Showdown for Vallas and Johnson for Chicago mayor

It’s a mere stones throw till the April 4 runoff election between Former CPS School Superintendent Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson in what promises to show not just the top issues of crime and education in Chicago but the racial divisions in this long segregated city, with many whites following the Vallas trope of “law and order” and the a broader based coalition that has gathered around Johnson with his Black and Brown backers, but also heralds greater support from the so called Lakefront Liberals gathered on the North Side of the city.

A recent poll by Chicago based Victory Research dived into the details of support for both candidates showing the tight race with 44.9 percent for Vallas and 39.1 for Johnson, with 16 percent undecided. But, that also shows some telling endorsements with Ald. Ray Lopez of the 15th ward supporting Vallas (true to his tough on crime stance) and Matt O’Shea of the 19th for Vallas; indeed, the Irish American community with the long reign of Richard Daley and his son, is seemingly bent on seeing their support for traditions of old, represented by Vallas, even if he is Greek American.

With the election of 35 elected police district council people, they have taken the other side of the coin, from middle and lower income communities and thrown unanimous support to Johnson, showing their suspicion of the Vallas trope, and his support from some right wing figures such as the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president, John Cantanzarra.

Johnson has fought back against charges that he wants to defund the police, a tag hung nationally on Democrats, and talked about taking a holistic approach to examining the root causes of crime, be it housing, employment, and the like.

Taking an even closer look the poll revealed that 58.4 percent of progressives have shown support for Johnson, favoring that progressive approach to crime fighting, but in sharp contrast to those smaller numbers, from the same group for Vallas, 21.92 percent.

Along racial lines African Americans polled 63 percent for Johnson and 29 for Vallas, along with 61 percent for Vallas among whites, with about an even division among Latinos, who have shown low historical turnouts in previous races.

Geographically, Vallas dominates on the Northwest and Southwest sides of the city and Johnson on the South and West Sides, along ethnic and racial lines. And, for age demographic, Vallas captured more than 15 percent of voters over 60 years old, and Johnson in the 30s, 40s and 50s.

This past week has shown the two candidates crisscrossing the city in a series of forums, and debates, beginning with last Saturdays candidate forum by Chicago Women Take Action Alliance, and moderated by Cheryl Corley of NPR and local progressive radio WCPT host Joan Esposito, where both gave some contrasting responses to hot button issues, and showed what political consultant, and advisor to former president Barack Obama, Dave Axelrod called Johnson’s “big personality”, and, as he gave strong answers with statistics, it showed a relatively weakened Vallas who stood on his “law and order stance” and while he hit some punch lines, he never seemed to drill down the way Johnson did.

To wit: “The city is in crisis, [with] a degraded demoralized police department, the problem is on the 5th floor [of city hall], seemingly forgetting that Lightfoot was defeated,and while this might appeal to the Lightfoot haters, it seems to have been a tag line from an earlier speech, and not one pertinent to the current situation.

Contrast this with Johnson who said that he had a “dynamic interest in this city’s history” and that “we need to build a stronger and safer one.”

To which Vallas countered that with the “problems of the city, [we have to] build something better and brighter.”

It’s apparent to many that for Chicago, and other cities of comparable size, that public safety and education, quality education, are paramount, and with the backing of both the FOP and the Chicago Teachers Union, for both Vallas and Johnson these are front burner issues for voters, and the community at large.

Vallas has called for increasing police as a seeming mandate, and to also recall retired officers to stem the tide of those who have retired, or moved to other states, but Johnson countered that the plan was unworkable since it would take time for both to get up to speed, at least two years, by his research.

Vallas also wants the return of beat cops to neighborhood patrols, something that our research has shown to be given a mixed reaction by  residents, thinking that the old model had shortcomings, and that a return to the “officer friendly” model for aging baby boomers may have had its day.

In another forum at the University of Illinois at Chicago, organized by some anti violence groups on Tuesday Vallas again called for “community based policing” perhaps a nod to beat cops, but Johnson has said, accurately, that police officers cannot do it all, and that there is a role for social workers counselors, and the like, because to not do otherwise is a “recipe for disaster.”

