Preckwinkle Deflects Questions On A Future Mayoral Run
By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 13, 2014 1:45PM
Will Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle consider a future mayoral run? That question is one of the great “what ifs” currently in Chicago politics. Rahm Emanuel’s honeymoon period is decidedly over with declining poll numbers and support among African-American voters, in particular. But he has amassed a sizable campaign war chest and it’s unknown who would want to challenge Emanuel for the Fifth Floor next year. Preckwinkle, with her outspoken nature and semblance of a spine, would have the tongues of political pundits across the city salivating.
Preckwinkle did her best to throw some shade on the theoretical matchup with Emanuel Wednesday when the question was yet again posed to her after the County Board meeting. Preckwinkle said she spoke with Emanuel “about a month ago” and said she still has work to do with the county government like streamlining the county’s hospital system, reducing the population at Cook County Jail and freeing the backlog at the County Circuit Court’s bond court system.
“I said to him what I say to everybody, which is, I’m running for re-election for the job I’ve got. You know, I didn’t run for this job as a platform to something else,” she said.
Not exactly straight talk but, for Preckwinkle, still a firm “no.” That wasn’t enough and the question was re-phrased.
“I told him what I just said to you, that I was going to run for re-election for the job I have, and that I have an agenda I need to make more progress on in my next four years,” she said.
Like telemarketers, however, they kept asking until they received a third no.
Asked again if she would rule out running for mayor, Preckwinkle replied: “I’m running for re-election for the job I’ve got, which is on the ballot as I recall in November of 2014.”
The Tribune writes that it’s wise for Preckwinkle to keep her options open, at the very least, so that well-heeled donors keep writing checks. Reporters John Byrne and Hal Dardick cited the curious case of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who was raking in campaign donations for a prospective gubernatorial run before announcing last year she intended to seek re-election instead.
But Preckwinkle is one of the more unvarnished politicians in Chicago and, even going through the verbal dance she did Wednesday, “no” tends to mean “no” with her.
But never say never, right?