Chicago Mayor and friend of the Gay Games Richard Daley will not run for re-election

From Chicago comes the stunning news that Richard M. Daley, mayor of the city for the past 21 years including during the 2006 Gay Games, will not run for re-election in 2011. While very early in his tenure Mayor Daley's relationship with the LGBT community was problematic, conflicts quickly were set aside and the LGBT community has grown and thrived in a city where the Mayor unabashedly supports its LGBT citizens. Honorary Co-Chair fo the 2006 Gay Games, Mayor Daley was inducted into the city's Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame as an "ally" in 2006.

At the 2006 Gay Games Opening Ceremony at Soldier Field, Daley said: "Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community have contributed to Chicago in every imaginable way - in business, education, the arts and neighborhood development. They deserve to have the City of Chicago standing on their side, and it will continue to do so, as long as I am mayor of this great city." [Read his full remarks here.]

Stories about "Da Mayor" and his relationship to the gay & lesbian community are already starting to appear in local media. Early stories at ChicagoPride.com and Windy City Times talk about his essential role in the successful 2006 Gay Games in Chicago with more coverage to come.

Photos from Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Gay Games where Megan Mullally (Karen Walker on TV's "Will & Grace") introduced the Mayor.