Chicago’s mayor will run for a sixth term

Mayor Richard M. Daley declared his candidacy for a sixth term Monday, a campaign that, if successful, would position him to beat the mayoral record set by his father.

“I have more to give to keep Chicago moving forward,” Daley, 64, said in his announcement.

“Chicago is a better, stronger place to live, work and raise a family than it was the day we walked in the door. That progress can be seen in neighborhoods from one end of the city to the other, in new parks, new schools, new libraries, new police and fire stations that serve as anchors for their communities.”

Daley’s decision comes amid a continuing federal investigation into City Hall corruption.

He briefly touched on the issue, saying, “I have accepted responsibility for the things that have gone wrong.” He pointed to changes by his administration in city hiring and fundraising.

The campaign announcement was made in the absence of any high-profile reelection challenge.

If he is victorious Feb. 27 and serves a full term, Daley will have had 22 years in office. That would surpass the record of 21 years and seven months set by his mentor and father, the late Richard J. Daley.

The mayor noted the city’s crime-fighting efforts, crediting a drop in the homicide rate and other offenses to the greater use of neighborhood surveillance cameras and an upgraded 911 emergency-dispatch center.

He also praised changes in the education system, citing better test scores and declining dropout rates.