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Brandon Johnson, a progressive Democrat, was elected the 57th mayor of Chicago on April 4, according to The Associated Press.
Johnson, 47, defeated Paul Vallas, a 69-year-old moderate Democrat. He will succeed Democrat Lori Lightfoot, who lost in the Feb. 28 primary following years of coming under fire on issues ranging from COVID-19 to public safety.
Ahead of the results, Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told The Epoch Times that “this election will determine whether we continue in a progressive direction or revert to the conservative status quo.”
Two of the biggest issues in the election were education and public safety.
Johnson ran on a staunchly pro-public school platform as he was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, while Vallas ran on a pro-school choice agenda.
Johnson will enter city hall with an underwhelming public school system in the Windy City.
The high school graduation rate in Chicago is just 78.
