Daley's Out So Who's Next?
By Kevin Robinson in News on Sep 8, 2010 2:00PM
Daley's announcement that he wouldn't seek re-election in 2011 turned not just the city, but its political establishment on its ear yesterday. What looked to be an easy walk to an seventh term now leaves the field wide open, as every "wanna-be mayor" huddles with his kitchen cabinet to plot their next move. And who might those wanna be mayors be? No shortage of names are being kicked around in the local press, from retiring county pols to aldermen, from congressmen to the president's own chief of staff. And while there's plenty of speculation, nobody seems quite ready to come right out and say what their intentions are just yet. “Stay tuned,” 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke told the Chicago News Cooperative's Mick Dumke. “In Chicago politics, people never close the door.”
Burke is among the list of usual suspects that might take a run at the mayor's office, along with 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack, retiring Cook County Assessor James Houlihan, Congressman Luis Gutierrez and of course, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel. So who might run for mayor? And what are the odds? What follows is a run-down of the most widely discussed potential candidates for mayor of Chicago, and a quick look at the challenges they'll face in getting to the fifth floor of City Hall. Let us know what you think (and who we missed) in the comments.
No matter who decides to take the plunge, they'll all have to get at least 12,500 valid valid signatures from current registered voters in the City of Chicago by November 22 to be on the ballot. If they can meet those requirements, they'll still need to be at least 18 years old, a registered voter and resident of the City of Chicago for at least one year prior, and have no debt, unpaid tax, lien or other obligation to the city. And felony convictions or convictions for any "infamous crime, bribery or perjury," will preclude them from being a candidate. (Sorry, Blago.) It's also important to remember that the mayor's race is non-partisan, so candidates won't be running under the banner of any party.
Rahm Emanuel: Rahmbo has indicated that he's had his eye on the mayor's office for a while. "One day I would like to run for mayor of the city of Chicago. That's always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives," Emanuel told Charlie Rose back in April. Aside from the short period of time he would have to collect enough signatures to make it on the ballot, Emanuel's got his hands full in Washington these days. President Obama has just launched what looks to be a national campaign to hold control of Congress, while doubling down on the economic recovery, and probably isn't too hyped about losing his chief strategist though publicly he's given Rahm his blessing. That hasn't stopped Politico from speculating. Should he run, Rahm would presumably leave the White House after spectacular losses in Congress, with a close adviser to the president assuming his duties there.
Scott Waguespack: Wags hasn't been shy of his criticisms of Daley's stewardship of the city, but he's also played coy about his intent to run. "I think the things that I've been critical about were about the finances of the city, about the way we managed the city, and I think those things still matter," Wags told CBS2. Still, Waguespack, a first-term alderman, needs to overcome his lack of experience in city politics. And his lack of a strong political organization outside of his ward could prove detrimental against more widely known and better organized candidate. Inside of his ward isn't much better. The on-going feud between Waguespack and 32nd Ward Committeeman John Fritchey might work against him, especially if Fritchey throws his hat in the ring.
John Fritchey: Soon-to-be former state rep John Fritchey has suggested that he might take a run at the mayor's office, both in his challenges of the mayor's authority and on social media like Twitter and Facebook. Fritchey has spent years building his brand around Chicago among like-minded progressives, and has the name recognition and organization to take a viable run at the office. But he's also running for County Commissioner this season, putting him in a precarious position should he try to pivot to a run for mayor.
Tom Dart: Cook County's rock-star sheriff has made a name for himself among progressive voters in Chicago, cracking down on Craigslist, cleaning up the county jail, breaking up dog-fighting rings and halting foreclosure evictions of renters during the housing crisis. And he's popular among African-American voters around the South side where he was the state rep in a mostly black district. And in Chicago the black vote is almost always critical in city-wide races.
James Houlihan: The retiring Cook County Assessor has made it clear that he'd like to take a run at being mayor of Chicago, telling Chicago Magazine that he's "very interested in being mayor." Nonetheless, Houlihan is in his late 60's, and could find himself struggling to find a base in a crowded field of younger, better-known candidates.
Luis Gutierrez: The Fourth District Congressman and Harold Washington protege has flirted with running for mayor in the past, most recently teasing the city with moves that made it seem like he would run in 2006, only to back out in the end. His star has lost some of its shine recently, as he's been caught up in a scandal involving campaign contributions from a developer, discovered as part of a Tribune investigation into city zoning.
Jesse Jackson, Jr.: Jackson Jr's name is bandied about anytime even a semi-serious run for mayor comes up. In 2006 he took a serious look at challenging Daley, including polling, backing reform aldermen in the council, and building up a war-chest. In the end, he backed off, saying that he was excited to stay in Washington at a time that the Democratic Party had retaken the majority at the end of the Bush era. Nonetheless, Junior's ambitions to office beyond congress are hardly a secret in Chicago - after the Blagojevich corruption trial, it seemed as if the South side congressman was prepared to all but buy Obama's former Senate seat outright. And it's his name being mentioned in that trial that will likely keep him out of the race this time around, too.