Today is the first day for circulating nominating petitions to get on the February city election election, and Alderman Scott Waguespack said Monday he would seek signatures to run for four more years as 32nd Ward alderman — not for mayor.
In his freshman term in the City Council, Waguespack has been among the loudest critics of Mayor Richard Daley, sparking speculation that he will challenge Daley in 2011. Waguespack said Monday he has not yet discarded the possibility of running for mayor, but he declined to give the odds that he would try to unseat Daley.
“I am focused on securing this ward aldermanic seat,” Waguespack told the Chicago News Cooperative.
Waguespack said he expects the ward’s Democratic committeeman, John Fritchey, to support a challenger against him next year.
The alderman, who narrowly defeated Daley-backed Ald. Ted Matlak in the 2007 election, had less than $20,000 in his campaign account at the end of June, according to documents filed with state officials.
Regardless of whether he runs for mayor, Waguespack said, he plans to continue to criticize Daley and try to encourage his council colleagues to be more vocal than they have been. Waguespack was one of the few dissenters when the council voted 40-5 to approve the privatization of the city’s parking system in 2008.
The deadline for filing nominating signature petitions for the city election is Nov. 22.
In office since 1989, Daley has not yet said whether he will seek another term next year. But his brother William Daley told the CNC in April that he expects the mayor to run again.
What a surprise. The guy lets our ward go to crap but he wants to run for Mayor? Typical politician. The biggest joke was the media actually listening to him.
I live in the 32nd Ward and it hasn’t “gone to crap.”
Of course, if you want to talk about going to crap, consider the city’s $655-million deficit.
For those of you who went to public school, let me simplify that for you:
Each day, Mayor Daley’s city spends about $2,000,000 more than it takes in. Yes, every day.
What does he spend it on? Oh, you’re a troublemaker if you ask questions like that!