Critiques of incumbent Ald. Jim Gardiner’s first term on the Chicago City Council went beyond the usual complaints about crime, business development and potholes.
He was dogged by controversies ranging from a reported federal investigation into whether he sought to withhold services in the 45th Ward from residents who opposed his agenda to leaked profane texts about political colleagues and alleged remarks likening detractors to “rats.” Gardiner has denied targeting “any person for being critical of my representation of them in office” and apologized for those texts.
Despite those controversies, Gardiner finished far ahead of his five challengers in February’s election, securing 48% of the vote. His closest challenger was Megan Mathias, who won just 17%.
Mathias is an attorney, small business owner and chair of the Local School Council at Belding Elementary. She has argued that in addition to fostering a contentious atmosphere in the ward, Gardiner needs to answer for an increase in crime and a failure to engage with residents who want to weigh in on that issue and others.
Mathias is hoping the 52% of ward residents who voted for someone other than the incumbent in February represented a bloc of voters tired of Gardiner.
Gardiner benefited from the fresh ward map that he and fellow Northwest Side aldermen supported along with the council’s Black Caucus. Passed last May over the objections of several Latino aldermen, the redrawn 45th Ward lost parts of the Old Irving Park and Independence Park neighborhoods, and took in the Far Northwest Side Wildwood and Edgebrook neighborhoods that have leaned more conservative in recent elections.
It also left Mathias’ home just outside ward boundaries. If she wins, she would be required to move into the ward.
