Come January, Republican Bruce Rauner will officially replace Democrat Pat Quinn as governor of Illinois, which makes Quinn a free agent. People in the know say there are some in Chicago City Council who would like to recruit the ousted incumbent to run for mayor in February's election.
The idea has been bandied about and conservations have been had this week about possibly drafting Quinn -- conversations which savvy political watchers call hogwash.
On Tuesday, Crain's Chicago Business reported "disaffected" aldermen as angling to get Quinn on the ballot despite a too-short window of time to amass the petitions necessary and his representative maintaining that he's "focused on raising the minimum wage and completing his term" (and not, ostensibly, jumping into another political race).
If Quinn were to join fellow Democrats Bob Fioretti and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in the showdown to defeat Rahm Emanuel, then he's got only couple weeks to gather a max of 40,000 or so signatures. (The last day a candidate can file is Nov. 24.) That would be a major challenge, even for a veteran Democratic Party leader and life-long Chicagoan like Quinn.
Quinn, a moderate, would be a lesser-evil option for council members whose politics run down the center and who would rather see the former state CEO at the helm of City Hall rather than progressives like Fioretti and Garcia should Emanuel wind up the loser. The mayor, whose famously brash bedside manner has alienated many Chicagoans amid a first term filled with highs and lows, remains at risk as he seeks a second. His efforts include raising lots and lots of money to grow his power—and secure an uncertain future here in Chicago.
Meanwhile, there's also talk that Quinn could make a play for Mark Kirk's U.S. Senate seat in 2016.
Can the guy get a vacation first?
