Headline Roundup • April 4th, 2023
Brandon Johnson Wins Chicago Mayoral Race
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in Chicago's mayoral election Tuesday, and will succeed outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
The Details: With 99% of precincts reporting, the progressive Johnson won 51.5 %, compared to 48.5% for Vallas, a moderate Democrat. The race was close for much of the evening, as Vallas held an early lead that Johnson eventually overtook.
Key Quotes: "To the Chicagoans who did not vote for me, here’s what I want you to know … that I care about you, that I value you. I want to hear from you. I want to work with you. And I’ll be the mayor for you, too," Johnson said Tuesday night. "I called Brandon Johnson a short time ago to congratulate him on winning this election," Vallas tweeted late Tuesday. "It’s critically important that we all come together now and work collaboratively to move our city forward."
For Context: Johnson campaigned on improving racial justice, helping the working class, and solving crime through additional funding for schools and affordable housing. Crime is a top issue for voters in Chicago, and the city's crime issues were in part what caused Lightfoot to fall out of favor with the public.
How the Media Covered It: Johnson's win was a top story across the spectrum Wednesday. Coverage on all sides highlighted how Johnson is a self-described progressive. Many reports from right-rated sources labeled Johnson as "far left."
Featured Coverage of this Story
Mustafa Hussain/The New York Times/Redux
Chicago voters will choose Brandon Johnson, a progressive Cook County commissioner backed by the powerful teachers union, as the city’s next mayor, CNN projects.
Johnson will win Tuesday’s runoff election over Paul Vallas, a moderate former city schools superintendent who had campaigned on a pro-police message in a race where concerns about violent crime were central.
Johnson told supporters his victory had “ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city” and demonstrated a “bold, progressive movement” that he said should be a blueprint for the country.
“Now, Chicago will...
Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune
Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in Tuesday’s election to become the next mayor of Chicago, a stunning rebuke of the political establishment by the unapologetically progressive Cook County commissioner whose campaign themes of racial justice and uplifting the working class caught fire.
“Chicago, tonight is just the beginning,” Johnson said as he kicked off a emphatic victory speech, which aimed to strike a conciliatory and upbeat tone after a polarizing campaign against former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas to lead the nation’s third-largest city.
“With our voices and our...
Jim Vondruska/Reuters
Chicago voters on Tuesday elected far-left activist and teachers’-union lobbyist Brandon Johnson to be the next mayor of the nation’s third-largest city.
The Associated Press called the race for Johnson just after 9:30 p.m. in Chicago. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Johnson won 284,108 votes, or 51.5 percent. He defeated Paul Vallas, a more moderate Democrat, who won 268,115 voters, or 48.6 percent.
“You know, they said this would never happen,” Johnson said during a raucous victory party Tuesday night.
“To the Chicagoans who did not vote for me, here’s what I want...
