A story in the Chicago Reader, an alternative weekly, illustrates one of the distinctive aspects of Del Valle's campaign. They report on the campaign managers for 6 candidates. (Two of whom dropped out around press time.)
Five of those were hired guns. Now, I don't have anything against hired guns. They can learn what the candidate stands for and present this accurately -- if that looks like the way to win. When there aren't campaigns, they earn their keep on government appointments from the guys they've won for previously, by lobbying, or by handling press for businesses.
Del Valle's campaign manager, Bruce Embrey, is a guy who has been involved in dozens of campaigns for reformers in Chicago, sometimes paid, often not. He earns his keep when there are no campaigns as a carpenter-handyman. He knows what his candidate stands for because they have stood together for decades fighting for reform.