Illinois U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Chicago, is standing by his decision to push Carol Moseley Braun as a “consensus black candidate” in the recent mayoral election. 

Braun’s poor showing has some political observers saying race no longer plays the role it did in local elections back in the 1980s when Harold Washington was elected the city’s first black mayor.  But Davis said race is still an important part of politics in Chicago.  He said issues such as gun violence and high incarceration rates disproportionately affect black communities and the black community should be electing candidates who understand those issues and are committed to solving them. 

“Anybody that’s trying to elect somebody to public office should want whoever it is that’s going to think the most like them, who’s going to do the most like what they would do.  If you’re not doing that then what’s the point of participating,” said Davis.