* Click here for some background. Comptroller Susana Mendoza held a press conference this morning to “announce her plans for the 2026 election.” WTTW…
Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Wednesday she will not run for reelection as Illinois comptroller as she weighs 2027 bid for Chicago mayor.
Mendoza’s decision not to seek a fourth term as the state’s chief fiscal control officer is likely to set off an intense race for a coveted statewide office and signals the start of the 2027 mayoral election cycle, even though the election is 587 days away.
* In her remarks, Mendoza kept her plans for the future vague…
Mendoza: Well, moving forward, I’m going to figure out what the right move is for our family, for our city, for our state. To find out where I’m needed most, that next biggest challenge that I need to take on. Because no challenge is too big as far as I’m concerned. And when I decide what that is, then you better believe I’ll be all in. Because I’ll be the best person, the right person for the job.
So stay tuned.
* Mendoza was pressed on whether she’ll run for Mayor of Chicago…
Mendoza: I’m definitely leaving the door open. But I am definitely going to take some time to figure out what that next big, huge challenge is for me. I want to go on—I think I’m going to do, like, a thank you tour. A thank you tour and a listening tour, [to] hear directly from people, meet with them—taxpayers, everywhere—whether it’s to their homes or in some cafes or with business leaders. But really pick their brains on what they think they need, and how I, in my role and the experience that I’ve had over 24 years now in public service… where am I gonna have the biggest impact? And once I figure that out, like I said, you know, I’ll be all in for that. I’ll be the person to get the job done.
* NBC Chicago…
Still, Mendoza did not shy away from criticizing Johnson’s administration of the city.
“Chicago is in dire need of competency, of someone who understands the needs of the city, and who understands how critical it is to the functioning of the whole state. We’ve had two unsuccessful mayors in a row. Chicago deserves better,” she said.
She described Chicago as the “state’s economic engine,” and that the state of Illinois “can’t be successful when the city of Chicago is failing.”
* NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern has the latest fundraising numbers for potential mayoral candidates…
Mary Ann yesterday…
If Mendoza were to opt out of running, two other possible Comptroller candidates are ready to seek that job. Party leaders tell NBC 5’s Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern that Illinois State Rep. Margaret Croke and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim are interested in running for comptroller, and will attend the Friday slate making event.
…Adding… Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim…
With Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza not seeking re-election, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim is actively exploring a campaign to succeed her—bringing both executive experience and a bold vision for statewide fiscal leadership.
“Susana Mendoza raised the bar for transparency and accountability, and I intend to build on that legacy,” Kim said. “Illinois needs a Comptroller who knows how to manage public dollars responsibly and who is not afraid to challenge the status quo to get results.”
Holly Kim is currently serving her second term as Lake County Treasurer and is the only prospective candidate with hands-on executive experience managing public funds. Under her leadership, the Treasurer’s office has modernized systems, strengthened transparency, and implemented innovative, community-focused investment strategies.
Kim also serves as Chair of the Asian American Caucus and is a leading voice for equity and inclusion in Illinois politics. Should Kim enter and win the race, she would make history as the first Asian American to hold a constitutional office in the state’s history.
“Representation matters—especially in statewide leadership,” said Kim. “But this is about more than breaking barriers. It’s about putting proven executive experience and a people-first approach at the heart of our state’s financial decisions. I’m ready to do the work.”
Kim will be presenting in front of the Cook County Democratic Party on Friday, July 18th during the Statewide Committee at 9AM at IBEW Hall, 2722 S. King Drive. Kim is expected to announce her decision in the coming weeks.
…Adding… Representative Margaret Croke…
“I want to thank Comptroller Mendoza for her years of service to the state of Illinois, shepherding us through tough fiscal times as an extreme Republican governor held our state budget hostage. As Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats worked to shore up our Rainy Day Fund and pay off our bill backlog, Comptroller Mendoza set an example for responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. I’m grateful for her leadership and the strong path she has charted in the Comptroller’s Office. With chaos unfolding at the national level, Illinoisans need steady state leadership and deserve a Comptroller who is prepared to lead with transparency, efficiency, and integrity.”
