Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley announced today that he is forming a committee to explore running for governor in 2014, saying Illinois deserves political leaders who are prepared to fix the state’s unemployment, pensions and education woes.
The committee allows the Chicago Democrat to begin raising money for a challenge to Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn.
If Daley stays in the race, it would be the first run for public office for the son and brother of two of Chicago’s most famous and powerful mayors. He has also served as trusted adviser to two presidents, first as Bill Clinton’s commerce secretary and then as Barack Obama’s chief of staff after Rahm Emanuel left the post to make a successful run to succeed Richard M. Daley as mayor.
The 64-year-old Daley is the latest son of the Richard J. Daley, the legendary iron-fisted mayor of Chicago, to run for office, joining his brothers, Richard and John.
Richard M. Daley served as mayor for 22 years, longer than any other mayor in city history, including his father, before retiring in 2011. John Daley is a longtime member of the county’s board of commissioners.
