Embattled Mayor Ousted—Runoff for New Mayor Ahead

Embattled Mayor Ousted—Runoff for New Mayor Ahead

(NewsReady.com) – There have been more murders in Chicago than days in 2023. Eighty-four people lost their lives in the Windy City in the first two months of the year. Unfortunately, that’s not uncommon in Illinois’ biggest city. In 2022, almost 700 people were killed; there were 794 murders in 2021, and on it goes. Now, residents of the city have made a big change.

On February 28, Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) lost her re-election bid. The top two candidates moved onto a runoff election that will take place in April, but the Democratic mayor came up short. She placed third behind Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, both members of her party.

Vallas, 69, came in first place with 33.8% of the vote. He ran to the right of Lightfoot, promising to get tough on crime. Both the Chicago Tribune and the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed his candidacy. Lightfoot attempted to attack him by sharing a 2009 video of him where he said, “I’m more of a Republican than a Democrat,” but her jabs fell flat.

The Wall Street Journal spoke to voters who were headed to the ballot box on Tuesday and many of them pointed to the rising crime in the city as a reason they were casting their vote for someone other than Lightfoot. Jenn Baker, 44, said Vallas got her vote because “he’s going to be toughest on crime.” She previously supported Lightfoot but doesn’t believe the mayor has done a good job.

Lightfoot has faced a number of controversies during her time in office. She faced off against the Chicago Teachers Union, a powerful political force in the city. Her disagreements with the union led to a teacher strike. She also battled the police and other first responders.

Despite her many problems while in office, when the press asked her about her loss, Fox News reported she blamed it on racism and misogyny.

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