Is Chicago monolithically Democratic? (McHenry, Henry: neighborhoods, property tax, living)

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

How can a multiracial city with very rich and very poor like Chicago be overwhelmingly Democratic? How can the party be all things to all people living there? Is the white Republican Evangelical a prominent bogeyman in certain upscale white Chicago neighborhoods? Hasn't the white ethnic blue-collar vote that was the backbone of the first Mayor Daley's support disappeared with the collapse of Chicago's heavy industry and the migration of their children and grandchildren to the suburbs?

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

No place is monolithically Democratic. (Or Republican.)

Cook County went about 75% for Obama in 2012. Almost half a million people voted for Romney. Within the City of Chicago, some wards went up to 30-35% for Romney. So, percentage-wise, still a definite Democratic majority, but even a quarter of 3,000,000 is a substantial voting base.

And, of course, the collar counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will) are much more evenly split. In 2012, Romney won McHenry and Obama won the others, but by thin margins.

[Thepreacherswife]

Firefighters in the city are certainly not Democratic-leaning, not even a little bit.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Thepreacherswife

Firefighters in the city are certainly not Democratic-leaning, not even a little bit.

Police aren't either.

[chicagobear]

Well, 49 of 50 aldermen are Democrats and all (I think) citywide officeholders are Democrats, so that seems pretty monolithic, but as in other big cities, you have the "Black Democrats" and the "White Democrats" and the "Hispanic Democrats" who often have different views on things.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

How can a multiracial city with very rich and very poor like Chicago be overwhelmingly Democratic? How can the party be all things to all people living there? Is the white Republican Evangelical a prominent bogeyman in certain upscale white Chicago neighborhoods? Hasn't the white ethnic blue-collar vote that was the backbone of the first Mayor Daley's support disappeared with the collapse of Chicago's heavy industry and the migration of their children and grandchildren to the suburbs?

A powerful machine which is very skilled in getting the right people out to vote, and to vote in the right way. Really as simple as that. They've had several decades to perfect it. An apathetic voter block hasn't helped, though this may change with the unprecedented property tax increase as well as the long-simmering social and economic problems that are now starting to boil to the surface. If any anti-establishment candidates have chances, we're getting much closer to that time than ever before.

[UKWildcat1981]

NYC voted in a GOP mayor before its not impossible but I doubt Rahm is a true Demo the way he treats black people.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

NYC voted in a GOP mayor before its not impossible but I doubt Rahm is a true Demo the way he treats black people.

If you are referring to Bloomberg, he is hardly GOP. He switched so he didn't have to compete in a Democratic primary.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

If you are referring to Bloomberg, he is hardly GOP. He switched so he didn't have to compete in a Democratic primary.

And Rahm is a traitor to Black people he is no real DEM, he is a disgrace to Jewish people like myself everywhere.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

If you are referring to Bloomberg, he is hardly GOP. He switched so he didn't have to compete in a Democratic primary.

Rudy Giuliani is a better example.