CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he won't seek a third term in 2019. Emanuel issued a statement Tuesday saying being mayor "has been the job of a lifetime but it's not a job for a lifetime." Emanuel had already raised more than $10 million for another run for a four-year term, The Chicago Tribune reports.

Emanuel, 58, was a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to former President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011. He followed Richard M. Daley, who was mayor for more than 20 years. His won a second term in a 2015 runoff.

In a statement, Mr. Obama called Emanuel a "tireless and brilliant" public servant. "With record job growth and record employment over his terms in office, Chicago is better and stronger for his leadership, and I was a better President for his wise counsel at a particularly perilous time for our country."

Emanuel's surprise announcement comes the day before the start of one of the biggest police-shooting trials in the history of Chicago — the murder trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke. The release of a dashcam video two years ago of the white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014 drew the sharpest criticism of Emanuel in his two terms as mayor.

Many questioned whether his office delayed releasing the video to lessen political damage on Emanuel. The trial is expected to bring added scrutiny of how the city, and Emanuel, dealt with the case.</s>Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he won't seek a third term in 2019.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he won't seek a third term in 2019.</s>CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he won’t seek a third term in 2019.</s>CHICAGO– Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday that he won’t seek a third term in 2019.

Emanuel said in a statement released by his office that being mayor “has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime.” The Chicago Tribune says he had already raised more than $10 million for another run for a four-year term.

Emanuel, 58, was a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011. He followed Richard M. Daley, who was mayor for more than 20 years. His won a second term in a 2015 runoff.

His surprise announcement comes the day before the start of one of the biggest police-shooting trials in the history of Chicago — the murder trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke. The release of a dashcam video two years ago of the white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014 drew the sharpest criticism of Emanuel in his two terms as mayor.

Many questioned whether his office delayed releasing the video to lessen political damage on Emanuel. The trial is expected to bring added scrutiny of how the city, and Emanuel, dealt with the case.</s>(AP) – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he won’t seek a third term in 2019.

Emanuel said Tuesday that being mayor “has been the job of a lifetime but it’s not a job for a lifetime.” The Chicago Tribune says he had already raised more than $10 million for another run for a four-year term.

Emanuel was a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011. He followed Richard M. Daley, who was mayor for more than 20 years.

The post Chicago Mayor Will Not Seek Third Term appeared first on 1470 WMBD.</s>Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday he will not run for re-election, making the bombshell announcement that he will not seek a third term during a last-minute press conference.

"This has been the job of a lifetime but it is not a job for a lifetime," Emanuel said.

The mayor said he and his wife Amy, who joined him at the podium for the stunning announcement, decided to "write another chapter together" as their three children have left for college.

"[Amy] and I look forward to writing the next chapter in our journey together," an emotional Emanuel said. "I will always be here for the future of this great city. Not as mayor, but in the most important role anyone can play - as a citizen."

His decision comes as the upcoming mayoral race began to take shape, with potential candidates already throwing their hats into the ring, including former Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, who was fired by Emanuel in the wake of the release of dashcam video showing the fatal police-involved shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The mayor’s announcement took place one day before the start of the trial for Officer Jason Van Dyke, who has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder in the 2014 shooting.

The Emanuel administration was compelled by a court order to release the dashcam video, which showed the white officer shooting the black teen 16 times as he appeared to walk away, more than a year after the shooting and only a few months after the mayor won re-election. His office came under scrutiny and some questioned whether politics played a role in the timing of the release. It also sparked a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the Chicago Police Department's handling of the case.

Before becoming mayor in 2011, the 58-year-old Emanuel was a Democratic congressman and White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama. He won a historic runoff against Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in his 2015 re-election campaign.

As mayor, Emanuel won some praise for his efforts to upgrade schools, including by adopting a longer school day. He also attracted companies to the city and took measures to ease crisis surrounding the worst-funded pension system of any major U.S. city.

But he was also accused of plowing ahead on policy changes without consulting others. He often reveled in his tough-guy reputation.

