President Obama’s former White House chief of staff Bill Daley confirmed on Tuesday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for governor of Illinois in 2014.
He launched his campaign with a video announcement citing the “lack of leadership” and crippling “dysfunction” in the state government under Governor Pat Quinn’s management. Reuters reports that Daley will challenge Quinn, whose polling numbers have been improving since he was labeled the “most unpopular governor” in 2012, for the party’s nomination next year. Four Republican candidates have thrown their hat into the race as well.
Daley is the son and brother of former Chicago mayors. He served as Obama’s chief of staff from 2011 until 2012. Prior to that he was secretary of commerce during Clinton’s second term, and was made chairman of JP Morgan Chase’s Midwest operations in 2004.
The gubernatorial hopeful resigned as chief of staff in January 2012 after failing to foster smoother relations between Congress, the White House, and Wall Street during the 2011 debates over financial reforms. The current mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, is also a former Obama administration chief of staff.