Election 2015: 7th Ward candidates discuss the issues

Joseph J. Moseley II summarized the issues facing the 7th Ward succinctly.

“I want to stop crime, I want to bring back jobs and I want to stop my basement from flooding,” Moseley said.

He’s just one of eight candidates on the ballot (a ninth, Chevette Valentine, is a write-in) hoping for the chance to do just that as alderman of the South Side ward.

Among them is incumbent Ald. Natashia Holmes, running for the first time after she was appointed alderman by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Keiana Barrett, former chief of staff to former Ald. Sandi Jackson. Jackson resigned from the ward in January 2013.

Eight candidates met with the Sun-Times editorial board at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, ahead of the Chicago municipal election on Feb. 24.

You can hear from them in their own words and read highlights from the discussion, below.

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES

Natashia Holmes (incumbent)
Greg Mitchell
Keiana Barrett
Flora “Flo” Digby
LaShonda “Shonnie” Curry
Joseph J. Moseley III
Bernie Riley
Margie Reid
Chevette Valentine

PHOTOS:

<small><strong>Ald. Natashia Holmes is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Ald. Natashia Holmes is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Greg Mitchell is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Greg Mitchell is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Keiana Barrett is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Keiana Barrett is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Flora Digby is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Flora Digby is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>LaShonda Curry is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **LaShonda Curry is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Joseph John Moseley II is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Joseph John Moseley II is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Margie Reid is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Margie Reid is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

<small><strong>Chevette Valentine is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times</strong></small> — **Chevette Valentine is an aldermanic candidate for the 7th Ward in the City of Chicago. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times**

LIVE UPDATES:

Next Up In News

Asleep at the march? ACLU says Chicago may be unprepared for Democratic Convention protests

Kia, Hyundai owners can get free anti-theft upgrade this weekend

Howard Brown union ratifies first contract after 17 months of negotiations

Netflix looks to curb password sharing, considers ads

Aiming to predict COVID, future pandemics better, CDC opens infectious diseases forecasting center

Joliet farmers wrangle cows thrown from semitrailer after crash on Interstate 80