Chuy García
Jesús G. "Chuy" García (/ˈtʃuːi/ CHOO-ee; born April 12, 1956) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 4th district since 2019.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, as well as in the Illinois Senate and on the Chicago City Council before his election to Congress. He was also a candidate for mayor of Chicago in 2015 and 2023. Throughout his career in Chicago and national politics, he has been described as a progressive.[2]
For persons of a similar name, see Jesús García (disambiguation).
Jesús "Chuy" García
García was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1986. During his time on the city council, he was known for being a staunch ally of Mayor Harold Washington.[3] In 1992, he became the first Mexican-American member of the Illinois State Senate. He was defeated in his reelection bid to the state senate by Antonio Munoz in the 1998 primary.
In 2010, García was elected to the 7th district of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and after his election was appointed floor leader by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle.[4][5] A candidate for mayor of Chicago in the 2015 election,[4] he finished second in the February 24 general election and forced a runoff election against the incumbent, Rahm Emanuel, which Emanuel won. García won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 election, replacing retiring representative and ally Luis Gutiérrez.[6]
He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Chicago a second time in the 2023 election, challenging incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot. After placing fourth in the first round, García endorsed Brandon Johnson's successful candidacy in the runoff.
Early life and education[edit]
García was born in Mexico in the state of Durango.[7] His father was a farm laborer under the U.S. government's World War II-era bracero program.
García moved to the U.S. in 1965 with permanent resident status. The family settled in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, where García continues to reside. He attended St. Rita High School, graduating in 1974. García became a citizen of the United States in 1977.[8]
García worked at the Legal Assistance Foundation from 1977 to 1980 as he worked toward a B.A. in political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.[9] He then became assistant director of the Little Village Neighborhood Housing Service, where he worked until 1984.[9] García also has a master's degree from University of Illinois at Chicago in urban public planning and policy.[10]
Early political career[edit]
Chicago City Council[edit]
In 1983, García was the campaign manager for labor organizer Rudy Lozano, who challenged longtime alderman Frank Stemberk of the 22nd Ward.[9] In the February 1983 election, Lozano came 17 votes short of forcing a runoff, which his supporters contended was due to voters with Spanish surnames being purged from the rolls.[9] Lozano was murdered in June 1983, shot to death in his home. A reputed gang member was convicted of Lozano's murder, but his supporters still contend that he was killed for his labor and political activities.[9] In 1984, García challenged Stemberk for committeeman in the Cook County Democratic Party. Lozano's supporters rallied around him and he was endorsed by Mayor Harold Washington.[9]
Stemberk was a supporter of alderman Edward Vrdolyak of the 10th Ward, who controlled the city council and opposed Washington's administration. The Chicago media dubbed this divide within city government the "Council Wars". With Lozano supporters taking to the race with a "religious fervor" and Washington campaigning heavily on García's behalf, he defeated Stemberk by 2,811 votes (40.62%) to 2,752 (39.77%), with activist and former labor union leader August Sallas taking 1,357 (19.61%).[9] Unlike other committeemen and women, García used his office to provide constituent services, which helped him maintain his high-profile.[9] Washington also appointed him Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Water, a post he held from 1984 to 1986.[9]
Political interregnum[edit]
After his defeat, García left office in January 1999, founded and became executive director of the Little Village Community Development Corporation. He helped grow what is now known as Enlace to 27 full-time employees, 120 part-time employees, and an annual budget of $5 million.[21] In June 2005, he helped found the Latino Action Research Network, a PAC to help better represent the city's Latino population.[22]
On Mother's Day 2001, García and members of the group demanded the construction of a high school promised to the community, but unfunded. Fourteen parents and grandparents organized a hunger strike. Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas initially refused to meet with the hunger strikers, but by the end of the first week, he visited their tent to negotiate terms.[23] The hunger strike lasted 19 days and increased public pressure on the school district to fund the project.
In August 2001, then-newly appointed Chicago Public Schools CEO, Arne Duncan, reallocated funds to begin construction on the school.[23] Community members continued to advocate for participation in designing the new school, and door-to-door parent surveys contributed to the curricular focus of each school on the campus.[24]
Cook County Board of Commissioners[edit]
In 2010, García ran for the Cook County Board of Commissioners, challenging 7th district member and HDO candidate Joseph Mario Moreno in the Democratic primary. García defeated him, 9,602 votes (54.74%) to 7,939 (45.26%).[25] In the general election, he defeated Green Party nominee Paloma M. Andrade, 24,612 votes (86.29%) to 3,912 (13.72%).[26] After the election, Toni Preckwinkle appointed García Floor Leader. He was reelected unopposed to a second term on the Board of Commissioners in the 2014 elections.[27]