Chicago Mayor Lightfoot says 'misspoke' in telling voters for her election rivals 'stay home'

Chicago Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot say she "misspoke" in telling would-be voters they should "stay home" instead of going to the polls next week to cast ballots for her opponents in the city's mayoral election.

Lightfoot is in a three-way tie for the lead with challengers Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and Paul Vallas, in an eight-person race with Election Day on Feb. 28.

The embattled first-term mayor told attendees at campaign event this past weekend a vote for "somebody not named Lightfoot" is a vote for Garcia or Vallas."

The race is expected to go a runoff between the top-two finishers.

"If you want them controlling your fate and your destiny, then stay home. Then don't vote," Lightfoot also reportedly said at the event, on Chicago's South Side.

Lightfoot clarified her comments Monday. 

"If I said anything other than everybody everywhere needs to vote, then I misspoke in the heat of a campaign rally," she said. "But I’ve been very consistent all along saying everybody everywhere needs to step up, and they need to vote just as I said today."

Garcia, an Ilinois Democrat, slammed Lightfoot's comments. 

"This is disqualifying rhetoric for anyone hoping to lead a Chicago that is a multi-racial and multi-ethnic city," he said.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the runoff will be held in April. A poll last month put Lightfoot at fourth in the upcoming election.