Emanuel to formally announce run for Chicago mayor

[November 11, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel plans to make official this weekend what everyone already knows: He's running for mayor of Chicago.

An Emanuel campaign aide confirmed the plans to The Associated Press on Wednesday evening. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because he didn't want to pre-empt Emanuel's announcement planned for Saturday.

Emanuel resigned from the White House last month and has since been gathering signatures, raising funds and campaigning throughout the Chicago area.

He plans to make his announcement at Coonley Elementary School on Chicago's North Side, which is in the same congressional district Emanuel once represented, the aide said.

Candidates who want to run in the February election must submit petitions with more than 12,000 signatures by Nov. 22.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced in September that he wouldn't seek a seventh term.

Since then, a slew of candidates have surfaced as potential successors.

Those that have formally announced their candidacy include are City Clerk Miguel del Valle and former Chicago school board president Gery Chico.

Many others have said they are preparing a run or received backing from interest groups.

Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun has opened a campaign office on the city's South Side, Democratic U.S. Rep. Danny Davis received an endorsement from a coalition of black leaders and supports of State Sen. James Meeks have been circling petitions around the city, including outside Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, where the senator is senior pastor.

[Associated Press; By DEANNA BELLANDI]

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