Kirk backs Rahm for Chicago mayor

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is reaching across the aisle to back Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel (D) in his runoff election against fellow Democrat Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

{mosads}Kirk, who is facing a tough reelection campaign of his own in 2016, warned that Chicago could go the way of Detroit if Garcia won, saying he didn’t have the economic gravitas to lead the city.

“Rahm’s reelection is essential to maintaining the value of Chicago’s debt market. We need a strong capable leader … I would worry about the value of the Chicago debt if Rahm was not reelected. … It’s a concern if we have some of the less responsible people running against him,” Kirk said Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“None of them could command the respect of the bond market. A collapse of Chicago debt, which already happened with Detroit, I think would soon follow if somebody who was really inexperienced and irresponsible replaced Rahm,” he continued.

The centrist Kirk and Emmanuel have long had a decent working relationship stretching back to their days in the House, and Kirk is very close with Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), who has ties to the mayor.

Kirk has also looked to avoid antagonizing powerful Democrats in Illinois as he heads into a tough reelection fight in the Democratic-leaning state. He did little to help Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) conservative opponent in 2014.