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Arne Duncan, who served as the secretary of education in the Obama administration, is leaving the door open for running against Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2023.
Duncan, who was once the head of Chicago Public Schools, said he has been urged to run for mayor by business leaders, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I will absolutely look at this as we go forward long-term,” Duncan said. “If I think I can make a bigger difference in another seat, I’ll absolutely look at that.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a science initiative event at the University of Chicago on July 23, 2020. (REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski/File Photo)
“I’m not running for anything right now,” Duncan clarified. “But I am deeply concerned about where we are as a city. Nobody feels like we’re in a good place. … Our city’s in a really tough spot. I’ve lived here all my life. I love this city. As I talk to folks, they’re probably more concerned now than at any time that I can remember.”
Chicago has faced a surge of murders, with 836 homicides in 2021.
Arne Duncan was among the advocates speaking at The Kennedy Forum at the Chicago Hilton and Tower Hotel on Jan. 16, 2018, in Chicago, Ill. (Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Kennedy Forum)
“You just want to build a really strong team to work on these really hard problems together,” Duncan also said. “Have everybody on the same page, being honest and working through these tough issues together. That’s what I’d love to see happen here in the city.”
Former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks prior to former President Barack Obama making remarks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C, in 2014. (Photo by Ron Sachs/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COM)
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“We have to get to a better place,” said Duncan. “We have to do it together. We have to build the kind of teamwork and camaraderie to tackle these hard problems together.”
Fox News’ Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
