Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Rahm Emanuel

Discover the career path of Rahm Emanuel, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Rahm Emanuel is an American politician and diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 2022 to 2025. Prior to this, he represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives (2003-2009), was White House Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama (2009-2010), and served as Mayor of Chicago for two terms (2011-2019). A member of the Democratic Party, his career spans legislative, executive, and municipal government roles.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1984: Worked for Paul Simon's Election

In 1984, Rahm Emanuel worked for Democrat Paul Simon's election to the U.S. Senate.

1988: National Campaign Director

In 1988, Rahm Emanuel served as the national campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

1989: Advisor for Richard M. Daley's Campaign

In 1989, Rahm Emanuel was a senior advisor and chief fund-raiser for Richard M. Daley's successful initial campaign for mayor of Chicago.

1990: Opposition Research for Neil Hartigan's Campaign

In 1990, Rahm Emanuel conducted opposition research for Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan's gubernatorial campaign.

1992: Director of Finance Committee for Bill Clinton's Campaign

In 1992, Rahm Emanuel served as director of the finance committee for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign.

1993: Senior Advisor to Clinton at the White House

From 1993 to 1998, Rahm Emanuel served as a senior advisor to Clinton at the White House.

1993: Joins Clinton Administration

In 1993, Rahm Emanuel joined the Clinton administration, serving as assistant to the president for political affairs and as senior advisor to the president for policy and strategy.

1994: Democratic Party gained control of the chamber

In 2006, Rahm Emanuel as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee oversaw Democratic wins in the U.S. House of Representatives elections, allowing the party to gain control of the chamber for the first time since 1994.

1998: Resigned from position in the administration

After serving as an advisor to Bill Clinton, in 1998 Emanuel resigned from his position in the administration and joined the investment banking firm Wasserstein Perella.

1998: Senior Advisor to Clinton at the White House

From 1993 to 1998, Rahm Emanuel served as a senior advisor to Clinton at the White House.

1998: Joins Wasserstein Perella & Co.

In 1998, Rahm Emanuel began working at the investment bank Wasserstein Perella & Co.

1998: Support for banning rifles

In 1998, Rahm Emanuel strongly supported the banning of numerous rifles based upon "sporting purposes" criteria.

1999: Managing Director at Wasserstein Perella

In 1999, Rahm Emanuel became a managing director at Wasserstein Perella's Chicago office.

2000: Named to Board of Directors of Freddie Mac

In 2000, Rahm Emanuel was named to the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac by President Clinton.

2001: Resigned from the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac

In 2001, Rahm Emanuel resigned from the board of directors of Freddie Mac before his first bid for Congress.

October 2002: Expressed support for the Iraq War

In October 2002, Rahm Emanuel spoke out in support of the Iraq War.

2002: Pursued U.S. House Seat

In 2002, Rahm Emanuel pursued the U.S. House seat in the 5th district of Illinois, winning the primary and general election.

2002: Ran for the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives

In 2002, he ran for the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives vacated by Rod Blagojevich, who resigned to become governor of Illinois.

January 2003: Named to House Financial Services Committee

In January 2003, Rahm Emanuel was named to the House Financial Services Committee and sat on the subcommittee that oversaw Freddie Mac.

December 2003: NRA rating

In December 2003, Rahm Emanuel was rated "F" by the NRA, indicating his strong support for gun control.

2003: Emanuel Represents Illinois in U.S. House of Representatives

In 2003, Rahm Emanuel won the first of three terms representing Illinois's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

April 2006: Emanuel supports Hillary Clinton for President

In April 2006, Emanuel declared his support for Hillary Clinton's potential presidential bid in 2008. He had maintained a close relationship with Clinton since leaving the White House, frequently discussing strategy with her in his role as chairman of the DCCC.

2006: Led Democratic Party's effort to capture the majority in the House of Representatives

In 2006 Emanuel led the Democratic Party's effort to capture the majority in the House of Representatives in the elections, and disagreed with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean over Democratic election strategy.

2006: Publication of "The Plan: Big Ideas for America"

In 2006, Rahm Emanuel co-authored "The Plan: Big Ideas for America" with Bruce Reed, advocating for a three-month compulsory universal service program for Americans aged 18 to 25.

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2006: Congressional Primaries

In 2006, Rahm Emanuel, then head of the Democratic congressional campaign committee, supported Tammy Duckworth against Christine Cegelis in the Illinois' 6th district. Cegelis advocated for expedited withdrawal from Iraq, a position Duckworth opposed.

