Giannoulias TV ads fuel speculation about Chicago mayoral run
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Photo: Tom Williams/Getty Images
Two new campaign ads tout Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias' accomplishments but never ask Illinoisans to reelect him — fueling speculation about a possible Chicago mayoral run.
The big picture: Chicago's mayoral race is already taking shape, and Giannoulias has long been viewed as one of the strongest potential challengers to Mayor Brandon Johnson.
What they're saying: Asked about the commercials, Giannoulias' campaign told Axios they're intended solely to support his reelection campaign.
What we're hearing: While Giannoulias hasn't announced a mayoral campaign, political observers believe he's running.
- If reelected secretary of state, he could campaign for mayor while keeping his statewide office, giving him a political safety net if he loses.
By the numbers: The secretary of state has nearly $22 million in his campaign fund, according to the most recent campaign finance report released Wednesday.
The other side: Republican challenger Diane Harris, a conservative from Joliet, has little statewide name recognition and nowhere near the incumbent's financial resources.
- Meanwhile, Giannoulias has increasingly found himself sparring with national Republicans, giving him another opportunity to raise his political profile beyond the secretary of state's office.
- Sen. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) claimed on social media that an undocumented immigrant who killed two women in a drunken-driving crash in Urbana had received an Illinois driver's license under Giannoulias. Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and conservative radio host Jeanne Ives echoed the claim.
- Giannoulias took to social media himself to dispute the claim, saying the driver in question never held an Illinois license. "Using a family's tragedy to manufacture a false political narrative is deceitful, reprehensible, and does nothing to improve public safety," he said.
The bottom line: If Giannoulias plans to run for mayor, he'll have to decide soon. Candidates can start circulating petitions next week and must file petition signatures by Oct. 26 for the February 2027 election.