Chicago, IL – In Chicago, people had good reason to celebrate on Feb. 24. Rahm Emanuel was denied reelection in the mayoral primary. He needed 50% plus one vote, but he received less than 46%. His main opponent, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, received 34%, and will face Emanuel on April 7 in a runoff. In addition, 19 city council seats will have runoff elections, an all-time high.

Los Angeles, CA – Carlos Montes formally announced his intention to run for the District 14 seat in Los Angeles City Council at a campaign kickoff event held at his campaign office on Nov. 8. Surrounded by family, friends and supporters, Montes spoke to the need for progressive activism in City Hall to address the many issues facing the people of Los Angeles. Montes’ announcement was met with cheers of “Sí, se puede!” from members of the crowd, which included teachers, labor leaders and students.

Milwaukee WI – For the first time in Milwaukee's history, an African American woman is running as a socialist candidate for the office of Milwaukee county sheriff. The following is an interview that that Fight Back! conducted with Walker. For more information about her campaign, see Angela N Walker for Milwaukee County Sheriff Fight Back! asked Angela Walker to describe her campaign. Here is her response:

New York, NY – In front of 35 members of the United Nations Correspondence Association (UNCA), Ambassador Dr. Bashar Jaafari of the Syrian Mission hosted a report-back, June 18, by five members of the U.S. delegation of election observers who had traveled to Damascus for the June 3 presidential elections. Included among the election observers were Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee-Chicago; Paul Larudee of the Syrian Solidarity Movement; Jane Stillwater, a freelance journalist; Scott Williams of the International Action Center and Judy Bello of New York’s Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars. Both Bello and Iosbaker are also members of the administrative committee of the United National Antiwar Coalition.

New York, NY – Anti-war activists joined Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar Jaafari, for a press conference at the U.N. on June 18, at 11:00 a.m. Paul Larudee, Joe Iosbaker, Judy Bello, Scott Williams and Jane Stillwater were observers of the presidential elections in Syria on June 3. They joined official governmental delegations from 11 countries, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Iran and Brazil.

Damascus, Syria – Election observers gathered June 4, the day after election day, to discuss what they had seen and adopted a statement that the elections were democratic and wished the Syrian people a new stage of stability, national unity and reconciliation. Parliamentarians from 11 countries officially participated as observers, including Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and The Philippines. There were also journalists, anti-war and international solidarity activists from Canada, the U.S., Ireland, Pakistan, Malaysia and Bahrain.

Editors note: Prominent Chicago- based anti-war activist Joe Iosbaker is in route to Damascus, Syria where he will participate in a delegation of observers for the Syrian election’s. Fight Back! will publish commentary by Iosbaker as we receive it.

Damascus, Syria – Ten people from the U.S., Canada and Ireland have traveled to Syria to observe the presidential elections taking place here June 3. Our delegation is mainly anti-war and international solidarity activists who are members of organizations including the International Action Center, Syria Solidarity Committee, the Anti-War Committee-Chicago, the United National Antiwar Coalition and the International Solidarity Movement. We are hosted by a Iranian non-governmental organization, the International Union of Unified Ummah (Muslim community).

Newark, NJ – The May 13 election of Ras J. Baraka as mayor of Newark is nationwide news, like the 1970 election of Kenneth Gibson. It arouses many expectations.

Echoes of Venezuela, right wing cries fraud, vows to destabilize country

San Salvador, El Salvador – Salvador Sanchez Ceren, Marxist leader, former guerrilla commander, teacher and trade unionist, won the March 9 presidential run-off elections by a narrow 6634 votes of the nearly 3 million cast, over the right-wing candidate, Norman Quijano.