Chicago Mayor’s Race Update: Mendoza Makes Her Case, Stanton Out, Wilson In

Photo Credit: Robert Loerzel

Latest updates to the 2027 Chicago Mayor's race!

Chicago Mayoral Race 2027 Update: John Kelly Joins the Field

 Petition circulation for the February 23, 2027 Chicago mayoral election officially began this week. The field continues to grow.

CBS Chicago has the story regarding circulating petitions [VIDEO]

Chicago Mayoral Race 2027: Updated Who's In?

The 2027 Chicago mayoral election is shaping up to be one of the most crowded in recent memory. With Election Day set for February 23, 2027 (and a potential runoff on April 6), the field of challengers to incumbent Mayor Brandon Johnson continues to grow. Petitions can begin circulating as early as July 28, 2026, and the race remains fluid.

Source: ABC7Chicago

For residents of Chicago’s 9th Ward and the broader South Side, this contest matters deeply. We need leaders who will prioritize reliable transit (like Red and Green Line service to downtown jobs), safer streets, affordable housing that preserves long-time homeowners, equitable school resources, and economic development that actually reaches our neighborhoods instead of stopping at downtown or the lakefront. At the same time, the next mayor must tackle city-wide challenges that affect every Chicagoan — from structural budget deficits to system-wide transit reliability and government efficiency.

Here’s the latest breakdown of who has officially announced and who remains rumored or potential as of early July 2026.

Ninth Ward & Chicago News Roundup – Tuesday/Wednesday, June 16–17, 2026

 Juneteenth Block Party Reminder – This Thursday!

Don’t miss Ald. Beale’s 3rd Annual Juneteenth Block Party on Thursday, June 18, 2026, 10 AM – 2 PM at 34 E. 112th Pl. Music, food, games, raffles, and family fun for all 9th Ward residents. Veterans: Free Chicago VA Mobile Medical Unit services (9 AM–12 PM) with health check-ups and connections (walk-ins welcome). Full details on Ald. Beale FB / Instagram.

• Residential Night: Continues every Monday (4:30–6:30 PM at ward office). Call ahead.
• Community Cleanups: Ongoing with partners. 2026 Street Sweeping Schedule on ward09.com.
• June 23 Townhall: Canceled (confirm any updates via official channels).

No major new 9th Ward incidents in the last 48 hours. Focus remains on summer events and South Side safety.

Broader Chicago City News & Politics (Recent Updates)

• Parking Meter Deal Developments: Ongoing City Council discussions around the proposed transfer to Stonepeak Partners. Aldermen pushing for transparency. Links: NBC Chicago | Chicago Sun-Times | Chicago Tribune
• Juneteenth City-Wide: Flag raisings and preparations across Chicago, highlighting Black community progress and events. Chicago.gov Juneteenth info | WTTW coverage.
• CTA & Transit Safety / Red Line Extension: Ridership gains and crime reductions continue (systemwide serious crimes down significantly year-over-year). On the Red Line Extension (key for Far South Side access): Construction progressing with utility work and preparations; project on track for 2030 completion with new stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan Ave., and 130th. Links: WTTW CTA Update | CTA Official RLE Page | WTTW Red Line Extension Progress
• Other City Notes: Summer festivals, recent storm recovery, and public safety efforts. Block Club Chicago for neighborhood coverage | WTTW Chicago News.

What’s happening in the 9th Ward? Share local tips, events, or concerns in the comments. This keeps ninthward.blog as your hyper-local go-to for Roseland, Pullman, Chatham, and beyond.

Stay informed and engaged—building a better future together. Follow ward09.com for official updates.

9th Ward & Chicago News Roundup (Weekend Recap) #Ward09

Trying something a little different today. I'm offering this look at the past weekend's news using A.I. Let me know if you like this format and if you do, I will do this more often. Perhaps post more frequently with links like these.

Now let's get to it.