At both forums Johnson had to clarify earlier remarks from a 2020 radio interview that defunding the police as an “actual, real, political goal,” not just a slogan as The Chicago Sun Times reported, and he replied at UIC that “it was a political goal, I never said it was mine.”

In an awkward moment for Vallas at UIC, he was questioned by former Chicago Tribune columnist, Eric Zorn by what he meant by “take the handcuffs off police” and that it might provoke some resident anger, and legal issues for the city.

Vallas said that his statement was a mischaracterization, and that “the bottom line is I have talked about restoring proactive policing that is consistent with the consent decree, and I’ve said that over and over again.”

He later backtracked to reiterate that proactive policing to meet the demands of the consent decree was what has consistently wanted but, as any trial lawyer knows what the jury heard, even if overruled, they heard, and the fact check was what forum listeners heard.

A later fact check revealed that he had actually told the Sun Times that, “police officers we do have are demoralized and handcuffed. There is no incentive to engage in proactive policing. And the criminals know it, and they’ve become bolder. There is an utter breakdown of law and order.”

He also ridiculed Johnson’s goal of hiring 200 detectives to aid police to solve crime, and that it’s “not going to solve the problem of crime in Chicago.”  Johnson replied, “So, having detectives to solve crime doesn’t solve crime in Chicago.”

They also heard Vallas say that if elected he would go beyond getting back to pre covid murders as progress, but instead, “if I don’t get us under 500 murders a year, then I will have been a failure [as mayor].”

Chicago had 695 homicides in 2022 and 804 in 2021, according to CPD, “up sharply from 500 in 2019 before the COVID 19 pandemic,” reported Block Club Chicago.

Rounding out the week was Thursday’s televised debate on local ABC affiliate, where the Sun TImes reported Vallas took the gloves off in an often spirited debate, perhaps because the of the latest Johnson endorsements: Chuy Garcia, his earlier rival, Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul, and on the national level, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and On Friday, longtime civil rights leader, The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

Right out of the gate, Vallas, once again, told Johnson he wanted to defund the police, and Johnson defended his record saying that was a political goal and not his own.

On stronger ground with a return volley, he added that 40 percent of all 911 calls are related to mental health, and that the police are “asked to do their job, and somebody else,” 

He had earlier noted, at the CWTA forum, that “200 calls each night” are for women suffering domestic violence.

Called smart policing, Johnson has used this fact, to which Vallas has said, “smart policing is not defunding the police,” but at this point it seemed like a shopworn line, and the expression on Johnson’s face seemed to reveal the same feeling.

In a retort, he noted that it takes two years to train police and put them on the streets, and that “we need police now.”

Vallas met that by saying that it would only take 6 months, incredulous to many viewers, and that it, seemingly “would improve morale,and that police officers will return, and can be counter on, and not be punished when they make arrests.”

Sometimes all roads in local politics, as well as national come down to money, and Johnson stated that he was the only one on the stage who had a budget, but Vallas accused him of wanting to raise property taxes to $800 million, and that the tax on hotels and motels was unfair to which Johnson replied he was looking at a dollar a room, and that even his own frugal father could come up with a dollar.

Vallas did mention, accurately enough, that Tax Increment Financing monies should be used to improve lower income neighborhoods such as Little Village, and while true enough, as was their intent, the financial distribution, has often been used to prop up high income venues, such as the French Market, hardly in an impoverished area.

Helping in those areas, and beyond is his support for Bring Chicago Home, a proposal to raise the real estate transfer tax to increase affordable housing and to end homelessness in the city, which Johnson said was a population of “20,000 unhoused people.”

Vallas touted his budget record in Chicago schools, as well as that in New Orleans and Philadelphia, but the appearance of New Orleans and Philadelphia officials, and a spate of reports and articles belie that claim. One of them, ACRE Action Center stated that when he was CEO at CPS, he “started a pattern of skipping pension payments, which ultimately led the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund to go from being fully funded to having a $9.6 billion shortfall.”

For Philadelphia, the report stated that the Vallas leadership “took out a series of toxic swap deals, which ultimately cost Philadelphia Taxpayers more than $161 million.”

