Brandon Johnson

In part 3 of this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew break down the mayoral runoff election in Chicago.

Last weekend, Republican Party Chairman Steve Boulton released a statement denouncing Johnson and said his "campaign is lying yet again" about the endorsement. In the six-week run-up to Tuesday, Vallas and Johnson sparred in numerous televised debates about issues like crime and education. It's time for all Chicagoans to put aside their differences and to work together to support the daunting work ahead for Chicago's next mayor." "You have Vallas being called a Republican and Johnson being called a Socialist. "To the Chicagoans who did not vote for me, here's what I want you to know: That I care about you, I value you, and I want to hear from you. In that election, incumbent Lori Lightfoot became the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to fail to secure a second term.

Brandon Johnson wins Chicago mayor's race · Why it matters: Johnson's upset over Vallas, the February front-runner backed by establishment Democrats and even ...

[Chicago Teachers Union](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/03/27/chicago-teachers-union-mayor-election) and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, including U.S. [just voted to take away](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/03/30/chicago-city-council-independent)some political power from the new mayor. [high violent crime](https://www.axios.com/2023/03/02/chicago-mayoral-race-democrats-crime). He'll be sworn in next month. [some Republicans](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/03/13/paul-vallas-chicago-mayor-election-ken-griffin), reflects a progressive shift in Chicago politics. [mayoral race](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/04/04/chicago-mayor-runoff-election-guide-2023) on Tuesday, AP reports.

Johnson came back to defeat moderate Paul Vallas in a race focused on crime and Johnson's ties to the city's powerful teachers' union.

“Let’s take this bold progressive movement around these United States of America,” he said in his victory speech. In recent weeks, the City Council has pushed ahead with an effort to name its own committee chairs. Two years ago in New York, Eric Adams won his party’s nomination and, later, the general election running to the right of his fellow Democrats on criminal justice issues. 28 election, receiving 33 percent of the vote, followed by Johnson, who is Black, at 22 percent and Lightfoot at 17 percent. “Tonight, Chicago chose hope over fear,” Johnson told supporters in his victory speech Tuesday night at a hotel on the city’s Near South Side. Vallas, the only white candidate, came in first in the Feb.

Johnson will succeed Lori Lightfoot, who became the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose her reelection bid.

It was a momentous win for progressive organizations such as the teachers union, with Johnson winning the highest office of any active teachers union member in recent history, leaders say. Johnson was forced to defend past statements expressing support for "defunding" police — something he insisted he would not do as mayor. cities, Chicago saw violent crime increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a 25-year high of 797 homicides in 2021, though the number decreased last year and the city has a lower murder rate than others in the Midwest, such as St. Johnson's victory topped a remarkable trajectory for a candidate who was little known when he entered the race. The top two vote-getters, Vallas and Johnson, advanced to Tuesday's runoff after no candidate was able to secure over 50% to win outright. Johnson, 47, will succeed Lori Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to be the city's mayor.

The runoff between two Democrats, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, was extraordinarily close as votes were being counted Tuesday night.

Mr. But Mr. As a candidate, Mr. Vallas [suggested](https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/elections/ct-vallas-responds-to-tweets-20230225-gjfsmla2mvdrrblyftqr3lxhle-story.html) his account was breached.) Mr. In Mr. But in the first round of this year’s mayoral vote, Mr. But other voters questioned whether Mr. Johnson’s campaign has tried to tie Mr. And when Mr. Johnson’s telling, Mr. The police union has pressed its members to volunteer for Mr. The teachers union has put $1.2 million behind Mr.

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday, becoming the second Black man elected to lead the nation's third largest city ...

Vallas is a longtime supporter of efforts to expand charter schools and backs programs that use public funds to pay tuition at private schools. He said he’s known Vallas for a long time and that they grew up in the same community. Vallas’ campaign was also buoyed by the support of high-profile Democrats, many of whom also had ties to former Mayor Richard M. Johnson, 47, is the second Black man to be elected Chicago mayor, following in the footsteps of former Mayor Harold Washington, who won a second term in office in 1987. So tonight, even though of course we believe every vote should be counted, I called Brandon Johnson and told him that I absolutely expect him to be the next mayor of Chicago.” “Although Chicago always loves to be an outlier, based on what is generally known about elections and voter turnout, younger voters prefer progressive candidates,” said supporter Stephanie Skora of the popular progressive voting guide Girl, I Guess. She first met Vallas while he was CEO of Chicago Public Schools as a parent of children in CPS. My name is Brandon Johnson and I can’t wait to be sworn in as the next mayor of the greatest city in the world.” “Today we celebrate the revival and the restoration of the city of Chicago,” Johnson said. My entire team and I stand ready to collaborate throughout the transition period,” the statement reads in part. Vallas said he expects Johnson to be the next mayor. Paul Vallas, the former Chicago Public Schools CEO, conceded defeat, saying he expects Johnson to be the next mayor.

Preliminary results posted by the Chicago Board of Elections had Johnson with 51.4% to Vallas' 48.6%.

