spirit of cooperation, we're going to go a long way in bringing people together," Lightfoot said.
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition founder Jesse Jackson requested the unity press conference last week, as the race was coming to a close amid heated rhetoric from Preckwinkle and Lightfoot.
Preckwinkle acknowledged the campaign had been "hard-fought" but pointed out she and Lightfoot had pushed for many of the same priorities if elected.
"I think it's worth noting that we outlined some of the same challenges, particularly investments in our neighborhoods, many of whom have struggled for decades with disinvestment and neglect," she said. "I pledged to work with her on addressing all of those challenges while I continue the work of the county, providing access to quality health care for our residents and of course working on criminal justice reform."
Lightfoot will be sworn in on May 20, and said her goals as mayor extend beyond just the city, and would require collaboration with county and state officials; including creating an elected school board in Chicago, ending cash bonds for criminal cases, and implementing a graduated income tax.
"These and other reforms will transform the lives of people who look like us, transform the lives of working families like the one I grew up in," Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot was scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Earlier in the day, Lightfoot said she had yet to hear from Emanuel to congratulate her on winning the race, but Emanuel said he was waiting to do so in person, and didn't want to offer his congratulations on the phone.
"As you know, about a week ago we set up the meeting. So I'm going to meet with her personally, and congratulate her personally," Emanuel said. "I'm going to tell her, as I've said before, this is one of if not the greatest jobs in public life, and it's a real treasure, and it's an honor to get the confidence of the public to do it, and I'm going to tell her that in person, and I think that's really important to do it in person."
Emanuel pledged to help Lightfoot make a smooth transition into office, and said his administration has prepared a 250- to 300-page transition book to help the new mayor when she takes office.
