Giannoulias holds $19 million lead as four incumbents vie for Chicago mayor

Alexi Giannoulias holds a financial lead of more than $19 million in the race for Chicago mayor, a figure that dwarfs the resources of his closest competitors. The Illinois Secretary of State reported this amount in his campaign fund as of the end of September, the most recent filing deadline.

Giannoulias won reelection to his state office on Tuesday, a result expected in the deep-blue state. However, his tenure may be short if he wins the city’s top job. He is one of four elected officials currently running for mayor who have filed the necessary paperwork to appear on the ballot for the Feb. 23 election.

The other candidates are Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, and Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas. All four submitted their signatures and documents last month to secure their places on the ballot.

Attorney William Quinlan has challenged the legality of these candidates running for two offices at once. He filed a lawsuit last month that was dismissed by a Cook County judge, but he renewed his objections on Monday through the Chicago Board of Elections. Quinlan’s new challenges target Giannoulias, Pappas, and Quigley, but not Cardenas.

Quinlan argued in a Monday statement that current public offices are serving as safety nets for these politicians. He said they are asking voters to retain their current jobs as a backup plan in case Chicago voters reject their mayoral candidacies.

Dick Simpson, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Chicago and former alderperson, noted that while dual runs are not unusual, the strategy primarily benefits the politicians. He stated that it is not ideal for voters to have clear choices from many different people in office.

Cardenas, who was reelected to the Board of Review on Tuesday, defended his dual run. He told reporters that attracting competent office holders benefits the public. Cardenas is one of the few mayoral hopefuls who did not receive a formal challenge to his candidacy this week, ensuring his spot on the Feb. 23 ballot.

Quigley easily defeated Republican challenger Tommy Hanson for his congressional seat on Tuesday. He cited past examples of congresspeople running for mayor, including Harold Washington, to justify his decision. He said he had to commit to running for the House more than a year ago to meet filing deadlines. He believes issues like affordability overlap between his work in Congress and his potential role at City Hall.

Pappas, who ran unopposed for treasurer on Tuesday, said she is not yet formally announcing her mayoral campaign. She plans to wait until challenges and objections are settled later this year. She described the current political climate as a period where candidates are exchanging verbal attacks, and she intends to stay out of the conflict.

The Chicago Board of Elections will set the mayoral ballot in mid-December. Hearings for formal objections to candidate nominations begin on Monday. A runoff election is scheduled for April 6 if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote in the first round. Giannoulias’s $19 million lead is substantially larger than the next closest candidates, Susana Mendoza with about $1.7 million and John Kelly with $2.5 million.