As Chicago mayoral candidates enter the final day countdown with less than 24 hours before voters finally voice their choice, one thing is clear about the months-long race.
Cash is king.
Two of six mayoral candidates made the list of the Top 50 richest campaign war chests in Illinois, a Sun-Times investigation found.
Front-runner Rahm Emanuel ranked first with more than $8 million, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records. Gery Chico ranked fifth with a little more than $2 million.
Miguel del Valle, Carol Moseley Braun, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins and Bill "Doc" Walls didn't make the top 50.
An obvious second place went to Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward), coming in at $6.6 million.
Election Day polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. Monday is the last day for in-person absentee voting at 69 W. Washington St.
Here are the Top Five richest campaign war chests:
- Chicago for Rahm Emanuel/ Chicago Mayoral candidate - $8,337, 872
- Friends of Edward M. Burke/ 14th Ward alderman - $6,606,966
- Stand for Children Illinois PAC/ Education PAC - $2,876,000
- Citizens for Lisa Madigan/ Attorney General - $2, 471,329
- Gery Chico for Mayor/ Chicago Mayoral Candidate - $2,013,272
