Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announces campaign for Chicago mayor

After a lot of speculation, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced Sunday that he is running for Chicago mayor.

Right now, Giannoulias leads in campaign money, has high name recognition, and is supported by trade unions — which is why he held his campaign announcement at the IBEW Local 134 Union Hall in Bronzeville.

Giannoulias walked out to a room full of cheers — mostly from union workers, but also from elected officials and supporters.

He is the son of immigrants, the father of four young daughters, and a friend of former President Barack Obama.

In announcing his candidacy before a cheering crowd on Sunday, Giannoulias invoked an image of Chicago as a city where hard work and sacrifice pay off. 

"I believe something with every ounce of my being — Chicago's greatest days are still ahead of us," Giannoulias said. "This city has never been defined by its challenges. It has always been defined by the people who turn challenges into opportunity. It's defined by the strength, resilience, proud, strong, husky, brawn spirits of its people and our neighborhoods."

Giannoulias noted that his own parents were Greek immigrants who came to Chicago chasing nothing more than the American dream.

"My mom worked at Sears. My dad sold pickles seven days a week — mornings, nights, weekends — doing whatever it took to build a better future for their future family," he said. "You see, they weren't chasing wealth. They were chasing possibility."

Giannoulias said his family of origin, like so many others in Chicago, wanted their children to dream bigger.

"That story isn't unique. It's the story of Chicago. It's the story of parents working double and triple shifts; teachers staying after school to help kids who need just a little extra help; union members heading out before sunrise exhausted, but dong it day after day for the families they love; small business unlocking their doors every single morning with hope. It's the story generations believing that if you work hard, play by the rules and look out for your neighbors, tomorrow can be better than today," he said. "That belief built Chicago, and it's that belief that will build our future."

Unfortunately, Giannoulias said, many Chicagoans are finding that their hard work and sacrifice are no longer paying off.

"Housing costs continue to rise. Property taxes are straining family budgets. Parents can't afford child care. Families are worried about our streets being safe. Young people wonder whether they'll ever be able to buy their first home. Working families stretch every paycheck just to keep up," Giannoulias said. "But these aren't statistics. They're the real, everyday fears and worries of hardworking people who deserve government that works just as hard as they do."

Giannoulias said Chicago needs a municipal government that stands up for people in such situations — leadership that isn't perfect, but works to solve problems, represents all of Chicago, and unites rather than divides.

"When people say that something can't be done, Chicago proves them wrong every single time," he said.

Giannoulias has touted his success as Illinois Secretary of State over the last four years, but said Sunday that he already has plans for if and when he becomes mayor.

"It will take really, really hard work, honest, tough conversations, shared sacrifice, and leaders willing to put people ahead of politics and our own careers," Giannoulias said.

He called for policies such as universal pre-K for Chicago's children, raising the minimum wage, and construction of housing that working Chicagoans can afford.

"Chicago should never become a city reserved only for the wealthy," he said.

Giannoulias is running for reelection as Illinois Secretary of State in November 2026, but also for mayor in February 2027. He can legally run for both offices.

"Running for mayor is like interviewing for a job — a really hard job — and just like anything else, you don't quit the one you're in while you're interviewing for that one," he said Sunday.

One top-of-mind topic is the Chicago police superintendent position. With former police Supt. Larry Snelling having retired, there is talk of moving the nomination for the next CPD leader to after the mayoral election.

CBS News Chicago asked Giannoulias if he supported doing so.

"I don't think it's up to me to tell the mayor who and when to appoint," he said. "In a perfect world, you would wait a few months, but I can't afford to tell them."

Giannoulias did say he wants to get more police officers while also battling hundreds of millions of dollars in overtime.

"There's a smarter way to civilianize a lot of these desk jobs, to get some younger recruits in, to make the process of becoming a policer officer easier," he said.

Giannoulias was elected as Illinois Secretary of State in 2022, succeeding the renowned Jesse White. In his position, Giannoulias oversees the state's driver's licensing facilities and keeps the state's official records.

He also served as Illinois Treasurer for one term from 2007 to 2011. In that role, he served as the state's chief investment officer and chief banking officer, overseeing the state's investment portfolio.

Giannoulias lost his bid for former President Barack Obama's old Senate seat in 2010, falling to Mark Kirk by less than 60,000 votes.

Chicago's next mayoral election is set for Feb. 23, 2027, and eight other candidates already have announced plans to run.

Chicago's current mayor, Brandon Johnson, has yet to announce whether he'll run for a second term. He has noted that he didn't launch his first campaign for mayor until October 2022.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas has also hinted that she might run for mayor, but there has been no word on a campaign announcement.

Candidates began circulating nominating petitions on July 28, and must file them with the Chicago Board of Elections by Oct. 26, 2026.

If no candidate gets a majority of the vote on Feb. 23, the top two finishers in the race will face off in a runoff election on April 6, 2027.