Daley easily won the Democratic primary, receiving more than 63.01% of the vote and placing more than thirty-points ahead of the runner-up, then-Cook County commissioner Danny K. Davis.

In the Republican primary, which saw participation by a dismal 10,204 voters, George S. Gotlieb, a police sergeant, defeated candidate Alfred Walter Balciunas and radio executive Pervis Spann by a large double-digit margin.

Afterwards, he stepped aside to allow the party's vice chairman, Illinois Appellate Court Judge Pincham, to become the party's nominee The following individuals received speculation as prospective candidates, but did not run: Daley handily won the Democratic nomination, fending off challenges from then-county commissioner Danny K. Davis and former mayor Jane Byrne.

A poll conducted by the Chicago Sun-Times in November 1990 showed that 58% of Chicagoan's had positive views of his performance as mayor.

[4] Davis had been selected as a "consensus" black candidate at a closed-door meeting held November 19, 1990 at the Hyde Park Hilton between 126 of Chicago's African-American leaders.

[4] Late in the primary, Tyrone Crider, the national executive director of Operation PUSH, characterized the Davis campaign as a "slow movement" because it had "failed to take the time necessary to meet and consult with the [black] religious and business community.

"[4] Both Crider and PUSH founder Jesse Jackson became upset when Davis disparaged a number of black ministers that had supported Daley as being "Uncle Toms".

[8] Even though he was likely to face a third-party African-American opponent, this was not seen as enough to prevent his victory[8] (especially considering that, as a candidate, Davis had not been able to pose much of a challenge to Daley in the primary).

[9][4] Results by ward[9] George S. Gotlieb defeated Alfred Walter Balciunas and WVON executive Pervis Spann in the Republican primary .

Results by ward[11] James R. Hutchinson, who won the party primary, withdrew after winning, stepping aside for R. Eugene Pincham to assume the nomination.

After Davis lost to Daley in the Democratic primary, Hutchison kept his promise, stepped aside, and allowed Pincham to be the Harold Washington Party candidate for mayor.

[12] Pincham was a former appellate judge who had left the Democratic Party after losing its 1990 nomination for Cook County Board President to Richard Phelan.