Scott Waguespack, the 32nd Ward alderman who’s been hammering at Mayor Richard M. Daley for his financial management of the city, told the Chicago News Cooperative this afternoon that “the likelihood has increased” that he will run for mayor since Daley has opted not to.
Waguespack and Second Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti had been pondering separate mayoral bids even before Daley’s announcement that he will step down after his term ends next spring. Earlier this afternoon Fioretti said he too was more inclined to run for mayor with Daley out of the way. Both men have so far been campaigning for re-election as aldermen.
“The likelihood has increased but we’re still staying focused on the aldermanic race for now,” Waguespack said. “I’ll make a decision in the next couple weeks.”
The conventional wisdom is that both men will face a bevy of better-funded opponents with greater name recognition. But Waguespack said he thinks his chances would be “slightly better” if Daley’s name isn’t on the ballot. He said he’s intent on making sure key issues are at the center of the campaign, such as bringing transparency to the city’s tax increment financing program, improving staffing and morale in the police department, improving the schools, and opening up the city’s books to a thorough audit.
“I always believed there was a better way to run the city, and the whole time I’ve been thinking of running for the mayor the same set of issues have applied whether Daley was running or not,” Waguespack said.
Waguespack said there’s a chance he’ll end up backing someone else so he can run for re-election to the council—but only if another candidate is serious about a different style of governing. “You can’t just tweak a few things here and there. The corruption and waste and mismanagement have to stop,” he said. “If someone’s asking for my support for their candidacy, they’re going to have to commit to all these things.”
Waguespack didn’t hesitate when asked what Daley would be remembered for.
“The parking meter deal,” he said. “Every time people swipe their credit card, they’ll think, ‘Daley!’”
There is ZERO chance that this guy risks he taxpayer-funded job to run for Mayor. He’ll say ‘oh I’ll support so and so cuz they’ll fix everything’ and then keep pulling his public paycheck and perks.