Pre-election luau? Karen Lewis moves trip in case of mayoral run

With all the talk of a possible mayoral run Karen Lewis, we haven’t seen much of her lately.

That’s because the Chicago Teachers Union President shifted her annual vacation in Hawaii to July. Why?

Lewis usually takes her trip in December, CTU spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said. That would be in the thick of the mayoral contest should she really make a run.

Gadlin said Lewis was advised that she better switch the timing of her vacation if a run for mayor is really in the cards.

Lewis has told Early & Often that an exploratory committee is in the works.

All of this comes after an Early & Often poll showed Lewis could provide a real challenge to Emanuel.

The poll showed that Lewis, who was the architect behind a 2012 teachers’ strike, would beat Emanuel by 9 percentage points in a head-to-head contest.

Emanuel’s campaign, which is flush with cash, called it “laughable.”