Forrest Won't Run

Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool has decided he won't run in the special election to select a replacement for outgoing U.S. Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who is vacating his Fifth District seat to become President-Elect Obama's Chief of Staff. Claypool told the Sun-Times, "It was tempting and something I gave a lot of thought. It would be an exciting time to be in Congress and support the president-elect’s agenda and work with people I know and have a long history with in a time of national crisis. But I’ve spent six years working hard to reform county government — I think I can make a bigger difference locally than nationally.”