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for mayor

 Long time no hear, how many of you are gearing up for next year's mayoral race. We got one ready to go, our state comptroller - and former city clerk - Susanna Mendoza.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza officially announced today she’ll be running for mayor of Chicago in next year’s election. https://t.co/OcyOwGPSFr

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) June 3, 2026

How many of you think she would make a great mayor? Anyone else you think you could vote for?

Sun-Times: Trump freezes $2.1B for Chicago projects, Red Line extension in shutdown fight with Dems

Red Line Extension

This is terrible and thanks to the feud between Trump & Pritzker and we could include the Mayor also. It's a shame because the Red Line extension is a worthwhile project.

Sun-Times:

Looking toward 2026 & 2027

 Next year we have another election. There is an open seat for Dick Durbin's US Senate spot in this state and what's is Gov. Pritzker going to do as far as a third term.

Rahm Emanuel has been making his rounds lately question is will he run for that open Senate seat next year, does he want to run for Governor next year, does he want to be back in Chicago's mayoral office in 2027, or does he want to run for President in 2028?

And this recent column from CapFax's Rich Miller discussing some possibilities for 2026 and the mayoral race in 2027.

Will Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias choose to run for re-election as Sec. of State next year and/or is he going for the mayor's office in 2027.

Susana Mendosa - our current state comptroller. She already ran for mayor in 2019 and lost and this column makes sure to note she was elected state comptroller in 2018, ran for may in 2019 and that didn't quite work out for her. And just think she was campaigning for office and then had to turn around and do it again so soon.

If Pritzker runs for Governor again he needs a new Lt. Gov and he fell in behind her. Juliana Stratton wants to succeed incumbet Dick Durbin in the US Senate. Who might Gov. Pritzker choose as his running if he runs again in 2026.

And of course with possible other retirements such as Congressman Danny Davis or Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky retired and closer still 2nd District Congresswoman Robin Kelly seeking Durbin's senate seat. For those running for office next year there are opportunities abound.

However, with  Mayor Brandon Johnson unpopularity right now the main question is who else may want to take City Hall's 5th floor in 2027? Anyone know any other names other than what's on Wikipedia?

 Forgot to note, that I just recently published a page for the 2011 elections.

2011 Election

This was the election where President Obama's former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was elected Mayor of Chicago. He had a tumultuous two terms as mayor and fun fact 2011 was the last time a candidate outright won the mayoral election without having to go to a run-off.

In 2015, Mayor Emanuel was in a runoff with then Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia. In 2019, Lori Lightfoot won the mayor's race against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. And then in 2023 then Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson defeats former Chicago Public School CEO Paul Vallas.

Question is what would 2027 hold. We're at more than the halfway point for the next municipal elections here in Chicago.

Also, it causes me to want to tweak the 2015 and 2019 pages to include the mayoral race. I've included in all these election pages the Ward 9 Alderman election as that's the race that should be very important, not just the mayoral race.

Feel free to let me know if there's anything I should add to these pages.

Also for the record this is now Ward 9 looked up until 2015.

Chicago Like a Local: Chicago’s Lime Scooter Problem

 Before sharing this video, I had been for the past month or so documenting scooters that have been left on my street overtime. And in my opinion these scooters were left on the sidewalk on my street as an afterthought. Many of these scooters are in the way and are obstacles.

My solution is that these scooters need to be left in designated areas. Such as a bus stop, however, I understand that with these Lime scooters that's not allowed. So what do we do?

Also these scooters are supposed to be locked on bike racks, however, this might be inconvenient to bikers. That's not a "perfect" solution either.

Downtown I witnessed scooters being docked, just like these Divvy Bikes. And there are some of them in the community. Why can't these be placed at these docks?

Thankfully if you're tired of these scooters being left around the community and being in the way of pedestrians, one solution is to call 311. 

You can always visit the 311 site here or with your smartphone you can use the 311 app. And using the website and app you can send the city pictures of these scooters that you want removed.

