MY KIND OF TOWN...AGAIN:  Lori Lightfoot has been voted out of the Chicago mayor's office.  The main issue that brought her down was the city's ghastly crime problem.  From Fox: 

Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has lost her bid for re-election as the race heads to runoff without her after no candidate reached the required 50% vote threshold to be elected.

Lightfoot faced challenges from eight other candidates in the race, including Chicago Public Schools CEO and city budget director Paul Vallas, who held a significant double-digit lead in the polls ahead of Election Day.

Leading up to the election, Lightfoot also narrowly trailed Brandon Johnson, a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, by two points, and was in a dead heat with Democratic Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia who represents Illinois's 4th Congressional District. 

Vallas received enough votes to head to the runoff and will face Brandon Johnson on April 4.

Lightfoot conceded her bid Tuesday stating: "I will be rooting and praying for the next mayor of Chicago."

Crime was seen as the central theme of the race and the city's soaring crime rate served as the backdrop to Lightfoot's dismal approval rating, according to one poll. 

She also faced sharp criticism for her less than cordial relationship with law enforcement throughout her tenure, which saw a drastic reduction in police officer headcount to coincide with the rise in crime.

Homicides in Chicago rose to their highest number in 25 years in 2021, according to police department records, outpacing New York City and Los Angeles.

Lightfoot frequently touted Chicago as a "safe" city and defended her record handling the issue, including touting a "multitiered strategy" to curb gang and gun crimes last August.

Vallas portrayed himself as the law and order candidate, and received support from Chicago's police unions. He was also a sharp critic of Lightfoot's handling of crime.

COMMENT:  Those of us who've lived in Chicago know what a beautiful city it can be.  The new mayor will inherit an urban train wreck, choked by homicide and by an endless obsession with racial politics.  Fiorello LaGuardia, the great mayor of the once-great city of New York, said that there's no Democratic or Republican way to pick up the garbage.  There should be no Democratic or Republican way to fight crime.  There should only be a right way.  And Chicago had better find it fast, or fade away.

February 28, 2023