CHICAGO, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Three people have emerged as top contenders for Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill, whose last day as a member of Congress was Friday.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley and former Transportation Security Administration official Justin Oberman appear to be leading the field of as many as 18 people who are considering a run for the seat, The Hill reported.
"There's tier one, then there's everybody else," said Eric Adelstein, a Democratic consultant in Chicago.
Emanuel said Monday he would resign his seat effective Friday to become chief of staff to President-elect Barack Obama.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is required to set a special election within 115 days of Emanuel's resignation. Illinois has a primary scheduled for Feb. 24 and a general election on April 7.
Feigenholtz, Quigley and Oberman all have reputations as progressives which could play well with the electorate bothered by Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges last month, Adelstein told the Washington publication.
Emanuel's largely white, blue-collar district is heavily Democratic. In November, Emanuel won with 74 percent of the vote.
