After 24 years as a city council member and three runs for mayor, Chuck Grayeb has conceded defeat in the 2025 primary election for Peoria’s mayor.
“I just think that's the correct thing to do. As the ballots that were remaining came in, it was apparent to me that we would probably not be in second position,” Grayeb said in an interview with WCBU. “So I felt it was a good idea to set a good example and congratulate my opponents.”
In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, the Second District representative called it “almost impossible” for him to finish ahead of fellow council member and mayoral candidate John Kelly.
“I want to get this out of the way now and congratulate both Rita Ali and John Kelly for their primary victories,” wrote Grayeb. “This statement in no way precludes a different result if there is an unlikely drop of lots of ballots where we would be favored.”
The incumbent Ali took the majority of votes in the unofficial primary votes on election night, with 51.7%. Kelly received 24.7% and Grayeb 23.7%, with just over 100 votes separating second and third.
Since then, a single update on provisional and mail-in ballots received by the Peoria County Election Commission shows Kelly’s lead over Grayeb shrinking by tenths of a percentage, as Ali’s lead continues to grow by around 1%. The final election results will be certified March 12.
Grayeb told WCBU he doesn't have any regrets with the running of his mayoral campaign.
"I was not going to get involved in highly partisanized discussions. I mentioned the color purple for a reason," he said. "We're not sent to City Hall to get involved in extreme party politics. That's the benefit of having a council manager government where we run non-partisan."
Grayeb says he believes partisan politics hamper the function of the council. He argues almost half of the primary vote going to himself and Kelly means voters want a change in direction.
"I have witnessed way too much push and pull in extreme different directions, and that's really to be avoided by the people on the council who are non-partisan," said Grayeb. "We also should have order in the council chamber and when respect is not shown, civility is not shown by people there who think it's an oratorical society. It's the job of the mayor to bring that gavel down hard and clear the chamber."
Grayeb, who drew criticism for comments during the city council's consideration of a ban on homeless encampments for saying unhoused individuals were "living like animals," said he doesn't believe his stance cost him in the election.
"These are people who twist what one says, and they do that because they're demagogues," Grayeb said of those critics. "They know darn well that everybody on the city council is dramatically and deeply concerned about the unhoused. We have those on both sides of the aisle; we have the far left and we have the far right, and I try to stay away from both because usually they don't know how to solve any problem at all.
"But I continue to believe, and I said this during the first debate, that we're not handling the [homeless] problem well in Peoria. I think we need to go to Rockford and take a look at how they're handling it, because I don't have a lot of confidence in our providers here."
In his social media post, Grayeb asked his supporters to remove their yard signs promoting his campaign.
“I cannot possibly convey the depth of my appreciation to the people of Peoria for the opportunity to serve for 24 years as your councilman,” he wrote.
Grayeb thinks his tenure is characterized by support for legacy neighborhoods and expanding the city's tax base.
"I think my commitment to core basic services has been second to none, public safety and infrastructure," he said. "And I feel good about the perspective I brought to the council chambers, understanding education and kids and what we needed to do to look out for their interest, for the good of the city."
Grayeb’s mayoral candidacy leaves the District 2 council seat, covering most of the West and Center Bluffs and a swath of Central Peoria, open for the first time in more than a decade. Candidates Alex Carmona and Estrella Diaz advanced to compete for the spot in the general election on April 1.
Grayeb hinted at a retirement from public service, but said he "hadn't given any thought" to his political future.
"I like the idea of being able to relax a little bit more," he said.
