Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley Won't Seek Re-Election

Chicago - Mayor Richard M. Daley said Tuesday he won’t seek a new term as Chicago's chief executive in 2011.

The mayor made the announcement in a surprise press conference at City Hall.

’Public officials must understand when it’s time to move on. For me that time is now... it just feels right,’ Daley said. ’I’ve been thinking about this for the last several months, and increasingly in the last several weeks, it just feels right.’

The mayor is set to become the longest-serving mayor in Chicago history in December, eclipsing the record set by his father, Richard J. Daley, if he finishes his term.

Richard M. Daley was first elected April 1, 1989. He’s been re-elected five times, most recently in 2007.

First Lady Maggie Daley has been battling bone cancer, undergoing surgery this spring to remove a tumor.  She appeared at the press conference with the mayor, along with their adult children Patrick, Elizabeth and Nora. The Mayor also referenced his son Kevin, who was killed by spina bifida when he was little, but, as the mayor said, "is always in our hearts."

The Mayor made his decision with his immediate family over Labor Day weekend at their summer house in Grand Beach, Mich. When they came back, the Mayor decided not to delay. Mayoral press secretary Jackie Heard wrote the first draft, and Daley political advisor Dana Herring worked on the second draft.

The Mayor and Mrs. Daley then worked together on the final version.

Later on Tuesday, Mayor Daley tweeted: "To all the Chicagoans who have worked with me to confront our challenges, improve people's lives and make this city stronger, I thank you."

• Potential Chicago Mayor Candidates
• Text of Mayor Daley's Speech

Other politicians said that Daley's impact was incalculable and his political acumen will be missed.

"No mayor in America has loved a city more or served a community with greater passion than Rich Daley," said President Obama. "He helped build Chicago’s image as a world class city, and leaves a legacy of progress that will be appreciated for generations to come."

"I commend the Mayor on his long service and respect this very personal decision," said Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. "His record is one of remarkable accomplishments. One only has to look around the city center to know he was a major force in keeping this city and the region vibrant, alive and on the national stage.

"For 10 years, I worked with Mayor Daley to expand O'Hare, defend Lake Michigan and improve the quality of life for Chicago-area families," said Republican Senate candidate and current Rep. Mark Kirk. "My thoughts are with him and Maggie in what must have been a deeply personal decision."

Sen. Richard Durbin said that Mr. and Mrs. Daley had given their "hearts and souls" to Chicago.

Rev. Jesse Jackson said that Daley had built coalitions but had focused too much on downtown development, to the detriment of neighborhoods. He looked ahead to the challenges facing the next mayor.

"They now have the unfortunate responsibility of distributing layoffs and cutbacks," Rev. Jackson said. "Over the past 20 years, urban cities around the country have seen the steady reduction of jobs, services, public housing, public education and public transportation."

Rev. Jackson's son, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., who had been mentioned as a possible mayoral candidate until his name was dragged through the muck of the Blagojevich trial, took today's announcement as an opportunity to thank the mayor and throw a couple political stones.

"Mayor Daley loves Chicago and clearly loved being mayor. He built or rebuilt many iconic structures and turned Chicago into an international center for business and tourism," said Rep. Jackson. "But he also leaves the city in extremely poor fiscal shape."   

Former Governor and convicted felon Rod Blagojevich also released a statement.

"In some respects it’s hard to imagine Chicago without a Daley as its mayor. Like his father before him, Richard M. Daley has been the mayor of Chicago for a long time and the only mayor that a lot of people have ever known," Blagojevich said. "His years as mayor are filled with many significant achievements for Chicago: the city that he served so long and the city he loved so much."

Mayor Daley Won't Seek Re-Election | Originally Reported by: myFOXchicago.com