Evans, 73, is a seasoned veteran of Chicago politics. In 1973 he was elected to the City Council, a post he held until Toni Preckwinkle, now the Cook County Board president, narrowly defeated him in 1991. During his time on the council, he served as floor leader for Mayor Harold Washington, the city's first black mayor. After Washington died in 1987, Evans made his first bid for mayor when the council voted on his replacement, only to lose to Eugene Sawyer. He followed that with another bid for mayor but lost to Richard M. Daley. Then, after losing his council seat, Evans ran for Circuit Court judge in 1992 and won. Nine years later, he ascended to chief judge when he defeated four challengers.