Tech entrepreneur Neal Sales-Griffin has joined a crowded field of candidates to throw his hat in the ring as a challenger to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Sales-Griffin, just 30 years old, announced that he will run to unseat the mayor because Emanuel isn’t “doing a good enough job” for the people of Chicago.
“I shouldn’t be running for mayor…and the reason I’m doing that is because I’m willing to put myself out there and talk about the things that people don’t want to talk about,” he said.
At least six candidates have announced that they are running to knock Emanuel out of office, including former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, former CPS CEO Paul Vallas, and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, who announced her run on Sunday.
Sales-Griffin didn’t delve into specific policy positions during his speech, which lasted for well over an hour at the Shapiro Ballroom, but said that he wants to address problems such as population decline and in engaging citizens who want a voice in the political process.
“The politicians are going to try to destroy me. You know why? Because I’m real,” he said. “The way we still pull through, even in this scary moment, is by coming together.”
Sales-Griffin also gave out his cell phone number, and needled Emanuel by saying “Y’all have Rahm Emanuel’s cell?”
