Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses re-election bid
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will not serve a second term, after failing on Tuesday to advance to an April runoff election.
There were nine candidates in the mayoral race, and with no one securing more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright, there will be a runoff on April 4 between the top two candidates: Paul Vallas, a former chief executive of Chicago Public Schools, and Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner. Vallas has the support of the Fraternal Order of Police, while the Chicago Teachers Union is backing Johnson.
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In her concession speech, Lightfoot told a crowd of supporters that "obviously, we didn't win the election today, but I stand here with my head held high and a heart filled with gratitude." Being mayor was "the honor of a lifetime," she declared, adding, "we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path."
Ahead of the election, with murders and robberies up in the city, Vallas focused on crime and public safety, saying he would hire more police officers and fire David Brown, the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Johnson pushed for more funding for education and mental health services, investments in housing, and police reforms. Both are Democrats. But pointing to the Fraternal Order of Police endorsement, Lightfoot accused Vallas of being a shadow Republican, The Chicago Tribune reports.
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