JULY 16, 2025 (Prospect.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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CHARLES REX ARBOGAST\/AP PHOTO<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to a question during a news conference where he introduced six of his nominees to the Chicago Board of Education, October 7, 2024, in Chicago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zohran Mamdani\u2019s shocking win in New York City\u2019s Democratic mayoral primary calls to mind past progressive victories. And in one instance, it could be a cautionary tale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson shocked Chicago politics in 2023 when he obtained a place in a two-person runoff, denying incumbent Lori Lightfoot a spot. He then narrowly beat his more conservative opponent thanks to a boost in young voter turnout<\/a> and a combination of strong performances in Black<\/a> and progressive wards<\/a>, along with enough support in Latino<\/a> ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But two years into Johnson\u2019s administration, his approval rating in his best polls is still below 30 percent<\/a>, and some polling has been substantially lower<\/a>. Despite progress on issues like labor, crime, and housing, progressive allies on the city council<\/a> are vocally criticizing him, and opponents are already gearing up to oust him<\/a> in 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More from Davis Giangiulio<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe\u2019s a newcomer,\u201d said Jaime Dominguez, an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, referencing Johnson\u2019s scant experience in city government before his election. Johnson previously was a commissioner in Cook County, which houses Chicago, but just for four years. \u201cIt\u2019s just kind of new terrain. And he\u2019s learning, and of course making mistakes along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His struggles have been preyed upon by national media. The Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u2019s famously conservative editorial board calls Johnson \u201cAmerica\u2019s Worst Mayor<\/a>.\u201d The New York Times<\/em>\u2019 board, in their column regarding New York City\u2019s mayoral primary<\/a>, implied Johnson is contributing to his city\u2019s decline, while encouraging Democrats not to place Mamdani on their ranked-choice ballots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mamdani still has to win a general election in November, though he is the favorite. If he does, some observers have advice for him: Don\u2019t govern like Chicago\u2019s Johnson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Johnson\u2019s allies acknowledge mistakes, but think he\u2019s been unfairly attacked by national media<\/a> and wealthy opponents, who have spent heavily to message against him. And Johnson\u2019s unpopularity isn\u2019t unusual for a big-city mayor, with the only cities larger than Chicago also<\/a> home<\/a> to executives with upside-down approval ratings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But for progressives who hope to govern more of America\u2019s largest cities, analyzing Johnson\u2019s successes and failures may be key to making that project a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JOHNSON ALLIES THINK HIS SUCCESSES<\/strong> have been rarely covered by national media. Johnson ended the subminimum wage<\/a> for tipped workers and mandated ten days of paid leave<\/a> for workers. He reopened several city-run mental health clinics<\/a> and increased funding for youth summer jobs<\/a>. The city council approved his $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond<\/a>, and recently passed a plan to build \u201cgreen social housing<\/a>\u201d through public-private partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah Johnson, director of the state power division of the Working Families Party\u2014which endorsed both Brandon Johnson and Mamdani\u2014said local progressive policies like those described often yield powerful opposition. \u201cYou see that when folks have these really incredible policy records, there are still these really entrenched narratives against them that are quite challenging to overcome because of the force of organizing capital and sort of establishment consolidation that they reflect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mayor Johnson, though, has had significant struggles. One of those wasn\u2019t unique to Chicago: the crisis caused by busloads of migrants sent primarily from Texas. The falling approval ratings of many mayors, like Eric Adams in New York City, have much to do with migrant entries two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For progressives who hope to govern more of America\u2019s largest cities, analyzing Johnson\u2019s successes and failures may be key to making that project a reality.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n As of December, Chicago has spent more than $600 million addressing<\/a> more than 50,000 migrant arrivals. Some perceived<\/a> the investment as displacing other needs of struggling Chicagoans on the historically disinvested South and West Sides, neighborhoods that drove Johnson\u2019s victory. Alderperson Andre Vasquez, co-chair of the city council\u2019s progressive caucus and a Johnson critic, said his concerns began during the management of this humanitarian crisis. Vasquez was worried about plans to move migrants from police stations to makeshift shelters, which included a partnership with a controversial company<\/a> and utilizing sites that were later found to be unsafe<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The city held public meetings<\/a> as they proposed shelters, which Vasquez said he often attended as chair of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights. \u201cYou would hear the neighbors articulating all their concerns, and asking, \u2018Where\u2019s the mayor at?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cBut I think at that point \u2026 some people felt the need to protect [Johnson].