Gutierrez: Rahm won't get my endorsement for mayor of Chicago

There’s at least one prominent Illinois Democrat who won't be endorsing Rahm Emanuel for the mayor of Chicago: Rep. Luis Gutierrez.

Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, told Charlie Rose on Monday that if Mayor Richard Daley does not seek re-election in the Windy City, he would like to run. His statement confirmed what many in politics had already believed, and Emanuel acknowledged that his aspiration was "no secret."

In an interview with The Hill last week before Emanuel’s appearance on PBS, Gutierrez said Emanuel "better stay in the White House."

"He’s not to get my endorsement anytime soon. He should stay in the White House, but then he can go make millions in investment banking," Gutierrez said, referencing the Wall Street job Emanuel held between his post in the Clinton White House and his run for Congress in 2002.

Gutierrez, a Latino leader who has represented Chicago in the House since 1992, has criticized Emanuel’s performance as chief of staff and has expressed anger at what he sees as a lackluster push by the Obama administration for comprehensive immigration reform.

The 56-year-old lawmaker has also considered running for mayor himself, but in the interview he insisted he is not going to be leaving Congress any time soon.

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