The Democrat Emanuel also has the power of government to help him, and clout and national contacts that once had me thinking we'd see him as the No. 2 on a 2016 presidential ticket. He'll have a Republican ally, Bruce Rauner, in the governor's mansion. And the state's Democratic boss, House Speaker Michael Madigan, has released his political lawyer, Mike Kasper, to serve Emanuel's election needs. These needs include eviscerating Rahm's opponents by challenging their petitions of candidacy.