The Ascent of Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, who finished 9th in the race for Mayor in 2019, was the leading vote getter in Tuesday’s mayoral election.
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Four years ago, former Chicago Public Schools CEO, former city budget director, and former Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor Paul Vallas ran for Chicago Mayor, finishing ninth with around 5% of the vote.
Four years later, Vallas is advancing to the mayoral runoff and the leading vote getter.
With around 99% of precincts reporting last night, Vallas had around 34% of the vote, outpacing Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson by a difference of around 172,000 to 104,000 votes.
Vallas, 69, ran a race centered nearly solely around public safety as rising crime as seen as one of the main failures of incumbent Lori Lightfoot’s administration.
“I am running for Mayor to bring to this city the type of leadership the city needs,” Vallas told supporters last night. “Public safety is the fundamental right of every American. It is a civil right and it is the principal responsibility of government and we will have a safe Chicago.”
Vallas was backed by moderate Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, as well as many police and firefighters who live in the city, building the coalition to make him the largest vote getter Tuesday.
The candidate has been dogged in recent week by allegations he doesn’t live in city limits (his 2014 address as a candidate was in suburban Palos Heights but his current address is listed in a condo in Lincoln Park), calling himself a Republican in a 2009 interview, and questions about racist posts Vallas’ social media accounts appeared to endorse.
Vallas has raised around $5 million for his campaign so far.
The antithesis of Vallas’ moderate Democrat public safety focused campaign may be the race run by Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson.
Cook County Com missioner Brandon Johnson advanced to the runoff for Chicago Mayor.
While Vallas has centered around pro-police, pro-public safety messaging, Johnson, 46, has previously been a supporter of the “defund the police” movement.
“I don’t look at it as a slogan,” Johnson said in a radio interview in 2020. “It’s an actual real political goal.”
It will likely be the centerpiece of attacks on Johnson in the runoff as public safety and crime remains a top issue for city voters.
In his address to supporters Tuesday night, Johnson commented on his epic rise to the mayoral runoff.
“We have shifted the political dynamics in this city,” Johnson said. “If you voted for one of those other candidates, I’m running to be the mayor of you, too.”
While Vallas did not directly engage Johnson in his comments Tuesday night, Johnson took aim directly at the frontrunner.
“As head of the Chicago Public Schools, he ran the teacher’s pension fund into the ground, closed neighborhood schools, and punished students who were in need.” Johnson alleged. “He has literally failed everywhere he has gone. We cannot have this man as the mayor of the City of Chicago.”
Johnson has raised around $3.4 million so far, mostly from unions. The Chicago Teachers Union has funded the campaign to such a level the Johnson campaign was required to list CTU as a “sponsoring entity.”