Chicago has the nation’s third largest school system, and one of the major issues for both candidates, and for previous mayors, is how to harness the best financing for each student and to keep the quality high, and support needed wrap-around services such as tutors, librarians and social workers. 

As the system has changed over the last few decades, with control given to the mayor, the school population is now mostly Black and brown, and much of the will to improve is compromised by race.

The funding formula is mostly dependent on property taxes, and while the formula has changed, the needs and costs have increased. Vallas has often said that he wants the money pushed down, his term, “to the school level”, but has been vague on how to do this.  And, as the records have proved in both New Orleans and Philadelphia, most of his success was done with charter schools, at least for a while, and he has, in some older interviews suggested that he is a supporter of school choice, read as vouchers, something critics say whose ultimate goal is to destroy the American public school system.

Even more damaging is his alignment with the Illinois Federation for Children PAC, and a $59, 385 contribution from former Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a staunch advocate of school choice, and vouchers, and as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, a Johnson supporter has said, “I don’t care what he [Vallas] says, for Betsy DeVos and her PAC to come in and support Paul Vallas tells you everything you need to know about him.”

In a subsequent debate with WBEZ radio Vallas denied having any contact with DeVos, yet the two did serve together as host s at at an event in conjunction with the Urban League of Chicago honoring the superintendent of Chicago Catholic schools.reported the Network of Public Education.

Johnson has direct classroom experience as a teacher, and this lived experience gives him more credibility in the eyes of many voters and his design for a more holistic approach for funding and accessibility.

For many progressives, Vallas’s statements to the right-leaning, Wirepoints, during a podcast in November of 2021, appears not only insensitive to the hot button subject of Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in elementary or high schools, and also racist.  Here are excerpts:

“Critical Race Theory - or call it whatever you want, woke-ism, anti-racism . . .nut number one, when it distracts from quality instruction in the core subject areas - which it is, because we seem to be too preoccupied, too much focusing on these things, rather than focus on a core curriculum - our standards suffer and damage is done.”

Vallas also states that CRT, “further undermines the relationship of children with their parents.” And, when the host of the podcast attempts to link CRT with criminal behavior, Vallas says, “You’re absolutely right,” and that it’s “a justification for everything.”

Stay tuned.

Updated April 4, 2023 at 1:15 CDT

Chicago mayoral election showdown is here

Tuesday is Chicago’s municipal election day, and at the top of the ticket is the run for mayor, and this top job is in the minds of most voters, especially with the incumbent Lori Lightfoot facing a field of eight other candidates, and while many polls have zigged and zagged depending on the day, most residents are feeling that with this many candidates there is the definite possibility of a runoff election in April; and as dictated by law, if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff is automatically triggered.

Lightfoot has become wildly unpopular with many residents in her weakened efforts to battle crime, with criticism from both conservatives and progressives, whether it was dealing with the pandemic and covid restrictions (closing gyms, and other recreational facilities) earned her the enmity of some business owners, who eventually flouted mask rules and capacity limitations,

She has received the most criticism towards the increase in violent crime, that included street robberies, car jackings, and most of all, regular violence on the city’s famous El trains, the Red Line, in particular, where robberies, stabbings, beatings and other violent forms of assault became the norm.

Lightfoot’s hand picked police department chief David Brown, has been criticized for a lackluster response since his early days when the city dealt with protestors that tagged onto the peaceful demonstrations, and posh Michigan Avenue stores were looted, often in full sight of the police and television cameras.

Crime has become the central issue for most voters and there is frustration from many quarters, not only on the uneven response, but, as Live Free Chicago noted, the clearance rate for solving crimes by police is 21.7 percent in Black neighborhoods, and 45.6 percent in white areas.

Chicago public schools have also raised ire, and concern, by many who see decreased enrollment but greater demands for money, and in some cases new school buildings.

The mayor from her early days in office has battled the powerful Chicago Teachers Union, in what could be frankly seen as a mortal combat, and in fact one recent school superintdent quit, in virtual disgust at her dealings with CTU.

