Manny Flores endorses Gery Chico in Chicago mayor race - Flores says he will not run for mayor but backs Chico

Manny Flores endorses Gery Chico in Chicago mayor race - Flores says he will not run for mayor but backs Chico
By Kristen Mack
Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune
7:57 p.m. CDT, October 11, 2010
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/elections/ct-met-mayor-12-20101011,0,5419874.story


Former Ald. Manny Flores on Monday announced his "difficult decision" to skip a run for mayor and instead support the candidacy of former Chicago School Board President Gery Chico.

Flores, the chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, said his family was chief among the personal reasons he had for not running.

It was a calculated risk for Flores to go with Chico while his former ally, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, is contemplating a bid. Flores once described Gutierrez as his political "mentor." On Monday, Flores said he "looked up to Gery as a role model."

"Gery shares our values and aspirations and is the most qualified to lead," Flores said.

After the news conference, Flores said the mayor's race "should not be about the personalities or one individual." It should be about improving schools and the economy, he said.

Chico welcomed the support of Flores but said his campaign is "not a Latino campaign."

"We have the best message and the most experience and we can do the job from day one," Chico said as he stood in front of Moos Elementary, a school he said he helped renovate during his tenure at the school board.

Later in the day, a number of potential mayoral candidates joined Mayor Richard Daley at the Columbus Day parade downtown, including Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and former top White House aide Rahm Emanuel.

Tribune reporter Ray Long contributed to this report.

kmack@tribune.com