• Ill. court issues stay; Rahm back on the ballot

    From NBC's John Yang
    The Illinois Supreme Court has just issued a stay of the appeals court's order knocking Rahm Emanuel off the ballot and directing the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to restore his name to the ballot.

    This is a strong indication that the court will accept the case and, perhaps, of which way the justices are leaning.

    *** UPDATE *** NBC's Pete Williams has more:

    Less than 24 hours after an Illinois appeals court bumped Rahm Emanuel off the ballot for Chicago's election for mayor, the state's supreme court put that ruling on hold and ordered the city to include his name on any ballots being printed.

    "The Board of Elections is directed that if any ballots are printed while this Court is considering this case, the ballots should include the name of petitioner Rahm Emanuel as a candidate for Mayor of the City of Chicago," the Supreme Court said in a one-page, unsigned order.

    The court said it acted after receiving legal briefs from Emanuel and from his legal opponents who claimed he was unqualified because he did not meet residency requirements of state law. Today's order left unresolved whether the state's high court would take up the entire case on a speeded-up basis, but the order gave Emanuel the rapid relief he was seeking -- to keep his name on the ballot.

    *** UPDATE TWO***  NBC Chicago's Mary Ann Ahern reports that the court will hear Emanuel's appeal.

  • Court: Rahm not qualified to run for mayor

    Rahm Emanuel (D), a former White House chief of staff

    By Domenico Montanaro, Deputy Political Editor, NBC News

    Rahm Emanuel might not qualify to run for mayor after all.

    NBC Chicago reports:

    Rahm Emanuel's residency fight just took a turn for the worse. The Illinois Appellate Court ruled 2-1 to overturn a Chicago Board of Elections decision to allow Rahm Emanuel on the mayoral ballot. Rahm's Attorney Kevin Forde says "its a surprise."

    *** UPDATE *** Here's the court's opinion.

  • Mayor Rahm?

    "Rahm Emanuel formally kicked off his campaign for Chicago mayor today by saying he's got the right combination of background, vision and grit to lead the city during tough times," The Chicago Tribune writes. "'The choices we make in the next few years will define Chicago’s future for generations. They will determine whether we remain a world-class city – or fall back,' Emanuel told about 250 supporters gathered at John C. Coonley School on the North Side. 'The question in this election is who has the experience, imagination and strength to see a better future for Chicago? And who has the determination to see that vision through the end?'"

    Here's Rahm's first TV ad (and it's not very hopeful): "I think we're at a crossroads. We've got to decide whether we're going to continue to be a great city or become a second-tier city. I think it's time to make that choice and make the hard decisions that are necessary."

  • Giannoulias not running for Chicago mayor

    From NBC's Sarah Blackwill
    Alexi Giannoulias (D-IL) will not be running for mayor of Chicago, potentially setting up a fight between Giannoulias and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

    "To put all rumors to rest, before they get out of hand, Alexi is not running for Mayor," said Kathleen Strand, Giannoulias' campaign spokeswoman. "He didn't get into public service to just run for office. He believes in public service, and his plans are to faithfully serve out the remainder of his term as Treasurer and then pursue other opportunities. Alexi loves this City and will provide whatever assistance he can now or in the future to Mayor Daley, the City Council and the next Mayor."

    Giannoulias lost a bid for Barack Obama's former Senate seat narrowly to Republican Rep. Mark Kirk.

  • Rahm may have easier path than once thought

    A top Democrat is backing out of the Chicago Mayor's race. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced he won't run for mayor. He's the latest in a number of high-profile Democrats who have backed out of the race in recent weeks, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Rep. Carlos Gutierrez.

    NBC Chicago's Edward McClelland writes: "That leaves Rahm Emanuel as the biggest name in the race, and the now even-money favorite to become the next mayor. Emanuel was always a lock to make the runoff, but now he’s got a chance to win on Feb. 28. If he doesn’t, he may end up facing Carol Moseley Braun or James Meeks, the finalists in the black community’s search for a consensus candidate. Either of them will have far more difficulty appealing to the “Anyone But Rahm” crowd than Tom Dart. Emanuel, who just looked like Evil when he entered the race, may end up becoming The Lesser of Two Evils."

    The Chicago Tribune's Zorn: "This news -- Sheriff Tom Dart won't run for Chicago mayor -- vastly increases the odds that Rahm Emanuel, with his huge campaign warchest, will not only win the February 22 mayoral "primary," but make it probable that he'll take more than 50 percent of the vote, eliminating the need for a run-off election on April 5."

    Lynn Sweet quips in this headline: "Dart out: All of a sudden, Rahm Emanuel has a public schedule."