Axelrod: Emanuel working through family considerations before deciding on Chicago mayor race

Family factor as Emanuel mulls Chicago mayor run

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s top political adviser says White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is really drawn to the idea of running for Chicago mayor.

David Axelrod says family considerations are a big factor, and he says Emanuel is working through those issues.

So what’s Axelrod’s bet that Emanuel will go for it? “I never bet on national television,” Axelrod tells ABC’s “This Week.

Obama has said Emanuel would be “a terrific mayor,” though he thought Emanuel would wait until after the Nov. 2 elections before deciding. Election rules give candidates until Nov. 22 to file petitions to run.

Axelrod says Emanuel has always believed that being mayor “was the greatest job there is.”

Longtime Mayor Richard Daley isn’t running again.