Thursday, November 09, 2006

Mayor Daley had first fundraiser in three years last night; two likely challengers bowing out

Last night Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has a campaign fundraiser, his first in three years.

Meanwhile, two Chicago congressman who were viewed as likely challengers to the longtime mayor, Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Luis Gutierrez, are viewing the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives as a way to advance their agenda--and themselves--so both men are expected to announce today they won't be running for mayor.

The first round of Chicago municipal elections will be in late February.

Daley, a Democrat, has yet to announce his 2007 intentions, but he is expected to run for reelection. Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Cook County Courts, and William "Dock" Walls, an aide to the late Harold Washington, have thrown their hats in the ring. Neither are expected to give Daley much trouble, should he decide to run.

Since the mayoral election, Daley's administration has attracted the of federal investigators, leading to several convictions. As I frequently blogged about this summer, Chicago was ground-zero for the big-box "living wage" ordinance. The legislation targeted such retailers as Wal-Mart, Target, and Lowe's. The ordinance passed, only to be vetoed by Daley. Jesse Jackson Jr. was especially critical of Daley's veto.

Related post: Chicago mayoral election poll: Daley leads Jesse Jr. by a wide margin

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