These two issues have become paramount in the minds of voters along with twinned issues of  police accountability, with the most glaring news of a policeman who was part of the Jan.6th Capitol insurrection, as a member of the now infamous Proud Boys, but who was only given a suspension by Brown; and joined by reports that both elementary and high school students not being able to read, or do math, at grade levels.

Lightfoots closest rival is Paul Vallas, a former CPS head, who some say “messed” up the schools, only to flee the city. He has garnered significant support from the Fraternal Order of Police, and he is running on a strict law and order platform, but his association with that organization and especially John Catanzarra, a former chief who has made questionable comments that some listeners associated with racism, while others praised him a voice for the police, and many residents, wrongfully have said that the mayor wants to defund the police, but in fact has given them the highest raise of many of her predecessors, but this seems as the saying says, all is fair in love and war, and this seems to be war.

Vallas has made questionable remarks in the past, many recorded, on whether he is truly a Democrat, or a Republican, with past statements saying he would run as a Republican in this blue city, after a previous loss as mayor.

As the only white candidate in a long segregated city, he has also earned the support of traditional white ethnic communities such as the Irish, Polish and German, and the somewhat relatively unknown, but powerful Greek American community, of which he is a member.

This pits him against the Black communities as they have faced a long history of police brutality under former Chicago Police Department Commander John Burch, who coordinated tortures of Black male prisoners, and the later shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014, by CDP officer Jason Van Dyke.

Race is never far from the surface in American life, and running against a Black woman, as the only white candidate, makes many Black voters wary and his statements about taking the city back caused Lightfoot to say that he was “blowing the ultimate dog whistle, saying: “Take our city back, meaning what? To what time? And take our city back from whom?”

She also referenced Republican Bernie Epton who ran against Harold Washington, the city’s first Black mayor, in 1983, in a volatile racially tinged election, on a slogan of: “Vote for Epton before it is too late.”

Progressives have railed against his anti abortion stance, which he says is personal, and based on his Greek Orthodox faith, and previous statements about the teaching of Black history, that he conflates with Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in elementary and high schools. 

Next up as a top contender is former Cook County Commissioner, and member of Congress, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, whose late entry into the race caused some consternation among local political observers.

While long considered the favorite of the CTU they abandoned their support, and while he did gain support from other elected officials, such as Jan Schakowsy,and Mike Quigley, both members of Congress, and some local trade unions including Teamsters 705, and 727, but the plum endorsement evaporated, and critics said he seemed more like Lightfoot, the death knell for the undecided which are currently 19 percent.

Veteran political speechwriter Jason DeSanto told local PBS station, WTTW, that in addition to late TV ads, and a weakened position that he “had a muddled message,” and that his strong base of support was among the Latino community, “But he really has not done a very good job of expanding beyond that base and really articulating a clear message as to what he stands for with respect to other communities.”

His early repeated references to working with Harold Washington have all but disappeared after a press release questioned the relationship, without specifically naming Garcia.

Surging in the polls is Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, whose youth and creative positions on crime, police accountability, and education (as a former teacher) has galvanized Black voters and has resulted in Lightfoot saying that she is the only candidate of choice for Black residents, and has accused, Johnson, falsely, of wanting to defund the police.

What he wants to do is take some of the money from the police budget to harness violence prevention and social services to the South and West sides. And, he has spoken of his lived experiences, as a Black man living on the West Side, facing the issues that many of his constituents have.

Blacks make up 29 percent of the total population of Chicago.

David Axelrod, political analyst, who propelled Barack Obama to the presidency has told the Sun Times that Lightfoot has a “steep, steep hill to climb” and that the two top contenders could be Vallas and Johnson, and that the latter coming from the position of being an unknown would be a significant push aided by his “big personality.”

A recent poll by M3 Strategies had Vallas at 32 percent, and Johnson at 18 percent and growing, but that is changing, but beyond the polls the confluence of crime, and weakened public education are primary and who can show they have the grasp of those vital issues is the winner.

Concerns over Jesus 'Chuy" Garcia mayoral candidacy

Last week’s announcement that Jesus “Chuy” Garcia would be the 10th mayoral candidate for the 2024 Chicago mayoral campaign brought a  lot of people together at Navy Pier for the news, but the candidate himself took no questions from the media.

