Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is joining the 2027 race for mayor of Chicago, but she doesn’t want to talk about it until after she is safely re-elected to an eighth term in the job she has held since 1998.

Pappas, 76, a baton-twirling grandmother known for her flamboyant wardrobe and sharp wit, has flirted with running for mayor for decades, but has yet to pull the trigger on a mayoral campaign.

This time, Pappas says she’s in it for real whether or not embattled Mayor Brandon Johnson seeks re-election, or how crowded the field of challengers becomes.

“I’m in this treasurer’s race and I’ve got to finish it up. But I said six months ago… that at the appropriate time, I’m going to announce. I said that. Everybody knows that. I’ve been repeating this over and over. And I’m not gonna g

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