Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announces campaign for Chicago mayor
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias officially announced his campaign for mayor of Chicago on Sunday.
In a news release, Giannoulias' team said his campaign would be "centered on restoring confidence and competence in City Hall, making government work, and bringing together a city ready to move forward."
"The hardworking people of Chicago deserve a government that works just as hard as they do," Giannoulias said in a news release. "Chicagoans don't expect perfection. But they do expect leadership that listens, that rolls up its sleeves to work hard, and that loves this city as much as they do. Leadership that has solved problems and will continue to solve problems."
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. 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.
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.
