The 2023 Chicago municipal elections could potentially see a large turnover on the City Council, and yet another seat will open up as 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney says that he will not seek reelection.
Tunney, who has represented parts of the Northalsted and Wrigleyville neighborhoods since 2003, has not yet said what his future holds, but he could potentially seek to run for mayor next winter.
According to NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern, Tunney is one of a trio of political leaders weighing a run, along with Ald. Brian Hopkins and former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, and the consensus among the group appears to be that only one should run in the February election.
“They are all taking votes from each other, and they’re all going for the same pool of voters for the most part,” Democratic strategist Delmarie Cobb says.
If Tunney were to run, he would be one of at least four members of the City Council vying for the job. Alds. Sophia King, Raymond Lopez and Roderick Sawyer have all announced their candidacies for the position, and all three began circulating petitions this week.
In all, nine candidates have already jumped into the race, with Mayor Lori Lightfoot facing a crowded field for the second consecutive election cycle.
While polling shows that she could face an uphill climb, she is standing by her record of investment in neglected parts of the city as the campaign season gets underway.
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“Not having the resources and the control of city government left Black and brown Chicago the worst of it,” she says.
Cobb says that Lightfoot has an advantage being an incumbent, especially in such a crowded field.
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“The incumbent is going to be tough to beat, but it’s going to go to a runoff if you have this many people in the race,” she says.
Lightfoot won a battle among 14 candidates to replace former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2019, and she will have her hands full again in 2023. In addition to the members of the City Council that have already jumped into the race, Lightfoot will also have to contend with State Rep. Kam Buckner, activist Ja’Mal Green, entrepreneur Dr. Willie Wilson, police officer Frederick Collins and former Chicago public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, Ald. Anthony Beale, and Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia are also among the candidates who are still weighing a run.
