Mayor Brandon Johnson announces reelection bid

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed his supporters at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center Sunday afternoon, officially announcing his bid for a second term.

With just over five months until voters cast ballots, Mayor Johnson cast himself as the progressive in a crowded race for mayor. With his family by his side at the announcement Sunday, he was eager to tout his wins. 

"Progress has been made, because this city is better, stronger, safer than what I inherited," Johnson said at the event.

Earlier in the day, Johnson released a campaign video just over two minutes long on social media, touting his accomplishments as mayor, from affordable housing to the city's historically low homicide rate. He also mentioned the city's response to federal agents during the immigration crackdown. 

Meanwhile, Johnson emphasized, tourism numbers have surged.

Johnson followed up with another post on social media, saying, "I'm here because I'm the only candidate who's fighting for working families. If you're ready for a safer and more affordable Chicago, then now is our time!"

The mayor spoke last weekend on The Angle about his goals for the city.

"What I'm grateful for is that I made a commitment four years ago to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago. The ultimate goal is to build the safest, most affordable big city in America. We're doing that," he said.

Re-election won't be easy for Johnson

Now that he has chosen to run, Johnson faces an uphill re-election battle. 

A poll by the University of Chicago's Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation in July found his approval rating at just 23%, with only 13.6% of Chicagoans saying they're excited by another Johnson campaign.

This comes as the city has a $900 million budget deficit, and Johnson has a bruise relationship with the City Council.

Despite all that, experts say, Johnson has a lane to victory. 

"He has a path, and he needs to find a couple of very good key issues and not make any big mistakes," said former alderman Dick Simpson, who teaches political science at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Simpson said money is another concern.

"He already has $600,000 in campaign war chest. He needs at least $5 million," Simpson said. "So he's got a long way to go to get the money."

 Between now and February, Simpson said Johnson needs to avoid missteps and capitalize on issues in real time. 

"He has to be successful in handling crisis, and he has to have some sort of breakthrough issues to make Chicagoans think that he's able to do a good job," Simpson said.

So far, Johnson's term has been defined largely by immigration raids and City Council fights. Now, the fight to keep his job is on, with sharper incoming fire by 10 others that want that seat on City Hall's fifth floor.

"We will not be satisfied until you send me back to the fifth floor for four more years," Johnson said Sunday.

Who else is running for mayor in 2027

At least 12 other candidates have announced plans to run for mayor in 2027, including Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas also has said she will run, but has yet to formally launch a campaign.

Businessman Willie Wilson, who has run for mayor three times before, has also launched a campaign, as have Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas, former Chicago Housing Authority CEO Matt Brewer, businessman Joe Holberg, cardiologist Lisa Nee, and businessman John Kelly.

Johnson's opponents wasted no time Sunday in taking aim at him with attacks online.

Mendoza and Brewer contrasted Johnson taking pride in crime numbers as incidents like a mass shooting in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on Sunday make headlines. 

Frontrunner Giannoulias zeroed in on what he calls Johnson's failures in office.

All candidates are collecting signatures to get on the February ballot , which are due by the end of next month.