As we have noted it’s going to be a slugfest with a crowded field from all corners of the city, from the young to the old, from the wealthy to the poor, and somewhere in between. 

Garcia has been in this game before, in 2015, when he was a candidate, running against Rahm Emanuel, and whose last minute endorsement of then candidate Lori Lightfoot, propelled her candidacy and she won the election, Now, with an “anyone but Lightfoot” mantra, older faces are as welcome as new ones, and Garcia, recently re-elected to Congress has a hand in the fire of bruising Chicago politics, where character assassination and dirt digging are only the beginning. 

Garcia's avuncular profile might avoid him some of the most serious blows, but he has some baggage, mainly that he endorsed the recently sullied former Speaker of the House, Mike Madigan, whose pay to play with a local utility company has Garcia tagged by some as part of the machine.

In 2018, the Sun-Times reported that “Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on Friday issued a glowing review of Mike Madigan as chair of the state Democratic Party — saying he is the “clear choice” and “will turn a statewide majority into progressive action.”

“The progressive stamp of approval comes just days before the 36 state central committeemen and committeewomen prepare to vote for the party chair on Monday in Springfield.”

And it’s not the first time the two have had each other’s backs. Garcia in 2016 endorsed Madigan over a heavily-funded opponent. Garcia, who was named a Bernie Sanders national delegate, appeared in mailers endorsing Madigan.”

Garcia also said, at the time, in the Sun-Times piece, "As a progressive Democrat, it is my intention to support a state party chair who will work with me to advance our most fundamental goals,” Garcia said in a statement released on Friday. “… I will support a chair, who, above all, knows that our goal as a Democratic Party and as a progressive movement must be to build a broad coalition that can deliver this change. Michael Madigan is the clear choice.”

Garcia said Madigan “will turn a statewide majority into progressive action” — and is helping to put a $15 minimum wage on the governor’s desk, fighting to make the wealthy “pay their fair share” and is working to help support a women’s right to choose, among other efforts.

Garcia said Madigan “puts first the interests of the people of Illinois and the progressive principles of the Democratic party.”

While he said that the Madigan endorsement was more of a political move, not a spiritual one, time will tell if voters will accept that assertion, if not irony.

Garcia has also heralded his association with the late Harold Washington, but an advocacy organization sent out a  statement, without naming him, that the bond was not as tight as portrayed, and since then Garcia has tamped that down.

The date chosen for the announcement was also timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Washington’s announcement that he would seek the mayor's office.

WTTW reported in a nostalgic vein, said that “García’s election to the Chicago City Council 1986 helped Washington end the so-called Council Wars, and prevent a group of white alderpeople led by now-indicted Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward) from blocking the mayor’s initiatives and appointments. Washington died in 1987.”

They also noted that “García has served in government at nearly all levels during his nearly half-century career in Illinois politics, including in the General Assembly, Cook County Board and U.S. House of Representatives. García, first elected in 2018 to represent Illinois’ 4th Congressional District, was reelected Tuesday — and it is unclear whether Democrats will continue to control the House.”

One issue that local press has mentioned is his association with city progressives in the council who while somewhat fractious, but not broken, needs mending, and Garcia who in the past has distanced himself from them, will have to work hard to harness their support and votes. But, he has also branded himself as a coalition builder, so this will be a test of these abilities.

He also will have to face the powerful Chicago Teachers Union who on Monday issued support for Brandon Johnson and also, that same day, got the endorsement from the Service Employees International Union, SEIU, giving an edge over Garcia, who some say waited to long to run, and others say that it might throw Johnson’s campaign into chaos; but, time will tell for the latter.

“Johnson welcomed García to the race in a statement that did not mention him by name, and said he looked forward to spirited and engaging discussion among all candidates about the future of our city,” said WTTW.

Race is an issue, and in a town that is often dominated by race, Garcia's Mexican American ancestry gained significant support afterwards but also shows the gains that Latinos have gained city and state wide influence that makes his candidacy notable.

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials released in June, ahead of the midterms that there were more than 353,000 Latino ballots in the election.

