Villegas fights to hold onto ward called both ‘snake’ and ‘noodle’ against challenge from CTU-backed Torres Whitt

Lori Torres Whitt (left), 36th Ward candidate, outside her campaign office on Wednesday; Ald. Gilbert Villegas (right) outside his campaign office last month. (Anthony Vazquez; Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times)

When Lori Torres Whitt saw how the 36th Ward was oddly redrawn to include more than a handful of communities in a strip stretching about eight miles from West Town to Montclare, it pushed her to take the plunge and run for the City Council.

“If you’re in office representing the people here, how do you let this happen?” Torres Whitt asked. “And if you let this happen, what else are you letting happen?”