Lori Lightfoot, mayor of Chicago, lost her bid for a second term, failing to even qualify for a runoff election.
The Chicago Sun Times reports that with 99% of precincts reporting, Lightfoot is behind both Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson. Vallas was in the lead with 33.77% of the votes. Because no candidate cleared the 50% mark, a runoff election between Vallas and Johnson will occur in April.
“Regardless of tonight’s outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path,” Lightfoot said. According to Al Jazeera, when Lightfoot was asked if she was treated unfairly because of her race and gender, she said: “I’m a Black woman in America. Of course.”
Lightfoot’s COVID policies garnered media attention, including her legal battle with the Fraternal Order of Police in 2021 concerning the city’s requirement that police officers report their vaccination status.
Following Lightfoot’s loss, political commentator Larry Elder tweeted, “Lori Lightfoot made history by becoming the Chicago’s first black gay female mayor. Last night, after 4 yrs of incompetence, she made history by becoming the city’s first mayor in 40 yrs—of any color, either gender, gay or straight—not to win re-election.”
