Only two weeks after Mayor Richard M. Daley declared he would not run for another term after 21 years in office, the first political ad for the coveted position is out. The first contender for the seat is City Clerk Miguel del Valle, a former member of the Illinois State Senate.
Appointed to the seat by Mayor Daley in 2006 due to the former city clerk being indicted on federal charges (big surprise), Del Valle won his seat in an election the following year. Del Valle grew up in the Hispanic-populated areas of Humboldt Park and West Town. If he were to win this election (which he more than likely won’t, as White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been famously interested in the position), it would be a large victory for the Chicago Latino population, who are becoming increasingly active on the city’s political scene.
Facing Del Valle and the other soon to declare candidates of the election is one of the nation’s worst public school systems, a crippling unemployment rate, a public transportation system plagued with cuts due to a huge debt and large portions of the city subjected to horrible violence on a daily basis. At least, in Del Valle’s favor, he seems pretty aware of the problems he has to face. These next couple of months are going to be messy.