Manuel Flores

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Manuel Flores

b. January 21, 1972

Chicago, 1st Ward Alderman (2003-)
Chicago, 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman (2003-)

The 1st Ward is in the neat Northwest of the city, encompassing West Town, parts of south Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village on the Near West Side, and parts of Logan Square. Official City site and contact information [1].

1 Clout and Influence
2 Employment and Electoral History
3 Education
4 Important Political Events
5 Sources

Clout and Influence

Manuel "Manny" Flores wears the mantle of a reformer, having worked under Harold Washington protege Congressman Luis Gutierrez. In 2003 he beat Ald. Jesse Granato in a race where Granato had the backing of Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Hispanic Democratic Organization and Governor Rod Blagojevich. Granato was part of a local ward organization that included the support of then-32nd Ward Ald. Ted Matlak and was controlled by former-Congressman Dan Rostenkowski. Flores beat Granato by just 56 votes, forcing a runoff election. Flores won the runoff race.

Flores, who openly discusses his aspirations for Congress when (and if) Gutierrez retires, is closely allied with Gutierrez, who until 2008 was also the 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman. Flores is also allied with contemporary Frank Avila, Jr., who was instrumental in getting him on the ballot for Alderman in 2003. Flores lived in DuPage County while he was going to law school, then went to work as a staffer for Gutierrez before taking a job in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. He established his residency in the 1st Ward in late 2001, and Avila successfully challenged the rule on the grounds of lack-of-uniformity.

Flores and Avila, Jr. had a brief public falling out in 2004 when Avila, Jr. ran for a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Flores backed one of his aides, Xochitl Flores (no relation). Both Avila, Jr. and Xochitl Flores placed 4th and 5th in the election where the top three candidates took office.

Employment and Electoral History

Manny Flores attended law school at Georgetown University. After graduation, he lived in Northlake while working as an aide to Congressman Luis Gutierrez. He left the Congressman's office to take a job as a prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's office, and from there he decided to move into Chicago's First Ward to run for Alderman.

Current Chicago City Council Committees:

Economic, Capital and Technology Development
Energy, Environmental Protection and Public Utilities
Historical Landmark Preservation
Committees, Rules and Ethics
Parks and Recreation
License and Consumer Protection
Special Events and Cultural Affairs
Transportation and Public Way

Flores also sits on the Illinois Broadband Deployment Council, and he also serves on two nonprofit boards: the board for Community Health, which provides health care to the poor and uninsured, and the board of C.A.U.S.E.S, which provides psychiatric therapy and treatment to children who have been the victims of domestic abuse and violence.