Chicago

Former CPS CEO Paul Vallas to Kick off Campaign for Chicago Mayor

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas was slated to kick off his campaign for Chicago mayor on Wednesday.

Vallas planned to make an official announcement of his candidacy during a news conference at 11 a.m. at the University Club of Chicago, his campaign said in a statement. 

The announcement comes exactly one month after Vallas filed to create a the "Paul Vallas for Chicago" political committee to unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois State Board of Elections records show.

The former CPS chief announced his campaign on March 28, saying on Twitter, "I am in it to win." [[480710181, C]]

Vallas headed Chicago schools from 1995 to 2001 and has served as superintendent for multiple other school districts in New Orleans; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Philadelphia.

He also ran for Illinois governor in 2002, losing in the Democratic primary to now-disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Vallas later ran for lieutenant governor with Pat Quinn and lost in 2014.

In February, his youngest son Mark died at a substance abuse facility, and Vallas has not spoken publicly since.

In his official filing, Vallas named his brother Dean Vallas as treasurer of his campaign, and Marilyn Johnson as chair.

Vallas joined seven other candidates looking to take on Emanuel, including former Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, businessman and philanthropist Willie Wilson and former CPS principal Troy LaRaviere.

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