CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Paul Vallas picked up the endorsement of a big-name Democrat Sunday in the race for Chicago mayor: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
While Gov. J.B. Pritzker has chosen to stay out of the mayor’s race, Durbin said he’s coming off the sidelines to endorse someone he’s known for 40 years.
“And I can remember this fella Paul Vallas, with his degrees coming into Springfield into [Senate] President Phil Rock’s office and working on our staff. He was given the toughest assignments on the Senate staff: he was to work on revenue issues.”
His comments came as Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson’s campaign has made an issue of contributions and support for Vallas from donors who have backed Republicans in the past.
“It’s just a reminder that I’m a lifelong Democrat and always have been a lifelong Democrat,” Vallas said.
Durbin said he knows his decision to choose sides in the Chicago mayoral election will upset some of his fellow Democrats.
“I thought about it long and hard. I respect both candidates in the race, and I thought, ‘I know Paul Vallas so well. I know him personally. I know his family. I know his values, and I know his amazing intellect.’”
Johnson recently secured a number of endorsements from members of Congress, including Rep. Delia Ramirez, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
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