The incumbent mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, lost her bid for reelection on Tuesday because she fell outside of the top two finishers in the runoff election. This is a sign of the escalating crime worries in one of the biggest American cities.
According to CNN predictions, Paul Vallas, a longtime superintendent of public schools who ran on a platform of toughness against crime, and Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner who has the backing of progressives and the Chicago Teachers Union, are the top two candidates who will move on to the April runoff.
For the first time in more than 30 years, Chicago voters have chosen to remove the mayor who has been in office. Conflicts with the police and teachers unions, an increase in violent crime, and Chicago’s slow recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak all hampered Lightfoot’s administration and ultimately led to her downfall.
Tuesday night, during her concession speech, Lightfoot stated her support for the incoming Chicago mayor, adding that she is now “rooting and praying” for their success.
