Is Rahm Emanuel\’s Mayoralty about to end?

We already know that – in what must have been a major shock to Emanuel – he could not get even 50% of the initial primary vote. He wound up with just 45%, to 34% over Current member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners (and former Chicago City Council member and Illinois State Senator) Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

Now, the two are in a runoff for the Mayoralty (I say this as though the general election does not count because, given the political makeup of the city, it doesn\’t:  there are more sunbathers on the Arctic Circle than Republicans in Chicago).

And the latest news is devastating:  today Jesse Jackson, and several other well known Black clergy, have dumped Emanuel and endorsed Garcia. 

Between these endorsements, and the fact that Emanuel (to his credit, given the circumstances) closed a bunch of non-performing schools in mostly-Black south side Chicago, a segment – maybe a very large segment – of the Black vote is going to be lost to Garcia.

If I were betting, it will be enough to put him over the top, and put Rahm Emanuel into a sudden, and very unexpected, retirement.

The runoff election will take place on April 7, less than a month from now.  We\’ll see……