Lori Lightfoot speaks out after re-election defeat

The current Mayor of Chicago came in third, as Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson head to face off in April.

Photo byLori Lightfoot/Twitter.com

Mayor Lightfoot lost her bid for re-election on February 28. She became the first Chicago Mayor to only serve one term in 40 years.

With 96% of votes counted, Lightfoot only secured 88,804 votes, Brandon Johnson garnered 104,485, and Vallas 173,753. It was a defeat that the incumbent Mayor didn't expect, but many Chicagoans saw it coming.

In her four years in office, Lightfoot faced many challenges. Violence in the city and how she handled the pandemic were at the forefront. Her approval rating saw a decrease after her first year in office. Although many were against her, some supporters believed residents didn't give her enough time to turn things around in the Windy City.

Lightfoot created a few programs, which included more PTO for city workers on maternity leave, safe activities for children in crime-filled neighborhoods in the summer, and gave away gas cards plus CTA passes for low-income residents, etc.

However, it wasn't enough to win voters, as many felt her 2019 campaign promises were not fulfilled. After the defeat, Lightfoot released a brief statement in a Tweet thanking the city and supporters who believed in her.

"Serving as your mayor has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to all of you who have stood beside me these last four years," she said. "We've made significant progress building a safer, more equitable city. I thank each and every one of you for believing in me."