Brandon Johnson was elected as the next mayor of Chicago.
The union organizer and former teacher defeated former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, whose campaign emphasized a "law-and-order" message.
- Preliminary results show that Johnson won 51.4% of the vote on Tuesday, leaving Vallas with 48.6%.
- The race ended in a runoff between the two Democrats after no candidate surpassed 50% of the vote in the Feb. 28 mayoral election.
- Johnson
received organizing and financial support from the Chicago Teacher's
Union while Vallas was backed by the city's police union.
- Vallas
wanted to increase the number of police in the city to tackle
escalating crime rates while Johnson argued for more money to be spent
on social services.
- Disagreements between the two candidates revealed rifts in the Democratic party regarding crime management.
- Johnson
succeeds Lori Lightfoot, who became the first black woman and openly
gay person to serve as Chicago's mayor when she was elected in 2019.
