Karen Lewis: Rahm shouldn't run essentially unopposed

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis is kind of like the Chicago version of Hillary Clinton. There’s been lots of talk about her running for office, but no solid committment.

Just last week, she told the Sun-Times she’s “a little sick of the mayor” and “seriously thinking” about challenging Rahm Emanuel.

In an interview Monday with ABC7, Lewis touched on why Emanuel needs to go, why he needs a solid challenger, and what would sway her decision.

Former alderman Robert Shaw has already declared his candidacy, along with housing consultant and former Mayor Richard M. Daley staffer Amara Enyia.

Lewis, who would only say she’d “possibly” consider herself as a replacement for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, stressed that Emanuel needs an opponent who has a chance of beating him.

ABC7’s Ben Bradley: “If nobody else gets in, then you’re in?”

Lewis: “We are looking very strongly, we are seriously considering this run.”

Bradley: “You don’t want him to run essentially unopposed?”

Lewis: “Well, I don’t think he should. That’s not a very democratic process. There’s certain people who think they’re entitled to hold office and they shouldn’t have any opposition and they should just continue to do whatever it is they’ve done.”

Lewis said one thing in her corner, if she runs, is that she gets “positive vibes from people almost everywhere I go.”