Gutierrez Passes on Mayoral Run

U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez announced he would not be a candidate for mayor of Chicago. Jose More/Chicago News Cooperative

After weeks of again flirting with the idea of running for mayor, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Chicago) said Thursday afternoon he would not be a candidate to replace retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley in the election in February.

“It was a difficult decision,” Gutierrez told students and supporters who gathered at the University of Illinois-Chicago. He said he had called other potential candidates and informed them of his plans.

Gutierrez said he is not running because he has an obligation to immigration reform, referring to the cause as his “vocation.”

Gutierrez, 56, began circulating petitions to get on the mayoral ballot almost immediately after Daley’s Sept. 7 announcement of his retirement plans. His withdrawal leaves City Clerk Miguel del Valle, former Daley chief of staff Gery Chico and the Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus as the only announced Latino candidates*.

Gutierrez said he had seriously considered running but made his decision about 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday night.

“Look, in your life it is not easy to walk away from the possibility and the opportunity of leading this first-class city,” he said. “It is a difficult and painful decision. At the same time, I believe the people of the city of Chicago deserve someone that isn’t going to do it half-hearted, that isn’t going to have half of their interests in the city of Chicago and half of their interests somewhere else.”

Immigrant rights advocates — and other candidates for mayor — quickly issued statements praising Gutierrez for not running for mayor.

“We deeply appreciate his decision and commend him for choosing to stay in the struggle for immigration reform,” said a statement from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Some Latino leaders have blamed likely candidate Rahm Emanuel, who recently stepped down as White House chief of staff to return to Chicago, for the lack of immigration reform in Washington. Gutierrez also has blasted President Barack Obama on the issue.

But in a statement Thursday, Emanuel said, “Luis and I are friends who worked together on important issues for Chicago as colleagues in Congress.”

Emanuel said he spoke on the phone with Gutierrez on Thursday, as did del Valle, who became the first Latino elected to citywide office in 2007.

“Luis said that he has kept a close eye on our campaign and that he likes what he sees,” del Valle said. “He is not committed to anyone at this point, but will talk to me about my candidacy at a later date.”

Gutierrez said he planned to endorse a candidate for mayor, but he said it might not be a Latino.

Days after Daley announced last month that he would not seek another term next year, Gutierrez and his backers distributed “Luis Gutierrez for Mayor” signs and began a nominating petition drive at the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day parade.

Gutierrez also conducted a poll. Although it showed his overall support in the single digits, Gutierrez said he was encouraged because he had most Latino support. The growing community still only makes up about 15 or 20 percent of voters in the city.

Some supporters urged him to run at a private meeting Monday, and some were stunned when he took a pass. Luis Dominguez, a UIC student, gasped when Gutierrez revealed his decision more than 15 minutes into his speech Thursday.

“It’s very disappointing actually, because I would like to see a Latino mayor in Chicago,” Dominguez, 19, said. “I did think he was going to run.”

Gutierrez said his ties to convicted developer Calvin Boender had nothing to do with his decision. Boender was sentenced to 46 months in prison in June for bribing an alderman in an attempt to change the zoning for a major West Side development. Gutierrez, who has denied any wrongdoing, lobbied Daley on behalf of the project after reportedly receiving a $200,000 loan from the developer.

This is not the first time that Gutierrez publicly toyed with the idea of running for mayor only to back down and remain in Congress. Gutierrez mulled challenging Daley in 2007, but ultimately endorsed what would be the mayor’s final re-election bid.

*Correction: The original post did not include Wilfredo De Jesus among the announced Latino mayoral candidates.