Chicago's next citywide election isn't for another 500 or so days, but there's new activity in the race to be the city's next mayor.
Financial services firm founder Joe Holberg formally launched his campaign for Mayor on Thursday. Messages on his campaign website and social media say in part that City Hall needs a fresh perspective from an experienced entrepreneur and not, as he puts it, another political insider.
Holberg founded what's now known as Mariner Financial, and is a former teacher.
In addition, veteran North side Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley has updated his official fundraising committee to support a potential run for Chicago mayor.
On the record, Quigley is still seeking re-election to his 5th District seat in next year's midterms, but he sounded a lot like a mayoral candidate back in August at the City Club of Chicago.
"There's a lot of cows in Chicago ... they all think they're sacred," he told the business-oriented audience. "But we gotta begin by telling the truth. A mayor needs to think like an alder, right? What's basic?"
Of course, the list of potential candidates will only grow ... and could include 2019 mayoral candidate Susana Mendoza, who announced in July that she would not seek re-election as state Comptroller next year.
And we expect Mayor Johnson to seek re-election as well.