photo: E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel in an interview with the Tribune in his City Hall office on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.  

Tomorrow, May 16, marks the midpoint of Rahm Emanuel's first term as mayor. In two years, city politics has proved the toughest challenge yet for the former congressman and White House chief of staff.

Recent polling finds Chicagoans substantially unhappy with his record on economic development and education, and with mixed opinions on the city's crime problem. But still, more residents approve of his overall performance than disapprove, by a reasonably healthy ten-percent margin. That's perhaps in recognition of the fiscal straightjacket the mayor inherited.

Looking ahead a bit, no one has come forward to announce a challenge to the mayor, and pundits have been hard-pressed to come up with a challenger. The mayor says he'll pursue a second term rather than seek higher office. Until then, and possibly into a second term (or more), it's Mayor Emanuel versus himself.

That leaves Chicagoans to find other ways to vent their opinions, positive and negative. In this totally unscientific, out-of-context poll, you can give the mayor a bare letter grade, and you can leave a comment to explain why you marked his performance the way you did. Let your neighbors know what you think!