EXTRA: Daley concedes; a fem win

William Daley conceded defeat late Tuesday, resulting in an apparent victory by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and one-time federal prosecutor and Chicago Police Board member Lori Lightfoot as the top two vote-getters for a mayoral run-off election to be held April 2.

THOMPSON: The Daley family winner

Some already are getting excited at the very thought that Chicago will have its first black woman as mayor -- regardless of who wins the run-off.

IT WILL BE interesting to see which of the two can prevail in a head-to-head political brawl.

Could it be Preckwinkle, who will get many of the people who were more establishment-minded and aren't anxious to see a grand shake-up of government by someone who doesn't really have any experience.

Or could it be Lightfoot, who will get the support of those people who think a grand shake-up of government is exactly what is needed.

I do have to admit one thing; it is good to see that all those dire predictions of not knowing the outcome for many days, if not weeks, failed to come true. Now we can move forward with an election process that will become a lot less confusing -- now that it's just mano a mano.

ALTHOUGH I'M SURE there are those who are saddened at the thought we're not getting another "Mayor Daley." Maybe they'll be remembering the fact that Richard M. himself lost his mayoral bid in 1983; but came back to win six years later (and we couldn't get him out of office for nearly a quarter of a century afterwards).

Either that, or maybe they'll take their pleasure from the political victory of William Daley's nephew, Patrick Daley Thompson, who continues to serve as the Bridgeport neighborhood's alderman.

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