Chicago has a sizable Mexican population, and one that has grown even further in political influence, and votes, and NALEO has noted that the ballot increase represents a 62.2% increase since 2014.

They are also younger voters with an 18-24 year population “comprising 15 percent of registered Latinos, compared to 7 percent of non-Latinos, Similarly, 25 percent of Latino registered voters are 25-34-year-olds, compared to 16 percent of non-Latinos.”

This gives Garcia an edge, but he may be seen as too old for the youngest of voters, but ethnicity might win them over.

Demographics also show, according to their figures, that  while there was a population decrease in the city from 2010 and 2020, “the state’s Latino population grew from 2 million, to 2.3 million, increasing 15 percent. By comparison, the state's non-Latino population decreased by 3.0 percent,” NALEO added.

The Washington association can be used to attract the Black vote, but with existing divisions and many members of both groups competing for the same jobs, and with differing cultural markers, including religion, that may not be enough.

The current mayor, Lori Lightfoot shot back a sharp retort:, “In a statement, Lightfoot's campaign spokesperson Christina Freundlich called García a "career politician" and accused him of "prioritizing his own ambitions" during a time of crisis for Chicago, rather than providing "the tough, principled leadership our city needs.”

"Mr. García spent months dithering on whether to get in this race, saying publicly he’d only run if Democrats lost the House," Freundlich said. "Now, a mere 36 hours after voters reelected him to Congress, and as Republicans prepare to use their new slim majority to strip away our rights, Mr. García is abandoning ship."

The plot thickens when we pull back the camera and see that “Johnson is backed by all of the groups that have been working for nearly a year to unite behind one candidate to challenge Lightfoot.

Splitting a coalition makes it all the more challenging for Johnson, but he has said, “I am both honored and humbled by the broad-based, multiracial and multigenerational support that I continue to receive for my candidacy, "and also that, "My vision remains clear: The people and families of Chicago demand change, and I am the one candidate who can deliver on a safe, equitable and inclusive future for us all.”

Safety is the watchword with drive by shootings, gang violence, car jackings, retail robberies and muggings a near daily occurrence. Adding to the mix is the safety of Chicago’s famous El trains who have become scenes of violent crimes, robberies and beatings as perpetrators rob passengers of smartphones, purses, and anything of value, not just at night but in rush hour, as well.

Garcia offered no specifics on how he would tackle Chicago’s burgeoning crime.

Time is of the essence and being in Congress and running for mayor can be time consuming, and can one short the other?

Local CBS News reported that ,“Volunteers were openly collecting petitions to get Garcia's name on the city ballot in February and passing out pins with his mustache. What's circulating now is how Garcia can run his Chicago race from Washington D.C.?

"He has to just be here as much as possible," said Suzanne Chod, North Central College political science professor.

"I imagine he's going to be in D.C. a lot less than he would otherwise," added Brian Gaines, a political science professor at the University of Illinois.

CBS 2 tapped political science professors Brian Gaines and Suzanne Chod for some perspective.

"The calendar for his current job is actually really good for him to be able to do two things at once," said Chod, who counts 12 legislative days left on the 2022 congressional schedule.

She estimates about two and a half weeks worth of work next year before Chicago voters head to the polls.

"So the timing works really well for this, because on days he has to vote or days he's supposed to be doing committee work, it's only 30 days."

Timing is everything and this time with expectations that the GOP will take the House, that might be, or not be, the best of times, and even the most optimistic tone can change.

Chicago mayoral candidates prepare for a slugfest

With the dust blown from the Illinois primary, all eyes, are looking ahead to the 2023 mayoral primary and who can lead Chicago for the next four years; and, already the candidate field is getting crowded, with former candidates, some who feel that the third time might be the charm to take a job that is often akin to mudslinging, muckraking and misjudgments.

The present incumbent, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who ran as a populist reformer outside of traditional Chicago machine politics, has quickly became a near insider; an unexpected move that took many by surprise, and perhaps even herself, as she roared into office, on a white horse, pennants flying, only to find her ideals trampled into running a toddling town that can become a many headed hydra.

With reversals on an elected school board, a hard kick to aldermanic prerogatives, and a less than stellar record with the city council, including some teeth baring encounters with members has given her a a tough lady rep, in an even  tougher town.

