Downtown Chicago – Four seasoned Illinois office‑holders have added a bid for the city’s top job to their political resumes. After winning reelection on Tuesday, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cárdenas filed the required signatures and paperwork to appear on the Feb. 23 mayoral ballot.
Legal challenges and criticism
The practice of running for two offices simultaneously is legal in Illinois, but it has drawn fire from rival mayoral hopefuls. Attorney William Quinlan filed a lawsuit questioning whether Giannoulias, Quigley and Pappas can legally appear on the ballot for both their current posts and the mayoral race. A Cook County judge dismissed the case last month, but Quinlan renewed his objections on Monday, filing fresh challenges with the Chicago Board of Elections against the three candidates – Cárdenas was not included.
“These public offices aren’t their priorities. They’re their safety nets,” Quinlan said in a statement. “Having just recently filed to run for mayor of Chicago, they’re now asking voters to retain their current jobs as a backup plan in case Chicago says ‘no.’”
Expert and candidate perspectives
Dick Simpson, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Chicago and former alderperson, noted that while running for two offices is not unusual, it tends to benefit the candidates more than voters. “It is a reasonable strategy from an individual point of view. It’s not ideal from the point of view of having many different people in office, and giving the voters clear choices,” he said.
Giannoulias declined to discuss the mayoral race, emphasizing his focus on the Secretary of State election. “I’m focused on winning today’s election. That’s been my focus. It’s a great job, and I hope that I can eke it out tonight,” he told voters at Manny’s Deli in the South Loop.
When pressed about the petition challenges, Giannoulias dismissed them as “parlor games,” adding, “We have a lot of time to play these… It’s a fair question. I’m focused on today.”
Cárdenas, who was reelected to the Board of Review, defended the dual‑run strategy, calling it “a positive” that could bring more competent public servants to the city. “If you attract more competent office holders, the public is better for it,” he said, noting that he faced no challenges to his mayoral filing.
Quigley, representing Chicago’s North Side in Congress since 2009, pointed to historic examples such as former Mayor Harold Washington. He argued that his congressional work overlaps with city issues, especially housing affordability. “You can talk about them and address them from both platforms,” he said.
Pappas, the longtime Cook County Treasurer who ran unopposed for reelection, said she has not formally announced a mayoral campaign, preferring to wait until legal challenges are resolved. “There’s going to be so many daggers going back and forth right now that I think a serious candidate should just sit on the sidelines while everybody’s killing each other,” she warned.
Financial landscape of the race
Giannoulias enters the mayoral contest with a sizable war chest. His campaign finance report shows more than $19 million on hand at the end of September, dwarfing the funds of other contenders. By comparison, outgoing Comptroller Susana Mendoza reported about $1.7 million, lobbyist John Kelly $2.5 million, incumbent Mayor Brandon Johnson $379,000, Quigley $343,000 and Pappas $226,000.
If Giannoulias wins the mayor’s office, Governor J.B. Pritzker would appoint a replacement Secretary of State to serve until the 2028 election, after which the office would return to its regular four‑year cycle.
What’s next?
The Chicago Board of Elections will finalize the mayoral ballot in mid‑December. A runoff is scheduled for April 6 if no candidate secures a majority in the Feb. 23 primary, a likely scenario given the crowded field. Candidates, including incumbent Mayor Brandon Johnson, must still overcome petition challenges before the filing deadline.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
