Photo Credit: Brandon Johnson for Mayor
By BallotWire
09/13/2026
The Wire: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson formally launched his reelection campaign Sunday, entering a crowded and steeply uphill 2027 race as he tries to convince voters his first term earned a second.
Why it counts: Johnson is one of the most vulnerable big-city incumbents in the country, and his bid is a marquee test of the progressive governing model that got him into office.
The margin: A July poll pegged Johnson's approval at 23%, with fewer than 14% of respondents saying they were excited about another run. He joins a field of about a dozen candidates after winning the 2023 runoff with 52.1%.
The fine print: Johnson kicked off at the DuSable Black History Museum on the South Side, touting a drop in homicides, reopened city mental health clinics, expanded youth employment, and affordable housing investments.
On the record: Johnson leaned into his record, saying "this city is better, stronger, and safer than what I inherited," while acknowledging there is more work to do.
The counter: The mayor faces a deep field, including Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, and businessman Willie Wilson. His late entry, after months of public uncertainty, gives challengers a head start in a race centered on public safety, city finances, and the relationship between City Hall and the City Council.
The backdrop: A Cook County commissioner, Johnson defeated former CPS chief Paul Vallas in 2023 with a coalition of Black voters, labor, and progressives.
Looking ahead: The nonpartisan election is set for Feb. 23, 2027, with an April 6 runoff if no candidate wins a majority, a near certainty in a field this size. Candidates must submit 12,500 valid signatures by the Oct. 26 deadline, and the official ballot will be set later this year.