Brandon Johnson, arguably the underdog in the mayoral race in Chicago, has been elected as Mayor, much to the surprise of many. He won by a narrow margin, defeating Paul Vallas and becoming the 57th mayor of the third largest city in the United States. Naturally, this came as a surprise for most of Chicago’s citizens, so what was it that gave Brandon Johnson the slightest edge and had him elected as mayor?
Who is Brandon Johnson, the new mayor of Chicago?
Brandon Johnson is best known for being a Cook County Commissioner. He is also a former teacher and union organizer who decided to run for Mayor because he wanted to bring change to the city.
- Aside from growing up in poverty, Johnson also taught in low-income neighborhoods. His personal experiences further fueled his desire to bring a much-needed change to the city of Chicago.
- He ran for office after taking inspiration from the support of the teachers’ union and other progressive groups in the city. Johnson’s supporters are also composed mostly of progressive individuals and groups, all of whom want to bring Chicago back up to its feet.
- He also wants to resolve the issues plaguing Chicago after the COVID-19 pandemic heavily hit the city. Citizens also started feeling dissatisfied with Lori Lightfoot, the city’s former mayor, and how she was unable to handle crime and education issues in the city.
What gave Brandon Johnson the slight edge over other mayoral candidates?
It was a tight race between Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas, a former CEO of the Chicago school system. Johnson had 51.4% of the votes while Vallas had 48.6%. He was able to achieve this incredible feat mostly by rallying support from and appealing to progressive voters in Chicago.
It’s important to note that Johnson also had support from the Chicago Teachers Union. The group was more than happy to give their all in backing Johnson during the elections as they knew Johnson had a good idea of their struggles. After all, he was a former teacher and union organizer himself.
READ MORE: Exploring the details of Kirra Hart’s physical assault as heartfelt sympathies pour in on social media
Promises of change meant a lot to the voters
During his campaign period, Brandon Johnson also gave promises on what the citizens can expect from him once elected as Mayor. Since the city was still trying to recover from how hard the COVID-19 pandemic hit them, voters had a strong desire for change. Johnson capitalized on this and made sure to sway voters his way with his words.
Tonight, we have shown the world the power of hope, the strength of organizing, and the might of our collective voice.
Tomorrow, the real work begins. We will build a safer, stronger Chicago that reflects the hopes and dreams of every one of us — together. pic.twitter.com/7LX4u2OReY
— Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) April 5, 2023
- Some of Johnson’s promises include investing more in social services. He aims that these services would prioritize the mental and emotional well-being of Chicagoans.
- Compared to the other candidates, Johnson solidified his presence by presenting feasible and workable solutions to many of Chicago’s issues.
Chicago just elected a new mayor.
He’s a teacher.
He’s a husband and father.
He’s an organizer.His name is Brandon Johnson.
We just elected someone who cares deeply about the poor and working class… wow.
Chicago outdid itself today. I’m so proud.
— Chakena D. Perry (@Chakena_Perry) April 5, 2023
- The cherry on top of his promises is his commitment to improve and refine the police department in the city. He also vowed to hold officers accountable if ever they are involved in misconduct.
- A lot of voters responded positively to this promise. Over time, Chicago has become an unsafe community because of the crime rate as well as police misconduct in the city. With Johnson at the helm, there is finally hope for the city to live up to its full potential.
READ MORE: “This my first time ever experiencing this”- Smirking TikToker Alex Bodger explains why he was stoic during filming a stabbing in Vancouver
Higher approval rate among different races
Another factor that contributed to Brandon Johnson’s success in being elected as the Mayor of Chicago is the support he has from voters of different racial backgrounds. He had Black and Latino voters, but the most significant turnout was from Black voters. They make up a third of Chicago’s population and compared to Vallas’ 29% vote, Johnson managed to sway the 71% in his favor.
NEW: @Brandon4Chicago has won his election for mayor of Chicago.
This is a win for the history books. Brandon Johnson just defeated a wave of far-right money and misinformation thanks to people power and his positive vision for a safe and thriving Chicago. pic.twitter.com/03jRUO9yDq
— Working Families Party 🐺 (@WorkingFamilies) April 5, 2023
On the other hand, there were also white voters who rallied support behind Johnson. These white voters either approve of Johnson’s progressive stances on different societal issues or had doubts in voting for Vallas given his record of being a school administrator.
The general public wanted a progressive leader with a grassroots approach on societal issues
Brandon Johnson had an edge over other mayoral candidates because he succeeded in doing on thing. He was able to evoke and ignite the fire inside many Chicagoans who were unhappy with the status quo. He made sure to build an image that he was an outsider. Johnson was an underdog who had the power to bring the change the city desperately needs.
The strong support Johnson has from the Chicago Teachers Union also had a significant impact in his campaign. Because of his affiliation with them, prominent political leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez backed his plans on becoming mayor.
Brandon Johnson leads Chicago into a new era
Now that he has officially been declared the mayor of Chicago, the city prepares itself for a serious makeover. A lot of voters are hoping he is the catalyst of change their city needs. Hopefully, this is the start of something new for Chicagoans as Johnson’s ideas and promises come into fruition.
READ MORE: Why are netizens disappointed with Tampax following Trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney’s sponsorship with Bud Light?
What was your reaction when Brandon Johnson won as the Mayor of Chicago? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can also leave any questions or thoughts about Johnson’s leadership in the comments. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
Make sure you subscribe to our push-notifications and never miss an update from the world of video games, cinema, and sports. You can also follow us on Twitter @spieltimes for the latest PS5 restock and drop. Until next time, Stay Safe and Happy Gaming!
