Chicago mayoral candidate Danielle Carter-Walters calls for local DOGE office, end to sanctuary city policies

Danielle Carter-Walters may be known to some as the face of the Chicago Flips Red group.

Now, the 52-year-old Chicago native and small business owner is running for mayor as a Republican in a crowded field of Democrats.

Carter-Walters' platform echoes that of other candidates in many ways, with a focus on public safety, affordability, and mental health services. But there are a few exceptions, including a call to an end to sanctuary city policies.

Carter-Walters has also called for the creation of a Chicago DOGE office — a local version of the White House's Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk early in President Trump's current term.

"Every day, I'm going to have a press conference and show the taxpaying citizens where their money has gone," Carter-Walter said. "Every day we uncover any type of waste, abuse, or fraud, I'm going to have a press conference and show the taxpaying citizens, and because that's everything that I have been pushing for and demanding — transparency, and to know where their money is going."

Carter-Walter said she does not yet know who would be in charge of the Chicago DOGE office, "but I will make sure I have somebody who can do the job, who's great at doing their job."

Carter-Walters also disputed the contention that the Trump administration has made funding cuts to programs for to cities like Chicago for failing to fall in line, or cuts to nationwide programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

"He didn't cut SNAP, and you had to ask why. He wanted to know who were on them. He wanted to see those rolls, because we have people who came here illegally on those rolls, so illegal aliens are getting those benefits. So he just asked to see it, and they didn't give it to him," she said. "So that's transparency. I'm for making sure that the taxpayers', citizens' money is being spent on them, and the social services, and the resources, so if you don't cooperate with the federal government, then you know, this is what happens."

Carter-Walters also wants to expand school choice, and has said she would "stop treating grant-funded youth program grift as a substitute for work, discipline, literacy, numeracy, and marketable skills."

Her platform reads: "Young people do not need fake programs that pay people to sit around. They need parents with power, schools that teach, and exposure to useful work in the real economy."

When asked if this means she would move to cut youth programs, Carter-Walters said no.

"I would just make sure the money allocated to those programs go to them," she said. "So no, I'm definitely for youth programs, mentorship, counseling — I'm for all of that."

Carter-Walters' platform also calls for restoring law and order with a strong police department and the introduction or restoration of public safety technologies such as ShotSpotter, stopping "destructive gatherings" such as teen takeovers before they "spiral," bringing business back to Chicago and lowering the tax burden on families and businesses, and rebuilding the blocks that City Hall "learned to ignore," among other priorities.

least 14 candidates have lined up to run in the 2027 mayoral race, although that number could go down once nominating petitions are filed and some candidates face formal ballot challenges. Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his reelection bid earlier this month.

The election is set for Feb. 23, 2027.