According to The Chicago Sun Times Kanye West donated $73,540 to the mayoral campaign of Amara Enyia, six days after Chance the Rapper’s celebrity endorsement elevated Enyia in the crowded race to replace Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The donation also comes just 11 days after West’s face-to-face talk with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office made national headlines.
Enyia currently serves as executive director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, she is in need to introduce herself to Chicago voters to have any hope of standing out in the crowd. The celebrity endorsements and donations are big news to her campaign.
A political strategist not aligned with anyone in the race for mayor said Enyia’s campaign is “becoming real” with Kanye’s contribution.
“If Chance does one concert for her, she can raise several hundred thousand in one day,” the strategist said.
At the close of the third-quarter, Enyia reported having just $67.54 in the bank.
The candidate said she has already used West’s contribution to settle a $73,540 debt to the Illinois State Board of Elections stemming from filing fees and penalties never paid that must be resolved before she can get on the mayoral ballot.
“The $73,540 debt to the Illinois State Board of Elections has been paid in full,” the Enyia campaign declared in an emailed statement.
“The Amara Enyia campaign thanks Chicago native, Kanye West, for his generous action. Amara’s campaign is energizing people around the city with bold ideas and solutions that move Chicago forward. We are excited to engage people of all walks of life as we focus our efforts on getting on the ballot.”
County Commissioner Stanley Moore, who has endorsed County Board President Toni Preckwinkle for mayor, said Enyia’s decision to accept West’s donation opens up a whole new line of questioning.
“If you accept money from a person like Kanye West, are you also endorsing his stance on Donald Trump?” Moore said.
Chicago politics has gotten even more interesting.