I’ve been told Croke plans to attend slating and will make a more formal announcement next week.
* More…
* Tribune | Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announces she’s not running for reelection, keeps door open for Chicago mayoral run: Mendoza may not be the only statewide elected official looking at a Chicago mayoral run. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is also believed to be considering a bid for mayor. Giannoulias is scheduled to appear on Friday before Cook County Democrats as he runs for a second term.
* WTTW | State Comptroller Susana Mendoza Says She Won’t Run for Reelection, Setting Up 2027 Chicago Mayoral Bid: Mendoza had already launched a bid for a third term as comptroller when Emanuel announced he would not run for reelection in 2019, setting off a massive scramble. Mendoza finished fifth, winning just 9% of the vote, trailing former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley and businessman Willie Wilson in the first round of voting. Mendoza’s campaign was hobbled by her connection to now-convicted former Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward). Burke supported Mendoza’s election as city clerk, and she often referred to his wife, former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, as her “mentor.”
* Fox Chicago | Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza says she won’t seek re-election: Mendoza, 53, made the announcement Wednesday at Los Comales restaurant in Little Village. Mendoza has served as state comptroller since 2016. “I know I leave the comptroller’s office in our state in a much, much better spot and I’m definitely not done serving moving forward,” Mendoza said.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:28 am:
I think it was no coincidence that the Daleys were the Mayor for so long, and both of them never wanted to be anything other than Mayor of Chicago.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:40 am:
taking into account the pension system reiprocity, Mendoza should be fully vested in her GARS pension by the end of her term. She really has nothing to lose.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:42 am:
I think Mendoza has done a very good job as comptroller and would prefer that she stick around in that job, but good luck to her going forward.
Who on earth would want to be mayor of Chicago? Finances stink, schools are falling apart, public transit is in pieces, and crime is an ongoing problem. It shouldn’t be difficult to erase the memory of Johnson, but that feeling won’t last for long.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:58 am:
Holly Kim is very high-energy, with a personality that could help energize Democrats wherever she is campaigning. It also wouldn’t hurt for the party to have a statewide elected official who doesn’t live in Chicago…
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:05 pm:
Looking at Mendoza’s financing numbers I kind of feel like if Mendoza was gearing up for a mayoral run she’d have more money in the bank.
Assuming she has a fullblown retirement package banked after 25 years in office, she that’s a lot of freedom to try again for mayor or try for gov in 2030 or simply enjoy the retired pol life with her family.
- Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:11 pm:
What friendly Bob said, and the stakeholders are all living in la la land. If people were willing to accept solutions, that would be one thing, but everybody wants to wave a magic wand and make the problems disappear.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:20 pm:
===Who on earth would want to be mayor of Chicago?===
You answered your question in your next sentence: Finances stink, schools are falling apart, public transit is in pieces, and crime is an ongoing problem.
Aside from the power the office has, some people might wanna try to fix those problems (although I would posit you are on the hyperbolic side). If you don’t wanna run for mayor because the problems are so big, then that’s a good thing because you’re not up to the job.
- JR - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:25 pm:
Brilliant as she is indefatigable, I’d rather have Susana Mendoza as a statewide elected official than as CHI mayor. Perhaps she’ll run for IL Secretary of State since Alexi Giannoulias has $1M in f/r revenue lined up for CHI Mayor. Time will tell.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:31 pm:
It’s time for Duffy Blackburn to get the race Sheila Simon stole from him.
- The Farm Grad - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:32 pm:
“Who on earth would want to be mayor of Chicago? Finances stink, schools are falling apart”
Rahm Emanuel had an opportunity. In his previous job at Wasserella, if one of his portfolio companies had Chicago’s debt problems, he’d approach the debtholders: We have a problem. We’re not viable. Let’s come together to restructure our debt so that we both win.