2006: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair

In 2006, as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rahm Emanuel oversaw Democratic wins in the U.S. House of Representatives elections.

2006: Democratic Party gained 30 seats in the House

In 2006, the Democratic Party gained 30 seats in the House in the elections, and Emanuel received praise for his stewardship of the DCCC.

June 2007: Condemnation of Palestinian Violence

In June 2007, Rahm Emanuel condemned an outbreak of Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip and criticized Arab countries for not applying the same pressure on the Palestinians as they have on Israel.

November 6, 2008: Emanuel accepts White House Chief of Staff position

On November 6, 2008, Emanuel accepted the position of White House Chief of Staff for U.S. President Barack Obama.

2008: Appointed White House Chief of Staff

Following the 2008 U.S. presidential election, President Barack Obama appointed Rahm Emanuel to serve as White House chief of staff.

2008: David Axelrod's Role in Obama's Campaign

In 2008, David Axelrod served as the chief strategist for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Axelrod, a close friend of Emanuel, also signed the ketuba at Emanuel's wedding.

January 2, 2009: Emanuel resigns from Congress

On January 2, 2009, Emanuel officially resigned from his seat in Congress to take on the role of White House Chief of Staff.

March 3, 2009: Special Primary held to fill Emanuel's vacated seat

On March 3, 2009, a special primary election was held to fill the congressional seat vacated by Emanuel.

2009: Pushback on the Affordable Care Act

During the summer of 2009, Rahm Emanuel reportedly "begged" President Obama for an entire week to not pursue the Affordable Care Act, advocating for a scaled-down plan instead.

2009: End of Term as U.S. Representative

In 2009, Rahm Emanuel's service as a U.S. Representative for Illinois's 5th congressional district concluded after three terms.

September 30, 2010: Emanuel announces departure as Chief of Staff

On September 30, 2010, it was announced that Emanuel would leave his post as White House Chief of Staff to run for mayor of Chicago.

October 2, 2010: Pete Rouse replaces Emanuel

On October 2, 2010, Pete Rouse replaced Emanuel as White House Chief of Staff.

October 2010: Resignation as Chief of Staff

In October 2010, Rahm Emanuel resigned as White House chief of staff to run in the 2011 Chicago mayoral election.

2010: Criticism for failure to support progressive candidates

In 2010, Emanuel faced criticism for his failure to support progressive candidates. Progressive activist Howie Klein said that Emanuel's congressional campaign strategy was short-sighted.

2010: Support for Health Care Reform

In 2010, Rahm Emanuel publicly promoted the Obama administration's push for health care reform but privately urged President Obama to narrow his goals, advocating for a smaller, incremental approach.

December 31, 2010: Emanuel raises $10.5 million in additional funds

By December 31, 2010, Rahm Emanuel had raised more than $10.5 million in additional funds for his mayoral campaign.

February 22, 2011: Emanuel elected Mayor of Chicago

On February 22, 2011, Emanuel was elected as the 55th Mayor of Chicago with 55% of the vote.

May 16, 2011: Emanuel sworn in as Mayor of Chicago

On May 16, 2011, Emanuel was sworn in as the 55th Mayor of Chicago at the Pritzker Pavilion, becoming Chicago's first Jewish mayor.

August 16, 2011: Unveiling of "Healthy Chicago"

On August 16, 2011, Rahm Emanuel unveiled "Healthy Chicago", which was the city's first public health blueprint with Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair.

2011: Appointment of Third Party Negotiator for Lollapalooza

In 2011, Rahm Emanuel asked the City Council to appoint an independent third party negotiator for Lollapalooza's tax exemption to avoid the negotiation seen as biased.

2011: Won Chicago Mayoral Election

In 2011, Rahm Emanuel won the Chicago mayoral election with 55% of the vote.

August 8, 2012: CTU Authorizes Strike

On August 8, 2012, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) voted 90% to authorize a strike due to unresolved issues in contract negotiations with the city.

September 18, 2012: CTU Delegates Vote to End Strike

On September 18, 2012, delegates from the CTU voted to end the strike, and students began returning to schools the following day.

October 30, 2012: Emanuel Supports Demolition of Prentice Women's Hospital

On October 30, 2012, Rahm Emanuel voiced his support for the demolition of the abandoned Prentice Women's Hospital Building, so that Northwestern University could build a new facility.

