Willie Wilson, Paul Vallas Enter Already Crowded 2019 Mayor’s Race
Two more candidates officially announced their intentions this week to run for mayor of Chicago, making what appears to be an already crowded field for the 2019 election. Businessman Willie Wilson announced his intention to run once again for mayor, along with former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas. "Chicago is bleeding jobs, citizens and hope," Wilson said in a statement. "The present administration doesn't know how to stop this but I do and will as the next mayor of our great city of Chicago." Wilson ran in 2015, garnering about 10 percent of the vote, and also briefly ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 2016. An attorney for Vallas said he plans to file a “Paul Vallas for Chicago” campaign committee, and that the former CPS chief is “150 percent” committed to running. “It’s full speed ahead,” said Burt Odelson. While Mayor Rahm Emanuel hasn’t formally announced his campaign, he has been fundraising and it’s assumed he’ll run once again. After months of dropping not-so-subtle-hints, former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy announced his candidacy last week. Other candidates that say they plan to run are former CPS principal Troy LaRaviere and tech entrepreneur Neal Sales Griffin. Ra Joy, former gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy’s choice for lieutenant governor, has also said he’s now weighing a mayoral run. (Chicago Tribune) (NBC5)