This is done all the time. And I recall reading that some urged Rahm Emanuel to do just that.
Yet, he refused, and today many potential firms/people see Chicago’s debt profile, and refuse to set up shop here, fearing significant tax hikes
- Downstater - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
Mendoza has done an incredible job as Comptroller. I am enthusiastic about Holly Kim running for the position.
- Sharia Capo - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:34 pm:
Holly Kim has already been reported as wanting the State Treasurer’s office—if La Frerichs decided not to run for something else. Same for Ald. Timmy Knudsen. What is it with these “if-then” announcements?
If Giannoulias does run for the Senate and Frerichs then seeks State, I think we can safely rule Kim out for running for Treasurer. Flips are okay, and so are flops. But not both.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:41 pm:
===If Giannoulias does run for the Senate===
He’s already taken himself out of that race. C’mon, keep up.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:42 pm:
I like Mendoza, and if she wants to run for mayor, good for her.
But and I’ve asked this before, in the last 40 years has that city had a mayor that could satisfy a third of its residents?
- Not Your TIme - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:56 pm:
Suze has done an exceptional job as comptroller. However, she never really figured out how to explain her very strong connections to Burke and Solis. All it takes is some TV time with existing videos to remind people how friendly she was with them.
- charles in charge - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:59 pm:
==Looking at Mendoza’s financing numbers I kind of feel like if Mendoza was gearing up for a mayoral run she’d have more money in the bank.==
Take a look at her Twitter. She’s been campaigning for at least a year. It’s not subtle.
- levivotedforjudy - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:00 pm:
The open door should be to the 4th floor of the Chicago City Hall. I voted for her the last time, but this time, we really need her. She has the skill set and experience to fix the multiple messes we have.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:02 pm:
I like Mendoza and the job she has done as Comptroller.
I think the job of Mayor of Chicago is a much more difficult job, and one that (if done well) can benefit greatly the entire state (as the city is the economic engine of the state).
The State needs a competent Mayor of Chicago. I think finding a competent Comptroller to replace Mendoza is a much easer task.
- Give Us Barabbas - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:20 pm:
Mendoza has done a very good job, I can say from my personal experience with her office that she has some extremely capable and driven people on her team who mirror her values and energy and enthusiasm for constituent outreach. Her people solved my problem when nobody else could; not the governor, not the attorney general, secretary of state, state police, my senators and representative, and I tried them all. So, even when we disagree on some particular narrow policy thing, I remain a fan of Mendoza and would vote for her for Mayor if I could. I think the key to her success in the job is that team of like-minded people working for her, and this will be a challenge as a mayor because she can’t just replace everyone with her own staff. She will have to get the legacy staff and stakeholders to buy into her vision, and there’s a lot of competing fiefdoms and interest groups she has to negotiate with.
If she can get the hispanic community behind her and get them to turn out, she could do well, but that community is not monolithic. I think she’s going to have to push a theme of protecting all ethnic groups from the Trumpanista oppression while not alienating the majority population or business community. Schools, transportation, housing, these will be the battlegrounds, I think; all things Johnson has not delivered on sufficiently yet. She’s from a cop family and will have to temper her support of police against the growing threat of authoritarian policies and a lack of accountability for bad policing and corruption. It’s going to be her greatest challenge to deal successfully with all of this. She’s very tough and determined. It’s going to be interesting.
- Leatherneck - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:29 pm:
Looking forward to finding out Mayor Johnson’s reaction to Mendoza’s annoucement.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:33 pm:
Does anybody think Mayor Johnson will find a way/reason to not run for re=election. Surely he sees the handwriting on the wall and might wish to avoid the humiliation.
- Former Downstater - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:57 pm:
Color me shocked she’s not running for another term at a job she clearly hasn’t been interested in for years.
On the other had, if she runs for Mayor, at least her rants about the Safe-T Act will make sense for once.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
Do Chicago mayors ever go on to something bigger after that?
