Question of the day
Friday, Jan 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sneed…
Paul Vallas continues to set the stage for a run against a formidable Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Vallas, who was appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner to help restart a financially beleaguered Chicago State University, tells Sneed he plans to step down from that job soon — a clear reminder of what he has done politically in the past: not hold a public job while running for public office.
“My job is done,” said Vallas. “Although my contract ran until July 1, I now plan to leave March 31,” he said while also repeating an earlier report by Crain’s Chicago Business columnist Greg Hinz he was “seriously considering” running for mayor.
Trust me: The decision by Vallas to leave early is a huge indication he hopes to run for mayor.
* The Question: Vallas’ chances?
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:19 pm:
Zero. He has been a failure at every school district and is now a Rauner lapdog.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:21 pm:
I’d say he has less than stellar chances, perhaps one chance in five at best. I think CTU will keep looking for a better candidate, which considerably narrows his electoral path.
On the plus side, he won’t have to worry about flying around the state and he’s already got John Kass’ endorsement, for what that’s worth.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
“Vallas’ chances?”
Probably 3-1, if Vallas gets $3+ million, maybe a little less than even money.
- Whatever - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
Can we please add Paul Vallas to the list of tired names like Chris Kennedy, Bill Daley, Valerie Jarrett, etc., that are always touted as powerful, dream candidates who never pan out or live up to the hype.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:41 pm:
Can he be both mayor of Chicago and Pat Quinn’s Lt. Attorney General at the same time?
- Charlie Kane - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:47 pm:
I don’t give him much of a chance. I am curious though, if he’s re-elected, will Rauner put big money in the mayor’s race to unseat, or at least weaken Rahm?
- FTR - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:47 pm:
@Whatever is right.
Plus, Vallas’s financial stewardship of CPS looks nowhere near as good now as it did before the political world started paying attention to pension debt. I think the Chicago Teacher’s Pension Fund was close to 100 percent funded a couple of years into his tenure, then the holidays starting kicking in. Not all his fault, a lot of it was set by statute. But if he was the hands-on financial wizard the media liked to portray him as, you’d think he might have done something about it.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:51 pm:
Paul Vallas should have been governor. This state would be a much better place today. He was fantastic for CPS, he really help turn it around and now so many schools are succeeding.
- Ron - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:52 pm:
Whoever gets CTU backing needs to lose.
- Roman - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 2:57 pm:
Seems like McCarthy might run as the “Trump candidate.” Does Vallas run as the “Rauner candidate?”
- view from the cheap seats - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:01 pm:
just like Quinn, go away.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:06 pm:
Pretty sure Pat Quinn would beat Paul Vallas in any 2018 race. Pretty sure Pat Quinn would lose to Rahm Emanuel in any 2018 race. Transitive property applies.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:09 pm:
What’s his path? The two basic baths are progressive populist versus establishment, business-friendly and the mayor has the latter covered, while the former is not open to Vallas if he doesn’t get CTU backing, which seems unlikely.
- Sue - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:09 pm:
Vallas may be the only person more despised then Rahm by the Teachers union. Had the CTU and IEA been able to overlook Vallas having been a school superintendent he would have been Governor in 2002 and we could have been spared both Blago and Quinn
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:10 pm:
===Transitive property applies.===
It was my understanding, there would be no math in the comments section.
If Vallas’ burn rate equals the Kennedy rate now, that will equate to a loss…
- NIU Grad - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
CTU won’t back him, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. CTU getting behind a candidate is enough to scare off many backers/fundraisers who can’t imagine how the finances will end up with their leaders calling the shot.
Having a reasonable voice who isn’t full of unrealistic promises that will result in more taxes might end up being formidable.
- A guy - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:18 pm:
In a race where it includes Vallas against Rahm and also Rahm against Rahm, this one would be hard to call until we got a lot closer. What I’m prepared to say today is, “it ain’t a long shot”.
- Arsenal - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
Not great. He’d be running against Rahm, but unable to avail himself of CTU.
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
Very low.
What’s his fundraising base that doesn’t already give to Rahm?
- DarkHorse - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
Dear Anonymous,
The fact that you’re using mathematical reasoning to make your political arguments - should the transitive property suggest you’re supporting Professor Biss for Governor?
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
If anyone in voterland has been paying even scant attention, his odds should be very low.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 3:57 pm:
Boy now that’s gonna be a veritable cuddliness contest to see who is the warmest and fuzziest between those two.
- Telly - Friday, Jan 26, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
Highly likely that Rahm will be forced into a runoff again. Not sure it’s possible for two white men to make it into a runoff, so I don’t like Vallas’ chances.
- Vince Glothor - Saturday, Jan 27, 18 @ 1:08 pm:
The population of Chicago has turned over since Vallas was in the news everyday. I hazard to guess 40/50% of the people of Chicago don’t even know he exists.