Looking toward 2026 & 2027

 Next year we have another election. There is an open seat for Dick Durbin's US Senate spot in this state and what's is Gov. Pritzker going to do as far as a third term.

Rahm Emanuel has been making his rounds lately question is will he run for that open Senate seat next year, does he want to run for Governor next year, does he want to be back in Chicago's mayoral office in 2027, or does he want to run for President in 2028?

And this recent column from CapFax's Rich Miller discussing some possibilities for 2026 and the mayoral race in 2027.

Will Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias choose to run for re-election as Sec. of State next year and/or is he going for the mayor's office in 2027.

Susana Mendosa - our current state comptroller. She already ran for mayor in 2019 and lost and this column makes sure to note she was elected state comptroller in 2018, ran for may in 2019 and that didn't quite work out for her. And just think she was campaigning for office and then had to turn around and do it again so soon.

If Pritzker runs for Governor again he needs a new Lt. Gov and he fell in behind her. Juliana Stratton wants to succeed incumbet Dick Durbin in the US Senate. Who might Gov. Pritzker choose as his running if he runs again in 2026.

And of course with possible other retirements such as Congressman Danny Davis or Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky retired and closer still 2nd District Congresswoman Robin Kelly seeking Durbin's senate seat. For those running for office next year there are opportunities abound.

However, with  Mayor Brandon Johnson unpopularity right now the main question is who else may want to take City Hall's 5th floor in 2027? Anyone know any other names other than what's on Wikipedia?

Chicago Tribune: Downtown alderman considering Cook County Board run against Preckwinkle

 Just remember 2026 is next year. We will be voting for a new US Senator (Dick Durbin who's represented Illinois in the US Senate since 1997 is retiring), for Governor for sure (Gov. Pritzker was in New Hampshire recently an important primary state and he may want to run for President), and now maybe a contest for Cook County Board President.

42nd Ward Ald. Brendan Reilly is considering running against longtime County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Though in her case she's probably the one of a handful of Chicago-area politicians engaged with the reorganization of public transportation.

Tribune:

Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly said Wednesday he is exploring a challenge to Toni Preckwinkle in the 2026 Democratic primary for Cook County Board president.

Reilly, 42nd, told the Tribune he would make a final decision in the coming weeks, but claimed he’d been approached to take on Preckwinkle — who is so far unchallenged for her fifth term — in recent weeks. He made similar overtures for a congressional run against Democratic Rep. Danny Davis in 2015 and has also explored mayoral runs in past cycles but has stayed put in City Hall.

One of the City Council’s moderates, Reilly has represented downtown for nearly two decades. An ally to the business community, he has been one of the best fundraisers on the council and has run uncontested for the seat since defeating longtime Ald. Burt Natarus in 2007. He closed the last fundraising quarter with more than $700,000 in the bank.

Preckwinkle ended the same quarter with a little over half of that, $365,000, in her main campaign committee.

But Preckwinkle also chairs the Cook County Democratic Party, which gives her additional political power and fundraising heft.

You think it's time for a change at the county? Perhaps time for a younger person to step up to the plate?