Former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley is expected to announced a run for mayor in Chicago Monday, nearly two weeks after Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not seek re-election.
The decision, which his spokesman confirmed would be announced Monday, would make Daley the first candidate to formally launch a run for mayor in wake of Emanuel's political bombshell.
Daley served as former President Barack Obama's chief of staff from 2011-12, following in Emanuel's shoes after he left the job to begin a successful bid for mayor in 2010. Daley also spent more than three years as commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton.
A familiar name in Chicago politics, Daley's father, Richard J. Daley, was mayor of the city for 21 years and his brother Richard M. Daley became the longest serving mayor of Chicago before deciding in 2010 not to seek re-election
Bill Daley briefly entered the Illinois gubernatorial race in 2013 before taking himself out of the running.
The younger Daley, who most recently worked in finance, would join a crowded field of candidates that could grow even larger in wake of Emanuel's decision not to run.
Before Emanuel's announcement, there were 12 total candidates seeking to take him on in the February election. After Emanuel bowed out, names of dozens of potential candidates circulated as some began making calls to gauge support, while others publicly announced they would not join the race.
Longtime Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez said Wednesday that he will not enter the race, joining outgoing Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, adviser to former President Barack Obama Valerie Jarrett and former Gov. Pat Quinn in rejecting calls to run for mayor.
Gutierrez instead called on Jesus "Chuy" Garcia- who forced Emanuel into an historic runoff election in 2015 - to run instead. Garcia has yet to publicly announce his decision on the race, but said in a statement he "will continue to dialogue with Chicagoans from across our great city to talk about solutions that will both unify us and improve everyone's quality of life."
Among those considering a run is Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is circulating nominating petitions but has not formally announced her candidacy.
Rep. Mike Quigley, who is currently running for his sixth full term in Congress, is reportedly polling for the race and told the Chicago Tribune he's thinking about a run but doesn't "feel compelled to rush into a decision."
Chicago lawyer and former mayoral candidate Gery Chico confirmed he is considering throwing his hat into the ring. He raised more than $4.5 million during his previous run for mayor and "can unify the city," a campaign spokesperson said in a statement.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers, as well as several alderman, were also rumored to be flirting with a run for mayor.
