The Illinois Sierra Club announced its endorsement of Rahm Emanuel in the race for Chicago mayor, followed shortly thereafter by the Chicago Tribune. Director of the Sierra Club's Illinois chapter, Jack Darin, says the group chose Emanuel, in part, because of his track record on protecting the Great Lakes:

"Throughout his career, Rahm has not just been a strong supporter of environmental protection -- he has been a key strategist in efforts to protect Lake Michigan, and to move toward a clean energy future. That's exactly who Chicagoans need as their next mayor -- someone who wants a cleaner, healthier Chicago for the future, but also has the strength and smarts to get things done. Rahm knows we can bring new jobs to Chicago and make our city cleaner by being smarter about how we use energy, and by making Chicago a global capital in the green economy. We are proud to recommend Rahm Emanuel to all the Chicagoans who want a better future for their children and new, good-paying jobs.”

Meanwhile, the Trib had this to say in their backing of Rahm:

He knows what it will take to keep Chicago competitive in a global marketplace, to drive a school system built on competition and innovation, to protect the citizens of the city, and to shed the legacy of a government where political favoritism endures. The Tribune today endorses Rahm Emanuel for mayor.