Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel failed to get enough votes Tuesday to avoid a runoff election, the Associated Press reported. He needed to garner just over 50% of the vote to solidify his re-election bid for a second term as mayor of the Windy City.
Emanuel will face off against Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, the commissioner of Cook County, in an April 7 runoff election. With more than 80% of precincts reporting, Emanuel led his opponents with 45.5% of the vote, according to the AP. Garcia polled second with 33.9% of the vote.
Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman who served as President Obama’s first White House chief of staff, eclipsed his rivals in fundraising and got an endorsement from his former boss in the West Wing.