Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas has officially thrown his hat into the ring in Chicago’s coming mayoral election.
Cardenas, who is on the ballot for reelection to the Board of Review, formerly served on the Chicago City Council for more than 20 years, but now he’s aiming for the top job at City Hall.
He says that his experiences growing up in the area have shown him the difficulties families are facing, and the anxieties that they have to deal with when it comes to finances, safety and more.
“I know what Chicago families are going through. I mean it,” he said. “The challenges that I faced long ago are still here today. Our family knows what it was like to worry about rent, and what it meant to stretch every dollar, and what it means to work hard and still be a paycheck away from disaster. That is my Chicago story, and to the people of Chicago, I give you that steadfastness, resiliency, not giving up, and having a vision.”
Cardenas says his experiences with the Board of Review have shown the city of Chicago is dealing with a “management problem” with its finances and its priorities, and that he pledges to both enact serious reforms while also minding the purse strings of the city in the process.
“The city is carrying billions in uncollected debt while taxpayers are being asked for more and more. Some say it’s always been this way. I disagree. My work tells me it is a management problem,” he said. “It is a governance problem, a competence problem, because when city government is disorganized, families pay the prices, and when fiscal controls are weak, neighborhoods will suffer, and when oversight is missing, trust collapses, and when people do not feel safe, they leave.”
The commissioner is now joining a slowly growing field of candidates seeking the top job at City Hall, a list that includes Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who previously ran for mayor in 2019 and who is potentially the biggest name in the field so far.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Rep. Mike Quigley have also announced their intentions to run for office, though both are seeking reelection to their current positions in the 2026 general election. That would leave a short turnaround for the candidates, with Chicago’s election set for late February.
Businessmen Joe Holberg and Liam Stanton are also running in the increasingly crowded field.
One candidate who has not officially announced his plans is Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has hinted at a potential run but hasn’t officially declared he’ll seek a second term.
Multiple members of the Chicago City Council have also been linked to potential runs, including Alds. Bill Conway and Andre Vasquez.
Perhaps the biggest contender who hasn’t declared his intentions is Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who has a massive campaign war chest and serious name recognition in a potential race. He is currently running for reelection at the statewide level, but could pivot to a mayoral campaign following the November election.
Cardenas says he is eager to strike a balance between idealism and realism in his campaign, and looks forward to showcasing his vision for voters.
“Chicago does not need magical thinking. It needs serious management. We can be compassionate but competent. We can be pro-worker and fiscally honest. We can invest in neighborhoods, but demand measurable outcomes,” he said.
Hence then, the article about george cardenas the latest candidate to launch chicago mayoral bid was published today ( ) and is available on NBC Chicago ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( George Cardenas the latest candidate to launch Chicago mayoral bid )
Also on site :
- World Cup could deliver £7.6bn boost to UK economy – but ‘sickies’ may cost billions in lost productivity
- Trump says ‘hell will rain down’ if Iran gets nuclear weapons
- Australia warns El Nino weather pattern set to be strongest in decades