There’s probably some poetic justice in the fact that, in the same week in which Mayor Lori Lightoot finally made it crystal clear that she’s running for re-election, the House of Daley finally fell. How different Chicago has become in just a few years.

Lightfoot, of course, had nothing to do with the conviction of Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, 11th, on tax evasion charges. The nephew of one Mayor Daley and grandson of another did that to himself, leaving only Uncle John Daley, a county commissioner, in office in a town his family politically owned for better than half a century. Rather, what’s changed is really this: Lightfoot, in order to hang onto office, will have to fight like hell, work her rabbit’s foot for every ounce of luck she can squeeze out of it and hope for the best. No easy dynasty for her.

It won’t be easy. Nor will it be impossible.