Chicago mayoral race: Runoff candidates resume attacks as election approaches

Chicago mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson are targeting each other’s resumes and leadership capabilities as the city prepares for a runoff election next week.

Vallas and Johnson both have their own connections to the education sphere and ideas about how to handle the criminal justice system. They made it through to the April 4 runoff election after defeating Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the general election.

While Vallas claims they are “really friends,” both candidates have attacked each other’s ideological beliefs, past comments, and prior experiences in their efforts to sway voters.

Campaigning has focused heavily on political records and affiliations with various unions and organizations that have endorsed the candidates.

Crime is the top issue among Chicago voters, with 52% ranking it as their primary concern, and it has been a main discussion topic throughout the campaigns. Vallas’s plan, if elected mayor, is to recall officers that resigned from their positions on the police force under Lightfoot’s administration. Johnson has gone on the defensive to address his past comments in support of the “defund the police” movement that his opponents have used against him.

The education topic has turned into a heated exchange between Vallas and Johnson as they each argue over who has the stronger educational background.

Several unions, organizations, former mayoral candidates, and national figures have endorsed the candidates, pushing for Johnson, a more progressive option, or Vallas, a centrist figure. However, this does not necessarily mean someone’s supporters will also vote for their endorsed candidates. Poll standings show Vallas leading Johnson, with Johnson needing a surge of young voters in his favor before the election.

Overall, Vallas is more trusted to solve the city’s issues than Johnson. Crime, education, and finance are the top concerns of voters, and Vallas is seen as having a better grasp on the situation in all three areas.