Chicago Alderman Pawar To Run For Governor In 2018

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Ameya Pawar, alderman from Chicago’s 47th ward announced last week that he will run for Illinois governor in 2018 primary as a progressive Democrat.

“I am running because we’ve gotten to a point in this country where wealth worship is the only qualifier for public office, trumping public policy.

Chopping benefits or declaring strategic bankruptcy or selling companies off in pieces for profit is somehow seen as the secret ingredient for an Illinois utopia,” Pawar said in an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago.

The report said that the 47-year-old who was the first and only Asian American on the Chicago City Council was motivated to run by the divisive nature of the November election.
Pawar had earlier mentioned that he would run as a progressive Democrat.

“Government should be aspirational. People like to tell us how terrible government is but it was the federal government after the Great Depression that created the middle class. And sent a man to the moon,” he said.

The report noted that for a sitting, massively rich Republican governor, who just added $50 million in personal cash to his re-election campaign, a sitting Chicago alderman with a measly $50,000 perhaps doesn’t seem much of a threat.

“Pawar has less than $60,000 in his campaign fund. Money would be a big challenge as Pawar could face possible Democratic contenders, wealthy businessman J.B. Pritzker and Christopher Kennedy. In a general election, he will likely face GOP incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner,” reports said.

“Pawar, for his part, has tried to be a consensus builder in City Council – sometimes to his credit, sometimes not. But he has worked hard, been thoughtful, and so far, is still idealistic enough not to be under the yoke of the Mayor nor a member of the Old Guard. Nor is he a full partner of the Progressive Caucus,” the report noted.