And while he's stayed quiet on his future plans, Emanuel - a prolific fundraiser - had been steadily adding to his war chest, with more than $7.5 million in his political committee as of the most recent reporting period ending on June 30.

Numerous political leaders thanked Emanuel for his "service to our city" in wake of the announcement.

"As a mayor, a congressman, and my first White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel has been a tireless and brilliant public servant," Obama said in a statement following the news.

"I’ve been blessed to call Rahm my friend," Obama's statement read. "Whatever he chooses to do next, I know he’ll continue to make a positive difference, just as he has throughout his career in public service. And Michelle and I wish Rahm and Amy all the best as they consider this next phase in their lives."

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you, God bless you and God bless the people of Chicago," Emanuel said as he ended his announcement.

Check back for more on this developing story.</s>CHICAGO (AP) — In a surprise announcement, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that he would abandon his effort to seek a third term next year and gave no reason for his sudden change of heart.

The 58-year-old former White House chief of staff said only that he and his wife “look forward to writing that next chapter in our journey together.”

“This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime,” Emanuel said in remarks released by his office.

The Chicago Tribune said Emanuel he had already raised more than $10 million for another run for a four-year term.

Emanuel was a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011. He followed Richard M. Daley, who was mayor for more than 20 years. His won a second term in a 2015 runoff.

His announcement comes the day before the start of one of the biggest police-shooting trials in Chicago history — the murder trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke. The release of a dashcam video almost three years ago of the white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014 drew the sharpest criticism of Emanuel in his two terms as mayor.

Many questioned whether his office delayed releasing the video to lessen political damage on Emanuel. The trial is expected to bring added scrutiny of how the city, and Emanuel, dealt with the case.

Emanuel grew up in the ritzy Chicago suburb of Wilmette, the son of an Israeli physician who moved to the United States. His start in politics came after college, when he worked for Paul Simon’s 1984 Senate campaign and Richard Daley’s run for Chicago mayor in 1989.

Then he went to work for a little-known Arkansas governor who wanted to be president.

Emanuel’s fundraising skills helped keep Bill Clinton’s campaign afloat during some rocky times, particularly the scandal over whether he’d slept with Gennifer Flowers.

Clinton made him his political director in the new administration but internal tensions led to his comeuppance a year later at the hands of Hillary Rodham Clinton, when he was demoted to a policy adviser.

Midway through Clinton’s second term, Emanuel left for Chicago to work in investment banking. The firm he joined was soon sold and Emanuel made millions, giving him the financial security to get back into politics.</s>CHICAGO -- In a surprise announcement, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that he would abandon his effort to seek a third term next year but gave no reason for his sudden change of heart.

The 58-year-old former White House chief of staff known for his pugnacious political style said only that he and his wife "look forward to writing that next chapter in our journey together."

"This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime," the mayor said in remarks released by his office.

Emanuel had been running for months and raising money. The Chicago Tribune said he had already amassed more than $10 million to campaign for another four-year term.

His announcement came the day before the start of one of the biggest police-shooting trials in Chicago history -- the trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke. The release almost three years ago of a dashcam video showing the white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014 drew the sharpest criticism of Emanuel in his two terms.

No matter how the trial ends, Emanuel's legacy as mayor will likely be tied to the case.

Many questioned whether his office delayed releasing the video to lessen the political damage. The trial is expected to draw added scrutiny of how the city, and Emanuel, dealt with the case.

A verdict in the officer's favour or a hung jury could prompt another crisis in the city, angering many Chicagoans, inviting large protests and creating a volatile political atmosphere.

Looking back on his time as mayor, Emanuel said his top priorities included rebuilding trust between police and the community. He also cited the improvement of Chicago schools, better financial management of the city and the modernization of transportation infrastructure.

Before becoming mayor in 2011, Emanuel was a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama. He followed Richard M. Daley, who was mayor for more than 20 years. He won a second term in a 2015 runoff.

There are now no front-runners in the race to lead the nation's third-largest city, and Emanuel's departure will almost certainly encourage others to enter it.