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After successfully managing the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Johnson hit other road bumps. He reportedly asked Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to resign in September<\/a>, though he has denied it. Martinez was in difficult contract negotiations<\/a> with the Chicago Teachers Union, a polarizing entity. There was tension between Martinez and Johnson, a former CTU organizer, on how to handle it. The saga led to all of Johnson\u2019s appointed<\/a> Board of Education resigning in October, and new appointees terminating Martinez in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like many big cities, Chicago faced financial trouble after COVID relief funds ran out, with remote work and legacy costs from past mayors providing an extra bite. In October 2024, to fill a budget deficit, Johnson proposed raising property taxes<\/a>, breaking a campaign pledge<\/a>. The city council rebuked him by unanimously rejecting the proposal<\/a>. The budget in December was approved<\/a> after many changes by a frustrated council agreeing to one-time revenue solutions, leaving the city with a more than $1 billion deficit<\/a> for next year\u2019s budget. Supporting public funds for a domed lakefront stadium for the Bears amid this budget crunch drew criticism from Gov. J.B. Pritzker<\/a>, and the Bears aborted the project<\/a> after it lacked support from practically anyone but Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vasquez said the major mistake so far of Johnson\u2019s administration is one mayors often make. \u201cThe ability to hear feedback, and to hear from people who may not agree fully, I just think that\u2019s something that\u2019s not valued in the way that it should,\u201d Vasquez said. \u201cAnything that disagrees with them they view as an attack rather than feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n EVEN WITHOUT PROGRESSIVE FRUSTRATIONS<\/strong>, Johnson\u2019s political opposition has been fierce. After his plan to raise $100 million to combat homelessness<\/a> by increasing the real estate transfer tax on expensive sales failed at the polls in March 2024, city council progressives said<\/a> that voters had no trust that the funds would have been spent effectively. Meanwhile, emboldened business leaders demonstrated their power by creating a new super PAC<\/a>. Another PAC reportedly has raised more than $10 million<\/a> as of May 2025 to oust Johnson and his allies in 2027. That group\u2019s executive director has criticized Johnson\u2019s position on the war in Gaza, the Chicago Tribune<\/em> reports. Johnson cast a tiebreaking vote for a resolution to call for a cease-fire in January 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a July 2025 news conference, Johnson said these super PACs are meant \u201cto confuse Chicagoans even more about our progressive agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His team argues that his agenda is making progress. The office in a statement pointed to violent crime falling<\/a> and 4,000 units of affordable housing built, with 6,500 more in construction or set to be soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dominguez acknowledged that despite the mayor\u2019s troubles, some things are improving. But it hasn\u2019t boosted his standing. \u201cHis message has not been able to get across,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s his own crisis that he\u2019s created.\u201d It\u2019s an area where Johnson is changing course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Mayor acknowledged the challenges we have had in communicating our accomplishments to everyday Chicagoans,\u201d a spokesperson said in a statement. \u201cHe has responded by launching a Faith in Government tour to speak directly to Chicagoans at their places of worship, as well as establishing regular Tuesday press briefings and a monthly Ask the Mayor segment on WBEZ,\u201d Chicago\u2019s NPR affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah Johnson, the Working Families Party organizer, said communication is key as a municipal official, but so is building allies to create a statewide movement. That\u2019s thanks to the limited power of local governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA lot of legislative power is held at the state level,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s why we\u2019re so excited voters in Syracuse, Albany, and Buffalo<\/a> elected Working Families Party candidates to be their Democratic nominees,\u201d in addition to Mamdani in New York City. \u201cAny municipal victory has to be part of a broader statewide plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vasquez said the first progressive mayor of Chicago in decades has been a learning curve for the movement, but it has come with lessons. He believes that future progressive mayors should have smaller, more attainable promises to deliver for voters quickly and gain their trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But he added that this lesson applied beyond Chicago. Mamdani, if elected in New York, will need to be successful to show progressives can govern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy hope is Zohran is elected and then is an example of what it looks like to govern differently from what we\u2019re seeing here while getting things accomplished,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause in the absence of any example \u2026 people might not be the happiest about the results based on what they\u2019re seeing in Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Davis Giangiulio is a journalist based in New York City. His work has been featured in Business Insider, NBC News, MarketWatch, and more. Follow him on Twitter\/X @GiangiulioDavis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was elected on a left-wing agenda. But he is struggling to maintain support while governing, due to his own errors and relentless opposition. BY DAVIS GIANGIULIO JULY 16, 2025 (Prospect.org) CHARLES REX ARBOGAST\/AP PHOTO Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to a question during a news conference where… Continue reading \n
DAVIS GIANGIULIO<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n