A look in the rearview mirror shows that this has been seen before in City Hall with her predecessor, Rahm Emanuel, who was no shrinking violet, and who came to office with the rumor of sending a dead fish to a political enemy, and a string of bruising encounters from the Obama White House, where he served as chief of staff.

It’s now a safe bet that Lightfoot could not make peanut butter sandwiches without criticism from all sides: from the left, there was not enough butter, from the right there was too much and from the independents, that it was not organic.

Her chief nemesis has been Ray Lopez 15th Ward alderman, a candidate as early as April, who has been an outspoken critic, especially in the area of public safety, as Chicago has descended into a violent quagmire with car jackings, robberies, and retail thefts, often by gangs, sometimes even aided by pre-teens.

Now Lopez has rescinded his candidacy, stating that the growing field might lead to a runoff vote that might entrench Lightfoot as mayor, and on Twitter he posted a warning that with “With every new challenger that enters the race, the odds of Lori Lightfoot making it into a runoff, possibly even winning reelection, grows,” and added “Chicago has survived many things over its existence, but it will not survive another four years with this mayor chasing headlines to cover up her nonstop bouncing from bad decision to bad decision.”

Previously, he had said, “As mayor, my core principles will be simple: focus on safely rebuilding our economy and supporting our first responders and city employees that serve the taxpayers of Chicago.”

Block Club Chicago has also noted that “Lopez has a reputation on City Council for being one of the most conservative members, particularly on crime.”

While continuing to run for election as alderman in the 15th ward, his withdrawal has also generated some blowback, from contender Victoria Alvarez whose campaign team issued a statement, just before Thanksgiving, which said, in part, "As a candidate, Raymond Lopez declared he was “all in” on his mayoral bid - but now he is changing his tune. Seeing an uphill battle for the mayor’s office, he has decided to return to the 15th Ward he has neglected and now claims to speak for every resident.

Aldermanic candidate, Victoria “Vicko” Alvarez, rejects his oversimplifications and lack of civic imagination. Vicko gathered more than three times the required amount of signatures by knocking doors in every neighborhood of the 15th Ward."

Another familiar face to locals has been Paul Vallas who was CEO of Chicago Public Schools, from 1995 to 2000, and while with failed prior attempts to win the top job, he has also leaned hard into the crime problem, and has tweeted on several of the more alarming incidents bemoaning the lack of a comprehensive plan by Lightfoot.

An avuncular figure Vallas has been down this road before, and has also railed against high taxes, as well as crime, and, will undoubtedly be seen favorable by the Chicago Teachers Union whose teeth marks can still be found in Lightfoot’s arm as she dealt with the powerful union, in her first month in office; as she fought a public battle with the union.

That was then, and now we have Brandon Johnson a former teacher who has received the endowment of the CTU, as well as the Service Employees International Union, two powerful voice in local politics and whose support puts him in the first slot for attention.

Crime is the key blow against Lightfoot and Vallas like others has also said that he would fire Chicago Police Superintendent, David Brown, Lightfoot’s handpicked police chief who in his early days showed, to some, a naivety, especially in the aftermath of the riots that piggybacked onto the peaceful protests that followed the murder of George Floyd.

His track record is not bright and as Block Club Chicago reported, “In the 2019 mayoral race, Vallas got 5 percent of the vote. He also unsuccessfully ran for Illinois governor in 2002 and lieutenant governor in 2014 with then-Gov. Pat Quinn.”

Taking tack for a candidacy is State Rep Kam Buckner, a spry 37 year old whose diverse 26th District looks like Chicago he has stated, ““The district looks a lot like Chicago,” Buckner said. “… Being in that role has been incredibly telling to me. It’s given me a very clear view into what happens when we have a tale of two cities — what happens when we have robust investment on one hand, and robust disinvestment or benign neglect on the other hand.”

An attorney, he has also worked for Sen. Dick Durbin who gave him some wind in his sails, but in another interview with Block Club Chicago he emphasized. ““We have to find a way to celebrate the places and spaces that we occupy — their diversity, their importance, their significance — but more importantly, the people who live there,”

This is a populist stance, and also alludes to the historic racial segregation in Chicago, but will it be enough, critics ask.

