I really don’t understand why Giannoulias wants to run for mayor. He’s young, and has one of, if not the best, political offices in the country.
The mayor’s office is not a stepping stone to anything. And in this moment in Chicago, the job is a disaster, with crisis after crisis and nothing in the way of good news in the short term.
A relatively young and supremely ambitious pol like Giannoulias should bide his time. Why trade a nice statewide gig that could easily be a platform for a future governor or senate race, where he would be a favorite, for the endless headaches of a dead-end nightmare of a job on the 5th floor?
Who was the last Chicago mayor elected to higher office? If he does what is necessary as mayor to save Chicago, he’ll end up with no political friends. The next mayor has nothing but bad choices and worse choices.
I’d run the other way as fast as possible. But that’s me.
Will he be wearing a shirt during this announcement? Will the shirt be wet? How many times will he put the shirtless photo and the wet t shirt photo in his promo videos? Are we placing bets on any of the above?
Mendoza had to at least wait until after the November election, but was hounded by questions about it throughout that race. Alexis has seemingly been spared the same level of criticism she faced so far…we’ll see how that looks when he’s running for two elections at the same time.
I’m with 47th Ward…I don’t see what he gets out of this besides headaches. Unless his cakewalk election four years ago has him convinced that he has the political capital to easily fix all of Chicago’s problems while coming out the other end unscathed.
==Mendoza had to at least wait until after the November election==
She didn’t have to do anything, she chose to and it was an awful decision politically. Not to mention the video leaked early and so spoiled the whole myth that she was waiting until after Nov to decide.
I partially agree with 47 (who would be Mayor right now when you basically have a negative percent chance for success). However, I think it is kind of ridiculous to say that someone who won their first statewide office literally 20 years ago should “bide his time.”
Maybe it’s as simple as it’s the best office he can run for at the moment that doesn’t require him to spend most of his time away from home and his family. Maybe at some point not everyone is running for president.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:34 pm:
He is announcing his retirement and donating his campaign funds to charity. That would be special. /S
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:50 pm:
I really don’t understand why Giannoulias wants to run for mayor. He’s young, and has one of, if not the best, political offices in the country.
The mayor’s office is not a stepping stone to anything. And in this moment in Chicago, the job is a disaster, with crisis after crisis and nothing in the way of good news in the short term.
A relatively young and supremely ambitious pol like Giannoulias should bide his time. Why trade a nice statewide gig that could easily be a platform for a future governor or senate race, where he would be a favorite, for the endless headaches of a dead-end nightmare of a job on the 5th floor?
Who was the last Chicago mayor elected to higher office? If he does what is necessary as mayor to save Chicago, he’ll end up with no political friends. The next mayor has nothing but bad choices and worse choices.
I’d run the other way as fast as possible. But that’s me.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:50 pm:
===supremely ambitious pol like Giannoulias should bide his time===
Maybe you’ve just underestimated him.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:51 pm:
…or over-estimated, as the case may be. /s
- Reformed Blonde - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:52 pm:
Will he be wearing a shirt during this announcement? Will the shirt be wet? How many times will he put the shirtless photo and the wet t shirt photo in his promo videos? Are we placing bets on any of the above?
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:54 pm:
Mendoza had to at least wait until after the November election, but was hounded by questions about it throughout that race. Alexis has seemingly been spared the same level of criticism she faced so far…we’ll see how that looks when he’s running for two elections at the same time.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:55 pm:
===Mendoza had to at least wait until after the November election, but was hounded===
Because she got too clever and it cost her. He’s being upfront about it. We’ll see how that goes.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:56 pm:
I’m with 47th Ward…I don’t see what he gets out of this besides headaches. Unless his cakewalk election four years ago has him convinced that he has the political capital to easily fix all of Chicago’s problems while coming out the other end unscathed.
- Alton Sinkhole - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:57 pm:
==Mendoza had to at least wait until after the November election==
She didn’t have to do anything, she chose to and it was an awful decision politically. Not to mention the video leaked early and so spoiled the whole myth that she was waiting until after Nov to decide.
- Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:58 pm:
Not happy that Alexi’s face is popping up on YouTube music videos. Not interested in watching his commercial spots. Nails on a chalkboard.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 12:58 pm:
===easily fix all of Chicago’s problems===
C’mon.
Some of y’all appear to be upset because he’s apparently doing something you thought he wouldn’t ever do.
Maybe he no longer wants to be a US Senator? Or president?
Either way, what I’m seeing from some of you is pretty shallow analysis.
- Oklahoma - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
I partially agree with 47 (who would be Mayor right now when you basically have a negative percent chance for success). However, I think it is kind of ridiculous to say that someone who won their first statewide office literally 20 years ago should “bide his time.”
Maybe it’s as simple as it’s the best office he can run for at the moment that doesn’t require him to spend most of his time away from home and his family. Maybe at some point not everyone is running for president.
- DEE - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
He is challenging Mendoza to a swimsuit competition?/s
- Resign - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 1:03 pm:
I guess his strategy is that he needs to at least make it to a runoff, which is entirely doable.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 29, 26 @ 1:33 pm:
He’s going to announce the SOS Inspector General is going to look into why The Jesse White Tumblers did not earn a golden buzzer on ATG.