As mayor, Emanuel won some praise for his efforts to upgrade schools, including by adopting a longer school day. He also attracted companies to the city and took measures to ease crisis surrounding the worst-funded pension system of any major U.S. city.

But he was also accused of plowing ahead on policy changes without consulting others. He often reveled in his tough-guy reputation.

In his Tuesday statement, Emanuel several times referred to his family, noting that his three kids are now in college. But he stopped short of saying family considerations drove his decision.

"Politicians always say they're leaving office to spend more time with their family," he said. "My kids were smart enough to see that coming and scattered to the two coasts. So as of the other day, we are now empty nesters."

Emanuel grew up in the ritzy Chicago suburb of Wilmette, the son of an Israeli physician who moved to the United States. His start in politics came after college, when he worked for Sen. Paul Simon's 1984 Senate campaign and Richard Daley's run for Chicago mayor in 1989.

Then he went to work for a little-known Arkansas governor who wanted to be president.

Emanuel's fundraising skills helped keep Bill Clinton's campaign afloat during some rocky times, particularly the scandal over whether he'd slept with Gennifer Flowers.

Clinton made him his political director in the new administration but internal tensions led to his comeuppance a year later at the hands of Hillary Rodham Clinton, when he was demoted to a policy adviser.

Midway through Clinton's second term, Emanuel left for Chicago to work in investment banking. The firm he joined was soon sold and Emanuel made millions, giving him the financial security to get back into politics.</s>In a stunning decision, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday morning that he will no longer seek a third term in office, signaling the end to what has been a tumultuous — and at times transformative — eight years in office.

With First Lady Amy Rule by his side, an emotional Emanuel said the time simply had come to write a new chapter in their lives together.

“I’ve decided not to seek re-election,” Emanuel said. “This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime.”

Emanuel’s decision marks a dramatic political reversal, as for the better part of the last year he had said he would run for a third term. The mayor, long a prolific fundraiser, had already reeled in more than $10 million toward a bid for a third term.

Over the holiday weekend, though, whispers began emerge that Emanuel might not embark on a third campaign. The mayor’s closest aides privately dismissed the talk as “bull” and “BS.” Emanuel even told some close friends who called to inquire that the rumors weren’t true. A top aide close to the mayor said he didn’t make the final decision until Monday.

Emanuel weighed the decision as the murder trial of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is scheduled to begin this week, a high-profile case that is sure to bring about fresh scrutiny of his handling of the Laquan McDonald police shooting, in which Van Dyke shot the teen 16 times in October 2014 as he walked down a Southwest Side street holding a small folding knife.

For most of 2015, Emanuel fought in court not to release police video of the shooting, arguing the matter was still under investigation. When a judge ordered Emanuel to release the video in November 2015, then-Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez filed murder charges against Van Dyke on the same day Emanuel made the video public.

The controversy led to a federal civil rights investigation of the police department, accusations of a City Hall cover-up and weeks of street protests that called for Emanuel’s resignation. It also left Emanuel saddled with deep unpopularity among African-American voters, a demographic that he performed strongly with in his previous campaigns for mayor.

The mayor, though, weathered the storm and has overseen widespread changes within the Police Department, from naming a new superintendent to overhauling training and instituting the use of body cameras while equipping all officers with Tasers. Emanuel also is in the midst of negotiations with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan over a consent decree that would place the authority of reforms in the Chicago Police Department with a federal judge.

Police issues aside, Emanuel also had drawn the ire of some voters for record property taxes he instituted to shore up the city’s woefully underfunded police employee pensions and for closing 50 schools in 2013, a move he said was necessary because of significant under enrollment in schools on the city’s South and West Sides. The Emanuel administration’s ongoing struggle to tamp down recent spikes in gun violence — including a recent weekend in which 64 were shot, 12 of them fatally — also drew regular criticisms that he hadn’t done enough to provide more job and economic opportunities on the South and West Sides. The mayor and Chicago Public Schools also have scrambled to respond to a Chicago Tribune investigation this summer that detailed how the district had failed to safeguard children from sexual abuse.

