Mayors for Life

Richard J. Daley

Yesterday, Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago since 1989, announced that he would not seek another term. Back in October of 1946, his father, an Illinois State Senator, was running a race for Cook County Sheriff.

DALEY DEFENDS MULCAHY, BUT VOWS CLEAN-UP; Assails Liquor Sales to Minors in County: Sen. Richard J. Daley, Democratic candidate for sheriff, said yesterday that “disreputable resorts where liquor is sold to minors” are frequently found in unincorporated suburban areas. Daley didn't blame Sheriff Michael F. Mulcahy, who is the Democratic candidate for county treasurer, for this condition. In fact, he told the Evanston League of Women Voters that Mulcahy had made “an enviable and outstanding record.”

“Young criminals are created by bad community conditions,” Daley said. “Boys and girls often go wrong when allowed to frequent disreputable resorts where liquor is sold to minors. As the father of five young children I will recognize my responsibility to remove such plague spots when I am sheriff of Cook county.”

Daley lost that election, and subsequently became the Democratic Ward Committeeman of the 11th Ward. In 1955, he began his first of seven terms as Mayor of Chicago.