Donald Haider

1987 Chicago mayoral campaign

In 1987, Haider won the Republican mayoral primary, making him the party's nominee for mayor. Haider had, previous to running for the Republican Party's mayoral nomination, been a Democrat. The fifth overall mayoral candidate to be a resident of Edgewater, Haider would have been the third mayor from Edgewater if he were elected (and the first since Martin H. Kennelly). Ahead of the primary, Haider was endorsed by the city's Republican Party organization on December 4, 1986. After receiving the party's endorsement on December 2, 1985, he formally launched his campaign on December 3. However, Republican leaders initially hoped that the 1986 election of Republican James O'Grady as Cook County sheriff was a sign that a Republican might be able to perform well in the 1987 mayoral election. Part of this was attributed to there being two other white challengers against Harold Washington: Edward Vrdolyak and Thomas Hynes.

In the general election he placed last out of the three candidates in the general election, only garnering 4.3% of the vote.

Consideration of a prospective 1994 county president candidacy There had been hope by county Republicans that Haider might run for president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1994, believing he could perhaps stand a chance of winning the open-seat race for the office. A prospective Haider candidacy had amassed consensus support amongst the leadership in the Cook County Republican Party to be slated (endorsed by the party organization ahead of the primary) for the post. However, Haider declined to seek the office, citing concerns about his ability to secure adequate funds for a campaign in light of the lack of funding his mayoral bid had received, as well as concerns that he might face challenges in being granted a leave of absence from his professorial post at Northwestern in order to campaign. He also cited a personal lack of interest in campaigning for the office as a principal motivating factor in his decision not to run, remarking, "I just didn't have the fire in my belly".

Nonprofit work Haider has been on the boards of the Midtown Educational Foundation, Chicago Catholic Charities, and the U.S. Rugby Foundation.

Awards Martha Derthick 2012 Best Book Award on federalism and intergovernmental relations (for "When Governments Come to Washington") in 2017

Works authored Haider has authored around 50 scholarly articles and in excess of 100 newspaper columns. He has also co-authored a multitude books. Many of his books were co-authored with Philip Kotler and Irving J. Rein.

Select articles

Haider, Donald. (May 9, 1985). "CHICAGO`S POST-DALEY DRIFT". Chicago Tribune

Books

(with Philip Kotler, Irving Reinn) (with Christer Asplund, Philip Kotler, Irving Reinn) (with Michael Allen Hamlin, Philip Kotler, Irving Rein) (with David Gertner, Philip Kotler, Irving Rein)