Chicago mayoral election results: Vallas, Johnson set for April runoff as Mayor Lightfoot concedes

CHICAGO (WLS) — The field of nine mayoral candidates now comes down to two as Paul Vallas will face Brandon Johnson in a runoff election for mayor of Chicago.

Voters will now have several weeks to compare and decide between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson.

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None of the candidates finished with a majority of the vote. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Vallas led with 34% of the vote, followed by Johnson with 20% and Mayor Lori Lightfoot with 17%.

The fight for City Hall is on.

“I want to thank the voters of Chicago for making this campaign about the issues and nothing but the issues,” Vallas said.

Vallas, the former head of CPS, is facing off against Cook County Commissioner and former teacher Brandon Johnson in the April run-off.

“Tonight is about building a Chicago that truly invests in our people,” Johnson told supporters. “You know, the most radical thing we can do as a city is to love the people of Chicago.”

Voters will have a clear choice in choosing Chicago’s next mayor.

Vallas is the son of Greek immigrants, and said he comes from a family of teachers, police officers and firefighters. While his background and expertise is in education, he made his campaign about public safety and was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police.

The 69-year-old Vallas, considered more conservative, versus the 46-year-old progressive Johnson.

Vallas has been a candidate before, but this is the first time he’s ever won an election.

Other candidates painted him as a “closet Republican” but addressing supporters Tuesday night, Vallas said he’s a life-long Democrat and once again stressed crime is a top priority.

“Public safety is the overriding issue,” Vallas said. “But we will not have true public safety in this city until the schools become part of the public safety solution.”

In his speech, Johnson, who finished a distant second place, thanked the other candidates who didn’t make the run-off and had these choice words for Vallas.

“This is the truth about Paul Vallas: He has literally failed everywhere he has gone,” Johnson said. “In fact, Paul Vallas is the author of ‘The Tale of Two Cities .. We cannot have this man as the mayor of the city of Chicago.”

Johnson experienced a surge in recent polls and finished second to qualify for the runoff. A former teacher, Chicago Teachers Union Organizer and current Cook County commissioner, he didn’t have name recognition but he did have extensive connections.

Johnson grew up on the West Side and lives in Austin, and has strong connections with the CTU and teachers across the city. He is one of 10 children, the son and grandson of ministers and is a father of four.

The runoff is set for April 4, just five weeks from now.

Four years ago, Lightfoot made history as the first Black woman and openly gay candidate to win the mayor’s office. Her term was marked by a contentious relationship with the Chicago City Council and unions from the CTU to the FOP. Tonight she made history again, becoming the first elected incumbent in 40 years to not win a second term.

Lightfoot addressed supporters somberly, but not without pride.

“Obviously we didn’t win the election today, but I stand here with my head held high and a heart full of gratitude,” she said.

She told supporters she was proud of her accomplishments, especially Invest Southwest which has brought investment and opportunity to underserved communities on the South and West Sides, and said it must continue. She also said she is rooting for whoever takes the mayor’s office next.