EXTRA: Will Jesus get chance to save Chicago? How about Mayor Kane?

Mayor Jesus “Chuy” Garcia?

I’m not sure it’s really feasible to think of the former alderman, state senator and current Cook County Board member as a serious candidate for mayor in the 2015 municipal elections. But both WTTW-TV and the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday about how Garcia is contemplating a run for mayor come February.

WE’RE PROBABLY GOING to get a lot of people putting themselves forward for mayor between now and the date just before Thanksgiving when candidates must submit their nominating petitions to get themselves on the ballot come Feb. 24.

For those who don’t pay attention, Garcia was an ally to Harold Washington back when he was mayor, and the Mexico-born politico became the first Mexican-American in the Illinois Legislature.

Only to lose out when operatives for then-Mayor Richard M. Daley managed to beat him out of his Statehouse post. He became a part of electoral politics again in 2010 when he won election to the county board.

Following one term in that post, it seems he now wants to consider moving to the other side of the City Hall/County Building – the big post on the fifth floor just down the hall from the floor where county President Toni Preckwinkle and the board itself does its business.

IT DOESN’T SURPRISE me that Garcia thinks he has a chance to be the opposition candidate to Mayor Rahm Emanuel – who has many people hoping they can defeat him come next year when he seeks re-election. He probably dreams that the Latino vote can be a large-enough base to kick off a campaign with.

Consider that in the 2011 municipal elections, Emanuel only got about 30 percent of the Latino vote. A majority preferred the idea of a Latino running City Hall back then.

The only problem, insofar as those with an interest in increased Latino political empowerment is concerned, is that there were two Latino candidates. Former school board head Gery Chico took about two-thirds of the Latino vote, while former city Clerk Miguel del Valle took the other third.

Together, a majority of Latinos voted for a Latino.

AND THIS TIME around, at least thus far, there isn’t two serious Latino officials seeking to run for mayor.

I’m just not sure as of yet that the Latino electorate (Latinos account for just over one quarter of Chicago’s population) is enough by itself to propel Chuy to Hizzoner’s office.

Although maybe he could beat out 2^nd Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti to finish second and possibly be in a runoff election to be held April 7 – if no one can win a clear-cut majority for mayor in February.

We’ll have to wait to see what happens with Garcia. He certainly wouldn’t be the most incompetent person who ever ran for political office on the Chicago or Illinois scenes?

ALTHOUGH IF WE’RE going to fantasize, I couldn’t help but notice on Monday that actor Kelsey Grammer released a broadcast spot touting the Crime Victims Bill of Rights amendment that is on the ballot for Nov. 4.

Many remember Gramner for his “Frasier Crane” role in “Cheers” and “Frasier.” Although a part of me is going to forever remember him as the cold-hearted bastard of a political official who ran our very government in “Boss.”

“Mayor Tom Kane” taking on “Mayor Rahm Emanuel” for the right to head what’s left of the Chicago political “machine.” That would put the fright into just about anybody with sense.

At least with a “Mayor Kane,” we could honestly admit our mayor was losing his mind. Who knows what Emanuel’s excuse is for some of his most offensive actions?

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