For Emanuel, though, there also have been plenty of accomplishments. The mayor expanded full-day kindergarten citywide and has embarked on a four-year program to make free pre-Kindergarten available across the city while overseeing a steady rise in high school graduation rates.

Emanuel also likely will be viewed as the mayor who put Chicago back on the path to financial stability — dramatically raising taxes and fees to shore up four public employee pension funds that had become grossly underfunded during the tenure of predecessor Richard M. Daley. While work remains on the financial front, City Hall remains on a more stable footing than when Emanuel took office.

The mayor noted his fiscal and educational record Tuesday during his surprise announcement at City Hall. He said the plans he’s put in place eventually will lead to an additional four years in classroom time for Chicago’s students.

“At the end of the day, what matters most in public life is four more years for our children,” a solemn Emanuel said, “not four more years for me.”

The mayor also thanked the thousands of Chicagoans he’s interacted with during his more than seven years in office.

“It will fill my eyes with tears to leave a job I love and already my heart is full with gratitude,” Emanuel said. “We’ve worked together. We’ve celebrated progress together. And we have grieved together.”

Emanuel’s recent rocky years at the city’s helm drew an early — and larger — field of opposition than what has been typical of past Chicago mayor’s races.

Twelve challengers already have announced their candidacies. They include former Police Board president and onetime federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, millionaire businessman Willie Wilson, activist Ja’Mal Green, Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, Chicago principals association President Troy LaRaviere, tech entrepreneur Neal Sales-Griffin, policy consultant Amara Enyia, attorney John Kozlar and pharmaceutical technician and DePaul student Matthew Roney.

Still, none of those challengers is considered to be a political heavyweight with the instant name recognition and deep pocketed donors that Emanuel brought to the table when he left the White House in 2010 as then-President Barack Obama’s chief of staff to run for mayor. Speculation is sure to swirl on who else might enter the race, including former Obama Secretary of Education and former CPS CEO Arne Duncan and former Obama White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett among others.

How much Emanuel will play a role moving forward — and what he’ll do with the several millions of dollars in his campaign fund — remains to be seen.

“I will never forget the honor it has been to serve alongside you, the people of Chicago, every step of the way,” Emanuel said as he ended his news conference Tuesday. “So, from bottom of my heart, thank you and God bless you and God bless the people of Chicago.”

This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.

, out of based on ratings</s>CHICAGO (AP) - Rahm Emanuel's surprise announcement that he won't seek another term as Chicago mayor clears the way for other top Democrats in the nation's third-largest city to enter the race.

Emanuel said Tuesday he was abandoning his plans to win a third term. The 58-year-old offered no reason for withdrawing just months before February's election.

With Emanuel out, there are no clear front-runners.

The twelve candidates declared to date include a former Chicago police superintendent, Garry McCarthy; a former Chicago public schools CEO, Paul Vallas; and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown.

Among the establishment Democrats who political observers say could now consider running are Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and ex-U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley.

Daley is the brother of Richard M. Daley, who Emanuel succeeded as mayor in 2011.

FILE - In this April 7, 2015, file photo, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel celebrates at Plumbers Local 130 Union Hall in Chicago after winning in a runoff election for a second term in office. Emanuel, a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011, announced Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, that he won't seek a third term in 2019. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

FILE - In this May 16, 2011, file photo, Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, left, and his wife, Amy Rule, look out into the crowd during his inaugural ceremony in Chicago. Emanuel, a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011, announced Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, that he won't seek a third term in 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2010, file photo Rahm Emanuel announces his candidacy for mayor of Chicago at the John C. Coonley School in Chicago. Emanuel, a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011, announced Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, that he won't seek a third term in 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2011, file photo, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at his office in Chicago. Emanuel, a Democratic congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama before becoming mayor in 2011, announced Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, that he won't seek a third term in 2019. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announces he will not seek a third term in 2019.