2012: Chicago Becomes a Sanctuary City

In 2012, Chicago became a de jure sanctuary city when Rahm Emanuel and the City Council passed the Welcoming City Ordinance.

2012: David Axelrod's Role in Obama's Campaign

In 2012, David Axelrod served as the chief strategist for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Axelrod, a close friend of Emanuel, also signed the ketuba at Emanuel's wedding.

2012: Lollapalooza Pays Taxes and Extends Contract

In 2012, Lollapalooza paid taxes for the first time in seven years and extended its contract to host in Grant Park through 2021.

September 17, 2013: Chicago School Closures Announced

On September 17, 2013, Rahm Emanuel's appointed Chicago Board of Education announced the closing of 50 Chicago public schools, which included 49 elementary schools and a high school.

April 7, 2015: Emanuel wins run-off election

On April 7, 2015, Emanuel won 56 percent of the vote in the run-off election against Jesús "Chuy" García.

December 24, 2015: Protests on Michigan Avenue

On December 24, 2015, additional protests against Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's Police Department were held on the city's busy Michigan Avenue shopping area.

December 26, 2015: Police Shooting Incident

On December 26, 2015, a police officer killed two people in another shooting, including a woman whom the officer had shot by mistake.

2015: Won Chicago Mayoral Election, approval rating plunged

In the 2015 Chicago mayoral election, Rahm Emanuel won in the run-off. In late 2015, Emanuel's approval rating plunged to the low 20s due to a series of scandals.

February 2016: Record Low Approval Ratings

In February 2016, Chicago Tribune polls reported that Rahm Emanuel's approval ratings had dropped to 27%, due to his role as the Mayor of Chicago.

March 2017: Release of Withheld Emails

In March 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported Rahm Emanuel released 2,696 emails he had previously withheld, revealing possible violations of lobbying laws.

October 2017: Emanuel announces run for reelection

In October 2017, Emanuel announced he was running for reelection in 2019, despite low approval ratings and some potentially serious challengers.

October 2017: Announced Run for Third Term as Mayor

In October 2017, Rahm Emanuel announced he planned to run for a third term as mayor of Chicago.

September 4, 2018: Reversed Decision to Run for Third Term

On September 4, 2018, Rahm Emanuel reversed his decision to run for a third term as mayor of Chicago.

September 2018: Emanuel decides not to run for reelection

In September 2018, Emanuel decided not to run for reelection as mayor of Chicago.

March 2019: Emanuel does not make appointment for Alderman

Following the resignation of Willie Cochran in March 2019, Emanuel had the opportunity to make a final aldermanic appointment, appointing an interim alderman to hold the seat until his successor, however, Emanuel did not make such an appointment, leaving the seat vacant until March 20.

May 2019: Left Office as Mayor of Chicago

In May 2019, Rahm Emanuel left office as mayor of Chicago and was succeeded by Lori Lightfoot.

May 2019: Named Founding Executive Chair of National BAM Advisory Council

In May 2019, Rahm Emanuel was named founding executive chair of the National BAM Advisory Council of the Becoming A Man youth program.

June 2019: Joins Centerview Partners

In June 2019, Rahm Emanuel joined Centerview Partners as a senior counselor.

July 2019: Becomes Political Analyst for ABC News

Since July 2019, Rahm Emanuel has served as a political analyst for ABC News.

February 2021: Considered for Ambassador Role

In February 2021, it was reported that Rahm Emanuel was being considered by the Biden administration as an ambassador to either China or Japan.

April 2021: Chosen as Ambassador to Japan

In April 2021, it was reported that President Biden had chosen Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan.

August 2021: Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Japan

In August 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Rahm Emanuel to be the United States Ambassador to Japan.

October 20, 2021: Senate Committee Hearings

On October 20, 2021, hearings were held on Rahm Emanuel's nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

November 3, 2021: Favorable Committee Report

On November 3, 2021, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee favorably reported Rahm Emanuel's nomination to the Senate floor.

December 18, 2021: Confirmed as Ambassador to Japan

On December 18, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Rahm Emanuel's nomination as ambassador to Japan in a 48–21 vote.

March 25, 2022: Presents Credentials to Japanese Emperor

On March 25, 2022, Rahm Emanuel presented his credentials to Japanese Emperor Naruhito.

August 7, 2024: Skipped Nagasaki Memorial Ceremony

On August 7, 2024, it was announced that Rahm Emanuel would skip attending a memorial ceremony to the atomic bombing of Nagasaki because Israel was not invited to the ceremony.