Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor who’d never been elected to public office, defeated Cook County Board President and longtime City Council member Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday with backing from voters across the city. Late results showed Lightfoot, 56, winning every one of the city’s 50 wards.
Lightfoot also made history, becoming the first black woman and the first openly gay person to be elected Chicago mayor. Chicago will become the largest U.S. city to have a black woman serve as mayor when Lightfoot is sworn in May 20. She will join seven other black women currently serving as mayors in major U.S. cities, including Atlanta and New Orleans, and will be the second woman to lead Chicago.
“Out there tonight a lot of little girls and boys are watching. They’re watching us, and they’re seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different,” Lightfoot told a jubilant crowd at a downtown hotel. “They’re seeing a city reborn.”
She pledged to make Chicago “a place where your zip code doesn’t determine your destiny,” to address the city’s violence and to “break this city’s endless cycle of corruption” that allows politicians to profit from their office.
Lightfoot emerged as the surprising leader in the first round of voting in February when 14 candidates were on the ballot to succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who decided against running for a third term.
She seized on outrage over a white police officer’s fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald to launch her reformer campaign. She got in the race even before Emanuel announced he wouldn’t seek re-election amid criticism for initially resisting calls to release video of the shooting.
Joyce Ross, 64, a resident of the city’s predominantly black West Side who is a certified nursing assistant, cast her ballot Tuesday for Lightfoot. Ross said she believes Lightfoot will be better able to clean up the police department and curb the city’s violence.
She was also bothered by Preckwinkle’s association with longtime Alderman Ed Burke, who was indicted earlier this year on charges he tried to shake down a restaurant owner who wanted to build in his ward.
“My momma always said birds of a feather flock together,” Ross said.
Preckwinkle said she called Lightfoot Tuesday night to congratulate her on a “hard-fought campaign.”
“While I may be disappointed I’m not disheartened. For one thing, this is clearly a historic night,” she told a crowd gathered in her South Side neighborhood. “Not long ago two African American women vying for this position would have been unthinkable. And while it may be true that we took two very different paths to get here, tonight is about the path forward.”
That path will have major challenges. Chicago has been losing population, particularly in predominantly African American neighborhoods hit hardest by violence and a lack of jobs.
The new mayor will take over a city that faces massive financial problems. She will have just a few months to prepare a new budget, which in 2020 is expected to have a roughly $250 million deficit. Lightfoot also will take over the worst-funded public pensions of any major U.S. city. Chicago’s annual payments to the retirement systems are slated to grow by $1.2 billion by 2023.
She has expressed support for a casino in Chicago and changing the state’s income tax system to a graduated tax, in which higher earners are taxed at a higher rate — two measures lawmakers have tried for unsuccessfully for years to pass.
Violence and policing will also continue to be an issue, and one that has proven to be politically difficult.
The Chicago Police Department must implement a federally monitored consent decree approved in January. It followed the McDonald killing and a U.S. Justice Department review that found a long history of excessive use of force and racial bias by officers.
While voters also elected several newcomers over City Council veterans, Lightfoot will have to work with a council that has a sizable number of members who are the type of politicians she railed against during her campaign.
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Associated Press reporter Don Babwin contributed.
School officials in Prince George’s County have decided to step up security at Kenmoor Middle School in Landover, Maryland. The decision follows a busy day on Monday. At one point students and staff were evacuated because of the smell of gas. Later the school was placed on lock down.
Montgomery County Fire Fighters have put out a big fire at a condominium in Kensington, Maryland. The three-alarm fire this morning happened at the Waterford Condominiums on University Boulevard.
The city of Chicago is set to make history today. Voters will cast their ballots for a new mayor. Today’s runoff mayoral race is between two African American women. Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle. The winner will become the cities first elected African American woman to the position. Lightfoot is she wins will also be the first openly gay person elected to the position.
Today we talked about a really dedicated organization that is looking for mentors. Best Kids in a non-profit based in DC that offers one-on-one mentoring to kids in foster care ages 6 to 21. Krislyn Mossman Executive Director & Nia Brown Recruitment & Communications Specialist spoke about how this program is really changing lives and about their desperate need for male mentors. This organization is truly committed to young people and fostering relationships that help children make the right decision for the right outcomes for their lives and the community they live in.
WSSC issues boil water advisory…
Gayle King is grabbing national headlines this morning once again. This time she is sitting down with the two women who claim they were sexually assaulted or raped by Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax.
The candy maker Brach’s is planning to sell candy inspired by the late pop icon Prince. The candy is called Purple Rain Tiny Jelly Birds. The flavors include berry, blue raspberry, blueberry, and grape. The Jelly Birds will be made available for purchase on April 21st which marks the 3rd anniversary of Princes’ death.
DC City officials have announced that they will be giving out 76,000 life-saving naloxone kits for Opioid overdoses. Leaders plan to buy another 10,000 kits in the coming months. The kits will be given out by police and health organizations by September 30.
Police are looking for the person or people who dropped off a gunshot victim Wednesday morning. Investigators say the male victim was left at the Prince George’s Hospital Center around 12:40.
Three of the five Duval High School students involved in a car accident yesterday remain in grave condition. The seniors were in a car headed back to school after lunch. According to police reports, a vehicle pulling out of a driveway on Good Luck Road hit them. The three in the backseat were partially ejected from the Nissan. Police say none of the students were wearing seat belts.
The Government watchdog group Public Citizen says private donations to elected officials in DC for residents in need are not going to them. The money goes into an account known as a Constituent Services Funds. The money given is supposed to be used for residents in emergency situations in need of help to pay a light bill, funeral services etc..