Some also wonder about his past bouts with alcoholism and driving under the influence, but he has affirmed his sobriety by saying, ““In being honest with myself, my God, my family and my friends and my constituents about this, I have arrived on the other side of this a better man, a better father, a better partner and a better public servant, "and added, “There are many things that have changed since these incidents occurred.”

Taking a tough stance, the response from City Hall was this: “Being mayor of Chicago requires the sort of toughness that Kam Buckner hasn't shown in his public life. When others stood up to Madigan and told him it was time to go, Buckner voted to keep him in power. You can’t take on the machine when you’re part of it,” Lightfoot campaign spokesperson Christina Freundlich said in a statement.

His efforts at World Sport Chicago, which he headed in the failed aftermath of Chicago securing the Olympics, proved to be sketchy with some saying that financial contributions declined as his salary soared, while others attribute the loss to the departure of his predecessor Scott Meyers.

What is significant is that Buckner has attributed this organization as part of his past accomplishment and WBEZ summed it up neatly, by saying, “He announced his campaign in May with a “four star” plan that includes “safety and justice,” improved education, economic recovery — as well as stabilizing the city’s long-troubled finances. In his campaign literature, [and] he has touted his time at World Sport Chicago, saying he brought sports to 70,000 students.

Donations and the budget shrank rapidly, they reported, and now spokespeople for the Buckner campaign say that this was by design. This belies assertions that, “To fund that programming, the organization was relying on the lump sum of leftover Olympic money that inevitably decreased year over year. But, under Myers, WSC was also raking in more than $1 million a year in grants and contributions from places such as the MacArthur Foundation, which donated $1,375,000 between 2009 and 2014, to sustain its programming for kids.”

While the waters appear muddied, the past for politicians can come forth to become a nuisance, and whether this will be the case, remains to be seen. But, questions related to whether his salary was outsized according to geographic norms for non profit directors at that time, when the evidence was produced seems to be buried, raising more unwanted questions for a candidate that has an impressive resume.

Coming on strong is another fierce Lightfoot critic Ja’Mal Green, a 27 year old firebrand who has run before, and lost to her, labeling her as incompetent and amidst other invective, a milder rebuke, “This city is in huge disarray!”

In April 2021 Green sent a tweet Green sent a Tweet in April 2021 declaring that “Lightfoot is resigning tomorrow in a stunning end to her mayorship,” turning rumors that were circulating on social media into a political firestorm, reported WTTW.

In response, Lightfoot called his action, “homophobic, racist and misogynistic.”

While this tweet, in hindsight was ill conceived, as well as ill advised, it’s also possible to see that his youthful impulsiveness, as well as a reputation as a l’enfant terrible, could harm his future intentions.

Case in point, shortly after that tweet, WTTW reported that “A month later, Green disrupted a news conference held by Lightfoot to blast her for blocking his effort to build a $15 million youth center on the site of the former Garrett Morgan Elementary School in Auburn-Gresham, which was closed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.”

That being said, his association as an acolyte to Bernie Sanders might enhance his resume for progressive voters.

Coming on strong is Jesus "Chuy" Garcia whose late entry has some questioning his wisdom, and that losing the CTU endorsement might hurt him.

Garcia has been in this game before, in 2015, when he was a candidate, running against Rahm Emanuel, and whose last minute endorsement of then candidate Lori Lightfoot, propelled her candidacy and she won the election, Now, with an “anyone but Lightfoot” mantra, older faces are as welcome as new ones, and Garcia, recently re-elected to Congress has a hand in the fire of bruising Chicago politics, where character assassination and dirt digging are only the beginning.

Garcia's avuncular profile might avoid him some of the most serious blows, but he has some baggage, mainly that he endorsed the recently sullied former Speaker of the House, Mike Madigan, whose pay to play with a local utility company has Garcia tagged by some as part of the machine.

If the crowded field for Chicago mayoral candidates looks a bit like the Wild Wild West, then the analogy may fit even more as the elections grow closer.

Updated Nov. 29, 2022, CSDT