Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson (D-1st) are headed to the city’s runoff election for mayor on April 4.
With 98% of precincts reporting as of press time, Vallas captured 34% of the vote and Johnson captured 20%, according to the Chicago Board of Elections.
Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot placed third with 16.8% of the vote. She is the first incumbent mayor to lose in Chicago since 1983. Four years ago, Hyde Park was the only community area she lost to her runoff opponent, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
The two local candidates, state Rep. Kam Buckner (D-26th) and Ald. Sophia King (4th), fell short, both garnering less than 2% of the vote.
“We lead the pack on offering real concrete solutions, and it’s my fervent hope that the next mayor of Chicago will put politics aside and collaborate with our communities, City Council and Springfield and Washington to make Chicago work better than it ever has,” said Buckner in a statement. “We can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results: we need both new approaches to policing and dedicated violence prevention funding and coordination across the city.”
King, conceding at the Bronzeville Winery, 4220 S. Cottage Grove Ave., thanked her supporters and her support in Chicago, adding that she is looking forward to spending time with her family.
(1) comment
I am a 3rd generation Hyde Park/Kenwood Chicagoan. This mayoral and aldermanic elections are rather frightening. The very politicized, very resentful and yes, often hateful CTU Chicago Teachers Union is making a major play to monopolize political power in our city and drag our city down to the worst years of the 1980s when Secretary of Education Bennet pronounced Chicago Public Schools THE Worst in the USA and Time Magazine featured a cover story asking "Are Cities Dead".
I was and am still hoping we would elect an aldermen/woman that would represent our Hyde Park/U Chicago community as well as the poor, high crime areas to the South. It doesn't look like that will happen. Along with the OPC political takeover of a huge part of Jackson Park, it looks like we are headed for very dangerous, divisive times ahead in neighborhood, city politics, crime, education etc. Many, many good neighbors are now talking about leaving/fleeing. Sigh.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.