Chicago elects Lori Lightfoot. She will be the first African American woman to run the third largest city in the United States. |
The election is nonpartisan, with its winner being elected to a four-year term. The elections were concurrent with the Chicago aldermanic elections to elect all 50 members to the Chicago City Council, as well as elections for the City Clerk of Chicago and City Treasurer of Chicago.
Lori Lightfoot becomes the first African American woman and openly lesbian mayor of the Midwestern metropolis.
The federal prosecutor and practicing lawyer swept the election beating establishment figure Toni Preckwinkle in Democratic primary run-off. There was no Republican on the ballot.
Lightfoot ends the Rahm Emanuel reign. On May 20, 2019, Lightfoot will be sworn in as the 56th mayor of Chicago. She will have a big plate ahead.
The rampant gun violence in the city has made Chi-Town a dangerous community for people of color.
The Jussie Smollett controversy has the police already skeptical of Lightfoot.
Lightfoot is a member of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force. Her mission is to hold dirty cops accountable and Chicago Police and its union will likely battle her. Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx is facing calls to resign after the embattled Empire actor walked away with a clean slate after he allegedly faked a race attack.
The city is also losing population rapidly. The current population of Chicago is 3.94 million residents.
Houston, Texas is gaining population at a faster pace and by 2020, it will surpass Chicago as the largest city in the United States. Lightfoot has to figure out how to improve the Chicagoland area.
Lightfoot promises to help low-income and working class people she said were left behind by the Chicago "ruling class."
Lightfoot celebrates with her wife and daughter. |
Lightfoot who is married to her wife Amy Eshleman and has a child.
Lightfoot who was born in Massillon, Ohio was the youngest of four children. She is a graduate of both University of Michigan (BA) and University of Chicago (JD).
Lightfoot surprise victory shook the political establishment in the Democratic Party. Her opponent, Preckwinkle was running a dirty campaign. Her campaign was hoping to use her long term connection to Chicago to help her win.
Lightfoot stuck to the script and said that Chicago residents deserve a government that works for all the residents.
Well I am hopeful that Lightfoot can turn things around in Chicago.
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