[Steely Dan]

here's wikipedia's list of declared candidates and potential candidates (in alphabetical order) for the 2019 mayoral election


Declared:

Dorothy Brown - Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Rahm Emanuel - incumbent Mayor of Chicago (May not be able to run because of term limit referendum for mayors in November)
Ja'Mal Green - executive director of the Majostee Allstars Community Center
Troy LaRaviere - President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association
Lori Lightfoot - President of the Chicago Police Board
John Kozlar - candidate for alderman in Chicago's 11th ward in 2015.
Garry McCarthy - former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department
Neal Sales-Griffin - professor at Northwestern University's Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Paul Vallas - former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools
Willie Wilson - businessman and candidate for mayor in 2015, candidate for President in 2016


Potential

Richard Boykin - outgoing member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Gery Chico - businessman and candidate for Mayor in 2011
Valerie Jarrett - former Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
Chris Kennedy - former Chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and member of the Kennedy family, and candidate for Governor in 2018; despite speculation, he lives in Kenilworth, Illinois and thus would likely be unable to run
Ameya Pawar - member of the Chicago City Council, and candidate for Governor in 2018
Pat Quinn - candidate for Illinois Attorney General in 2018 election, former Governor of Illinois from 2009-2015, former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 2003-2009, former Treasurer of Illinois from 1991-1995
Kurt Summers - City Treasurer of Chicago
Scott Waguespack - member of the Chicago City Council since 2007 and chairman of the Council's Progressive Reform Caucus





given the number of candidates, and rahm's low approval numbers, i don't think anyone is getting past 50% in the first round, so we'll almost certainly have another run-off.

i think rahm gets to the 2nd round, but it'll be really interesting to see who his challenger is when it's mano a mano time.

lightfoot, vallas, and mccarthy seem to be the most serious challengers at this point, at least going by media exposure.