I think Mendoza is smart and talented. I’d hate to see her dead-end there.
- Shytown - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:02 pm:
Margaret Croke is a master class in retail politics and campaigning. No one’s ever gonna outwork her.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
===I’d hate to see her dead-end there===
I mean, that’s pretty much the pinnacle for lots of folks.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:18 pm:
I’m not saying mayor of Chicago is chopped liver, Rich. It’s just that nobody’s clamoring to erect statues of the past several of them.
- JRM - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
Susanna has 12 years of executive branch experience, managing thousands of employees in every corner of the state. Johnson never managed, he was a union organizer; Lightfoot never managed, she was a high power attorney with a big firm.
The City has needed a Mendoza the last two terms. She can bring hope to residents and her experience and skill to city government operations.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:51 pm:
===nobody’s clamoring to erect statues of the past several of them===
And your point is what? That she’s gonna miss out on a statue?
C’mon, this ain’t the Playbook.
- ZC - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 3:00 pm:
I was looking at gross domestic product estimates last fall and calculated, if the city of Chicago were a country, it would one of the top-25 GDPs in the world (NY is like #8). It’s around the same GDP as Norway.
I’m sure there are all kinds of caveats in there but that alone goes a ways to answering, “Who would want the job?”
- Remember the Alamo II - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 3:13 pm:
=== It’s just that nobody’s clamoring to erect statues of the past several of them. ===
That shouldn’t be the goal of someone wanting to run for public office.
The Mayor of Chicago is a far more influential position than Congress or the U.S. Senate. To that end, way more responsibility rests with the Mayor of Chicago than either of those positions.
- Downstate - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 3:28 pm:
What can the next Mayor of Chicago do to meaningfully impact the current path of the city? I don’t want to be too simplistic, but it’s either raise revenue or decrease spending.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 4:02 pm:
My point is that being mayor of Chicago is like trying to tap dance on a stage full of banana peels.
You go into it pretty popular, but you come out of it not so popular, no matter how great an effort you make. Now that may be the cost of the job, and you might be able to do some admirable things, but it seems to be the stopping point of political careers.
All that said, you can’t please all the people all of the time–in any elected office.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 4:34 pm:
- You go into it pretty popular, but you come out of it not so popular, no matter how great an effort you make. -
Sure, if you’re as bad as our last 4 mayors have been. I hope I live long enough to see a competent Chicago mayor, and I don’t think it’s going to be Mendoza.
- Peoria Jack - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 4:49 pm:
Margaret Croke has too much to lose. Pritzker does too. Not sure the spotlight is the best thing for them right now
- Fivegreenleaves - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 5:37 pm:
Susana Mendoz would make a great mayor of Chicago. I’m in southern Illinois, and I wish I could move to Chicago just to vote and campaign for her. I’m hoping after Pritzker leaves office, she runs for Governor. I was hoping he’d pick her for his Lt. Gov.
- Here - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 5:53 pm:
Shytown - Croke is known a little bit in Cook County and retail at cocktail parties is a lot different than retail in the other 101 counties. She has an opportunity to break out of that elite zip code and show us she can connect with working class voters.
- West Sider - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 5:58 pm:
Mendoza has a lot of fans- who can’t vote in a Chicago municipal election. We’ll see how that translates. Personally, if Johnson “wears” a CTU jacket, Mendoza is FOP. One is as unwelcome as the other.
- Shytown - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 6:54 pm:
Here, you’re entitled to your opinion, but politics at the end of the day is still about being able to connect with people and working your tail off to earn their vote. She beat an incumbent by outworking him every day on the campaign trail – she was even knocking on doors within a couple days of giving birth. That’s the kind of energy and enthusiasm the party needs on the campaign trail - and that can translate across geographies and demographics.
- One to the Dome - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:41 pm:
You have not heard a peep of Mendoza in regards to Madigan’s conviction - and you won’t.