Indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th) chose not to seek reelection to a record 15th term in a ward dramatically redrawn to eliminate his most favorable precincts.
Chicago Democratic Ald. Ed Burke, who's served for more than half a century, will not seek a record 15th term, as a looming federal corruption trial is set to begin next year.
“It appears more likely that he’s not going to run. That he’s moving in the direction of retiring,” said veteran political operative Victor Reyes, who has known the Burkes for years. “Redistricting put him at a significant disadvantage.”
Ald. Edward Burke’s brother hopes he retires. “The last election under these very adverse circumstances, he pulled it off. He walked the streets at, what was he, 76 at the time?” said former state Rep. Dan Burke. “Do the math. Seventy-eight years old. Come on. When is enough enough?”