White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is expected to resign his post with the Obama administration today. Next stop? Chicago and the 2011 race for mayor.

There’s been lots of speculation about how welcome Emanuel is in his home town – not just as a resident but as a mayoral candidate. Sure in a field of dozens, his experience as a national politician might make him stand out. But how does he pull ahead of the pack? And face it – with such a crowded field, how do any of the candidates jockey for front runner position? And what is an exploratory committee anyway?

To get answers about political strategies in the mayoral race, we turn to political consultant Don Rose. He’s also a columnist for The Chicago Daily Observer.