The crowd roared as Johnson approached the podium, and a loud chorus of “we want Brandon” chants reverberated through the room as he stood to deliver his speech.
Johnson thanked his family and the workers and unions propelling his campaign, such as the CTU, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Working Families (UWF) and others. He extended an olive branch to the other mayoral candidates, asking the audience to give them a round of applause.
“Tonight is about building a Chicago that truly invests in our people,” said Johnson, after highlighting key parts of his platform like affordable housing, homeownership pathways, an improved CTA and fully resourced schools.
Johnson pledged to represent all Chicagoans if elected to the mayor’s seat. He said he’s committed to ushering in a new trajectory for the city.
“We get to turn the page of the politics of old. Because with our voices and our votes, we come together as one city to say that we deserve a Chicago that is better, stronger, safer for everyone.”
Johnson didn’t hesitate to criticize Paul Vallas, his opponent in the upcoming runoff. Vallas “has literally failed everywhere he has gone,” he said. “As head of the Chicago Public Schools, he ran the teachers’ pension fund into the ground, closed neighborhood schools.”
Johnson added that Vallas had a similar track record in New Orleans (where he privatized nearly a third of public schools), Philadelphia and Connecticut. Johnson also warned that Vallas has courted the support of Jan. 6 insurrectionists and the Fraternal Order of Police; declared himself a Republican; and fundamentally opposes abortion. “Chicago, we cannot have this man as the mayor of the city of Chicago,” he said.
Kash Brantley, a South Shore resident and UWF fellow, said they support Johnson because his campaign is backed by working people and unions. Brantley said Johnson can unite the city and nurture a more collaborative relationship with City Council than Lightfoot was able to. They also like that Johnson supports reopening the city’s mental health clinics and Treatment Not Trauma, a campaign to dispatch mental health professionals instead of police officers to address mental health crises.
During his speech, Johnson touted his role in helping pass a progressive multibillion-dollar Cook County budget as evidence that he can pass a balanced city budget without raising property taxes.
“I support Brandon because he is a candidate for the people,” Brantley said. “He’s going to be a candidate we can actually hold accountable.”