After a close campaign between two Democrats, the people of the Windy City reportedly made their choice for mayor on Tuesday.
The winner was a progressive Democrat who had the support of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a progressive, won the race for mayor of Chicago by defeating his moderate opponent, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, to become the city’s new mayor.
Johnson will succeed outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who finished in third place before the runoff.
Vallas was successful in gaining the support of major business organizations and the Chicago police union, whereas Johnson was successful in gaining the support of Chicago’s teachers union.
Lightfoot is the only incumbent mayor of Chicago in the past four decades to fail in her attempt for re-election.
After a runoff election that saw the two candidates competing against one another for the position of mayor of the Windy City, Johnson, a progressive Democrat, emerged victorious over Vallas, a fellow party member.
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, the two candidates spent the weekend making last-ditch efforts to sway voters who are still on the fence.
Vallas won the plurality of votes in the original general election, which resulted in a runoff election between Vallas and Johnson.
Johnson, who had the endorsement of democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, beat Vallas.
Crime in Chicago skyrocketed during Lightfoot’s term as mayor, which was a key factor in the decision of Chicago voters to oust her.
Lightfoot’s tenure coincided with the city’s crime rate reaching an all-time high.
In the general election, the now-former mayor finished in third place, falling short of Johnson by a margin of five points.
According to data provided by the Chicago Police Department, the total number of homicides committed in the city of Chicago in 2021 reached an all-time high of 797.
Chicago Police Union did not respond warmly to the news, having predicted that 800 to 1000 police would imminently leave the force if Johnson, who ran on a notoriously anti-police platform, were elected.
Political conservatives also warned of Johnson’s extreme far-left politics, with some predicting he would actually be worse than outgoing mayor Lori Lightfoot.
[READ MORE: Democrat Janet Protasiewicz Wins Crucial Wisconsin Supreme Court Election]
