Mayor-elect Johnson vows to unite City Council largely alienated by Lightfoot
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson hit the ground running on Wednesday, thanking voters after winning a narrow victory over Paul Vallas in Chicago's runoff election.
He later sat down with CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov to talk about the next four years he'll serve as mayor, after he's sworn in on May 15.
Coming off a hard-fought race on both sides, Johnson said he's raring to go. Kozlov asked him if he was at all nervous about running the nation's third largest city.
"Maybe I should be nervous, you know? But you know why I'm not though, is because I know that I'm not doing it alone," he said.
When he's sworn in in six weeks, Johnson will preside over a very different looking City Council than the one that exists now. About a quarter of the aldermen will taking their seats on the City Council for the first time, and that's not counting three other aldermen who were appointed to their seats last year and have since won election to full terms in office.
How does he plan to establish a positive rapport with the entire City Council, after his predecessor, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, alienated so many aldermen during her four years in office?
"The City Council, it's a dynamic body. Again, I've been part of the legislative branch of government, and all of those individuals have been elected in their respective communities to represent the values and the interests of their particular wards. You're going to have a mayor that is prepared to spend as much time as necessary to unite people," he said.
Meanwhile, Johnson – who, at current count, won by about 3 percentage points – acknowledges it was not a sweeping victory.
"I'm going to work just as hard for those, if not harder, for those who did not vote for me," Johnson said, "because if they did not see themselves in our platform, then perhaps we're missing something."
Johnson will have to resign as a Cook County commissioner and leave his job as a Chicago Teachers Union organizer before taking office as mayor. A CTU spokesperson said he's been on leave from his union position since November.
Johnson entered the race backed by the full support and money of the Chicago Teachers Union. Kozlov asked him about what possible ramifications a speech that CTU President Stacy Davis Gates gave ahead of Johnson's victory speech might have.
"Look at us – a Chicago for the people," Gates said in part. "I need everyone's commitment in this room to choose our future."
Kozlov: "CTU President Stacy Davis Gates gave quite a speech at your Election Night party last night. She really, honestly, sounded like she had just won the election. What role, if any, will she have in your administration?"
Johnson: "I'm grateful to have the support of multiple members of our labor movement."
Kozlov: "But will she have a role in your administration?"
Johnson: "She has a job."
Kozlov: "And she's going to keep it?"
Johnson: "She's been elected to represent the members of the Chicago Teachers Union."
Johnson said his first order of business will be finding jobs for teens and young adults. He has also taken Mayor Lightfoot up on her offer to help with a smooth transition.
"There will more be conversations. I'm grateful that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has reached out. She recognizes how fast this is going to move for me. I had a great conversation with Paul Vallas. He's also committed to providing support during this transition," Johnson said. "Look, the city of Chicago is coming together."
Kozlov also asked Mayor-elect Johnson if he had chosen anyone specifically to serve in his administration. He said he wants to surround himself with a compassionate, collaborative, and competent staff that fully represents the city of Chicago.
He also said he is taking résumés now.
You can watch Johnson's full interview in the video player at the top of this page.