Johnson taught at Jenner Academy of the Arts and Westinghouse College Prep before becoming a union [organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2023/3/14/23640368/chicago-mayor-election-runoff-public-schools-brandon-johnson-teachers-union-paul-vallas). Brandon is a remarkable person who has a lot of principles and deeply believes in governance.” “Brandon wants to ensure parents have a say, teachers can teach, and students can learn without the intrusion of those who measure their success by closing schools rather than strengthening them.” [Bankrolled by the teachers union and other labor groups](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2023/3/31/23665374/chicago-mayors-race-campaign-donations-paul-vallas-brandon-johnson-teachers-union-betsy-devos), Johnson broke through a [field of nine candidates](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2023/1/11/23550691/chicago-mayor-mayoral-election-2023-candidates-education-issues-overview-guide), securing [about 21% of the vote](https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results-specifics.asp), finishing second to Vallas, who captured 33% of the vote in the first round of voting on Feb. “There was an outpouring of creativity and organizing in this election,” he said. His [ education platform](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2023/2/8/23591805/chicago-mayor-election-brandon-johnson-chicago-teachers-union-paul-vallas-lori-lightfoot), which aligns closely with the teachers union, promises more staff, free transit for students, and green schools. I want to work with you, and I’ll be the mayor for you too,” he said. “It’s clear based on the results tonight that the city is deeply divided,” Vallas said in a concession speech Tuesday night. [holding events](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2023/3/16/23644130/chicago-mayor-2023-paul-vallas-brandon-johnson-rainbow-push-black-vote), [debating one another](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVoSLMjnIfw), [visiting churches](https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/4/2/23667365/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-paul-vallas-election-campaign), and [collecting endorsements](https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/vallas-vs-johnson-updated-endorsement-guide-2023-chicago-mayoral-election/3096266/) in an effort to sway voters who may have picked another candidate or didn’t vote on Feb. The narrow results illustrate how contentious and divisive the campaign had become and was a stark contrast to the [Lightfoot’s runoff landslide in 2019](https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2019/4/2/21107840/lori-lightfoot-is-chicago-s-next-mayor-which-means-big-changes-are-coming-to-schools). “We have ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city,” Johnson said. “Whether you wake up early to open the doors of your businesses, or teach middle school, or wear a badge to protect our streets, or nurse patients in need, or provide child care services, you have always worked for this city.

Vallas and Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, emerged atop a crowded field of nine candidates in the Feb. 28 election. Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in ...

The Vallas campaign has said the candidate does not run his social media and he did not personally “like” the posts. Johnson, in contrast, has pledged to focus on the “root causes” of crime by directing greater investment to neighborhood development and mental health services. A city where trains run on time and where no one is too poor to live in one of the richest cities in one of the wealthiest nations at the richest time in the history of the world. “We are a city with its natural beauty and history like no other place in America, and we are a city that has been the conscience of the nation time and time again. “My entire team and I stand ready to collaborate throughout the transition period.” “It’s time for all Chicagoans to put aside their differences and to walk and to work together supporting the daunting work ahead for our next mayor. We don’t have to choose between toughness and compassion, between the care of our neighbors and keeping our people safe. With our voices and our votes, we have ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city,” he said during his victory speech. he said if we can figure it out in Chicago, we can do it anywhere in the world. Vallas and Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, emerged atop a crowded field of nine candidates in the Feb. Because this campaign has always been about building a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all the people of Chicago. The race revealed a deeply divided Chicago, with Johnson promoting progressive policies while Vallas portrayed himself as the tough-on-crime candidate.

In a major victory for progressive Democrats, Johnson, a former community organizer, narrowly defeated the more moderate Democrat Paul Vallas in their race ...

He also advocated for an end to the city’s [foot pursuit policy](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-cpd-foot-pursuit-policy-final-20220621-hmhi34xtyrekvbl62kyr3vfqg4-story.), which says that officers cannot chase a suspect on foot unless the need to detain the person outweighs the potential dangers of engaging in a pursuit. (That policy was passed last year after a police chase led to the death of two people, including a thirteen-year-old boy, in 2021). [first for an incumbent mayor in 40 years](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/lori-lightfoot-becomes-first-chicago-mayor-40-years-lose-re-election-rcna71997)—sent a strong signal that Chicagoans were unhappy with the direction of the city. Working with the teacher’s union, Johnson also took part in the [2019 Chicago Public Schools strike](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/chicago-cps-teachers-strike.html), as educators fought for better wages, increased staffing of social workers and more, while positioning their protest as one that sought greater equity in the city. (Johnson, who was the only candidate during the first round who did not promise to maintain the police department’s current budget, later said he would not reduce their funds). Vallas previously worked as Chicago Public Schools’ first CEO, where he earned a reputation as an avid supporter of school privatization and establishing charter schools. During this mayoral race, he received the support of Illinois Sen. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who was also previously in the running for mayor. (He has promised In a major victory for progressive Democrats, Johnson, a former community organizer, was declared the winner of the intraparty election by the Associated Press just about an hour after the polls closed on Tuesday night. Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in third in February, garnering just 16.8% of the vote. His campaign website discusses his efforts to recognize holidays like Indigenous Peoples’ Day and his experience helping immigrants facing deportation get legal representation.