Be assured that I did not become the Mayor of Chicago to preside over its decline.

Byrne sought Washington's support yet shortly before his sudden death in late 1987 the Mayor endorsed Aurelia Pucinski daughter of longtime Alderman Roman Pucinski as part of a bid to reconcile with white machine politicians. Daley's chief rival in that race was Alderman Danny K. Byrne a Marine.

Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2012. Jane Margaret Byrne (born May 24 1934) was the first and to-date only female Mayor of Chicago.