On Tuesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago lost her bid for a second term. It was an epic loss. She made history four years ago as the first Black woman and openly gay person to be elected mayor of the nation’s third-largest city. Over the years, she has received intense criticism for her leadership—or lack thereof—which was under heavy scrutiny during the pandemic back in 2020.
Two candidates, Paul Vallas (a former public schools executive) and Brandon Johnson (a county board commissioner) have advanced to the April 4th runoff. Lightfoot is now the first sitting mayor in Chicago since 1989 to lose re-election. During her concession speech on Tuesday, Lightfoot stated that she “will be rooting and praying for our next mayor to deliver for the people of this city for years to come.” Read more
