Joe Faso: 'I'm Glad It's Over'

After losing in a heated Chicago Heights mayoral race Tuesday, Joseph Faso could say one thing with confidence.

"I'm glad its over," he said. "I'm glad I tried. David won."

Faso said he called Gonzalez to congratulate him as well.

"I called him yesterday [Wednesday] morning," Faso said. "I left word at his office. I left him a note of congratulations and said 'I hope you do what's best for the city.'"

Gonzalez told the Southtown Star he had not received the message.

When Faso decided to run for the mayor's office, he also gave up his seat as Fourth Ward Alderman, a seat he has held for eight years. But the Chicago Heights business owner said he has no plans to return to politics.

"I'm just going to lay back and watch," Faso said. "I had eight good years. I enjoyed it. I don't know if I'm done, but I kind of think I'm done."

Faso also addressed the accusations of electioneering and his call for City Hall to be closed to early voting.

"We thought we did good at the polls, but when you add in the early voting and absentees... We thought they were ahead by the way they were doing things," Faso said. "But I don't want to cry about it. It is what it is. I enjoyed my time as an alderman."

Faso said he will supports his fourth ward replacement, who ran as an Integrity Party member.

"I'm happy with Josh Deabel, the kid who took my place," Faso said. "I'm proud of my team. I'm sorry we only got one person elected."

Unity Party of Chicago Heights members won all of the city council seats, as well as the positions of city clerk and treasurer, which were chosen by the people for the first time.

Regarding Mayor-elect Gonzalez, Faso said he's got a tough job ahead of him.

"If he keeps all his promises he'll be fine," he said. "No matter who ended up mayor, they were going to have a lot of work, to be mayor of a city with no money."