The Chicago City Council approved Mayor Brandon Johnson's pick to be the next 35th Ward alderman at a special meeting Monday.

Alderman Anthony Quezada was all smiles after being confirmed in the special council meeting Monday afternoon. He replaces Carols Ramirez-Rosa as the representative for the Northwest Side ward.

Quezada was one of two candidates interviewed by the mayor's search committee, which included several 35th Ward community leaders. Five people applied for the job, but only two submitted complete applications – Quezada and Daniel Tobon, an entrepreneur and Army veteran.

The hearing was surprisingly contentious. Eleven councilmembers voted against Quezada's confirmation, objecting to the plum assignments on the budget and finance committee he will inhering from his predecessor.

Ramirez-Rosa stepped down as alderman last month after Johnson chose him as the new head of the Chicago Park District.

Before he was elected as a Cook County Commissioner in 2022, Quezada served for six years as Ramirez-Rosa's constituent service director. He was also the 35th Ward Democratic Committeeman from 2020 to 2022.

Quezada was the youngest and first openly gay Latino to be elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners when he was elected in 2022.