Ald. Mike Rodriguez, a Southwest Side progressive fixture who came up in now-U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia’s 22nd Ward organization, announced Wednesday he will not seek a third term.
“The decision to step down came after a great deal of reflection with my family,” he said in a Wednesday morning release. “My daughter is starting high school, and I have only four years left with her at home. My son is growing up fast and my father is aging and ill. After years serving this community, I want to be present for my family the way they have always been present for me.”
It marks a loss for both the City Council’s progressive caucus and Mayor Brandon Johnson, with whom Rodriguez has been consistently aligned.
Rodriguez was behind pushes to close loopholes in the city’s sanctuary ordinance, provide further protections to ride-share drivers, and worked with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot to pass the “Fair Workweek” ordinance requiring many Chicago businesses to give two weeks’ notice of low-wage workers’ schedules.
He was also alderman during the controversial demolition of the former Crawford coal plant by Hilco, a process that spread toxic dust around Little Village and led to community uproar. Rodriguez later said had he known about the risks he “would have fought tooth and nail to not let (the demolition) happen.”
He started his career in the 22nd Ward office under then-Ald. Rick Muñoz and went on to work at Enlace Chicago, the nonprofit organization founded by Garcia, within Cook County government.
Rodriguez then ran for the Muñoz’s council seat after a 2019 scandal in which Muñoz ultimately admitted misspending funds from the progressive caucus’ fundraising committee and was sentenced to more than a year in prison.
“I’m proud of what we’ve built together: the Fair Workweek ordinance, guaranteed paid days off for Chicago workers, over $100 million in new housing investment in our ward, a new school campus at the former LeClaire Courts site, upgrades to our neighborhood high schools, the One Lawndale Recreation Center, and long-overdue improvements at Piotrowski Park, where I grew up playing ball,” Rodriguez said in the release.
Rodriguez told the Tribune his move has nothing to do with the headwinds facing Johnson and City Council progressives as legislation stalls at City Hall amid entrenched infighting in the City Council.
He plans to continue serving as alderman through the end of this term and maintain his roles with the 22nd Ward Independent Political Organization, and as ward and state Democratic central committeeperson. Asked if he planned to run for another office, Rodriguez signaled no intentions.
“Never say never, I’ll just leave it at that … but I’m very committed to being present for my children,” he said. “I’ve been knocking on doors for 26 years, no one has knocked on more doors than me … And I imagine I’m going to continue to do that.”
It’s not yet clear who Rodriguez might back to replace him. His decision to step down with plenty of time before municipal election campaign season gets in full swing is a departure from Garcia’s controversial congressional exit, which left little time for newcomers to gather petitions and make it on the ballot.
While he carefully avoided making an endorsement, however, Rodriguez singled out 10th police district council member Elianne Bahena as a potential successor, adding that he hopes she runs.
“If she does, I’ll be behind her,” he said.
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Bahena was one of two of his staffers who were taken and later released by federal immigration agents during President Donald Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz immigration crackdown.
Rodriguez recalled Wednesday the staffers being “abducted,” “taken to a black site” and later released, one terrifying moment among many as the crackdown rocked the Latino neighborhood.
“I was standing face to face with the devil, and his name was (Border Patrol Cmdr.) Greg Bovino,” said Rodriguez, who was among the most vocal City Council opponents of Trump’s efforts.
The immigration crackdown has left trauma in the community, but the neighborhood is recovering, Rodriguez said. Its 26th Street shopping corridor is “thriving,” he added.
“Donald Trump’s interests are to starve us and to starve out our economy. We will not be intimidated,” he said. “We will stay resilient, and we will continue to fight for our brothers and sisters and our neighbors.”