Rest of the field takes shots at Emanuel, Chico

CHICAGO — Two candidates a recent poll showed were front-runners in the Chicago mayor's race were the favorite targets Thursday of the other major candidates in the last televised debate before next week's election.

Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and former Chicago schools president Gery Chico took most of the heat from former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and City Clerk Miguel del Valle.

Emanuel was criticized by his opponents for not doing enough for immigration reform and over his proposal to expand the sales tax base to include some luxury services, although he does want to cut the city rate. Chico was hit for his leadership at the schools that Braun said have moved toward privatization and by del Valle who accused both Chico, an attorney, and Emanuel of getting rich off their government contacts.

"They're cut from the same cloth," del Valle said after the live debate televised on Chicago's WLS-TV. He implored voters to send the contest to an April runoff.

A runoff won't happen unless one candidate fails to get more than 50 percent of the vote on Feb. 22. Polls show Emanuel in striking distance of the margin he needs to win the race outright. A recent Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll showed Emanuel with 49 percent support compared with 19 percent for Chico. Braun and del Valle trail, along with two other candidates.

Emanuel defended his record on supporting immigration reform, which some activists are unhappy hasn't advanced further under Obama. His opponents tried to blame him for the lack of progress. Emanuel said Obama faced terrible economic conditions when he first came into office, including crumbling financial markets.

"He made the decision as president what to move forward," Emanuel said, adding that naturalizations have increased under the Obama administration.

Chico again hit Emanuel over his sales tax proposal, which he derisively calls the "Rahm Tax." Emanuel countered that he has proposed tax cuts as well.

Chico said he isn't worried Emanuel will win the race outright next week.

"I think we will have a runoff. I expect to have a runoff election against Rahm Emanuel," Chico said.