Root, considered rather politically undistinguished, had been strongly backed by the statewide Republican organization of Governor Dwight H.

[2] However, these charges were perhaps rendered less than effective by the nature of Root's own nomination, having been pushed by Green's Republican organization.

[2] Republicans accused Kennelly of having, in his career as a warehouse magnate, profiteered off of the city in public contracts he received to store polling place materials.

The Chicago Defender endorsed Kennelly, arguing that the city's black population saw it as important to, "continue and expand the progressive and far-reaching racial policies" of Kelly.

[11] Kennelly won the greatest vote total of any mayoral candidate in Chicago history.