Now with this knowledge this is something I'm taking advantage of to clear the sidewalks of these scooters. Allow me to share the video from Chicago Like a Local on YouTube. [VIDEO]

Allow me to open the floor to you all. If you walk on the sidewalk are you annoyed with these scooters being left on the sidewalks? What would you like to see done about it? Would you prefer that these scooters are left in designated areas.

Sun-Times: Mayor Johnson takes aim at Rahm Emanuel, ex-mayor's 'neoliberal agenda'

Rahm Emanuel

Does Mayor Brandon Johnson view his predecessor as a threat? It sure seems that way if you believe this report from the Chicago Sun-Times:

Johnson’s barbs directed at Emanuel came when he was asked during his weekly City Hall news conference whether the school funding increase he plans to seek next week during a lobbying trip to Springfield would be enough to avert a stalled, $300 million, high-interest loan at the Chicago Public Schools.

Instead of answering the question directly, Johnson unleashed a tirade against Emanuel, whom he has attacked before, though never so aggressively.

The mayor said he was watching an interview with Emanuel recently and was “incredibly bothered by his temerity.” Johnson said there has been a “long, sustained movement” in Chicago to push back against the “neoliberal agenda” that Emanuel championed to “set up austere budgets” targeting African-Americans and the “public accommodations” that support them.

“The playbook that Donald Trump is running is a playbook that Emanuel executed in this city,” Johnson said.

“We didn’t get here because we just happen to have a tyrant in the White House. We got here because someone gave him the script… The shutting of schools. The firing of Black women. Privatizing our public education system is why the system is as jacked up as it is today.”

Johnson said Emanuel, who famously closed nearly 50 public schools in 2013 in one fell swoop, had “immense disdain for public education and particularly Black, Brown and poor children, and he was vocal about it.”

“He told one of my heroes — sheroes — that 25% of children won’t become anything. Those are his words directly to Karen Lewis,” Johnson said of the late Chicago Teachers Union president whose planned 2015 mayoral campaign against Emanuel was derailed when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

“And now, he’s prancing around this country asking people to reconsider him,” Johnson said. “It is not just frustrating. It is beyond offensive.”

I've commented a lot about the prospect of a future third term for Rahm Emanuel and there is speculation on him running for either Governor next year, mayor in '27, or even President in '28.

The reason why he had forgone a third term in '19 was because of his standing among city voters. It was clear he was unpopular and think about it, he had to deal with a runoff in '15.

In considering the last two mayors we had, we know what we were getting. We might have an issue with what happened with Laquan McDonald and that was a tragedy, however, the last two mayors didn't know what they were doing.

What are your thoughts on the former Mayor Emanuel possibly running for another term as Mayor? You see anyone else who you'd think would be a better candidate?

ABC7Chgo: 'Next-level squatting': Chicago couple says squatters moved into home, state lawmaker taking action

 

[VIDEO] Next-level squatting?

Well these people were able to get into this house, so somehow they got keys. And according to this report there is a mortgage document that shows an address in the south suburbs not this city location - which wasn't established. 

What do you all think of this situation? Should the police have kicked these alledged squaters out in this situation with the evidence presented? Should there be a simpler process for situations like this?

Chicago Like a Local: These overpriced box homes are taking over Chicago

 

[VIDEO] Sometimes I enjoy the local commentary of the YouTube channel Chicago Like a Local. He takes aim at a recent trend in modern residential architecture.

He calls the homes you see in this video  blocky or "Minecraft" homes. I may lament the construction of housing that doesn't fit the style of a particular neighborhood. At the same time perhaps you may have a neighborhood where the housing isn't in great condition.

In fact homes like these could be one sign of gentrification. Chicago Like a Local does refer to these homes as overpriced.

Lately I've been taking aim at Roseland and I wonder how many people wouldn't mind seeing homes like these built in Roseland, for example?

Also will this YouTuber ever go to the far south side?

CharlieBo313: Chicago south side Roseland hood/Wild 100s

 

[VIDEO] CharlieBo on YouTube driving around Roseland primarily along South Michigan Avenue from as far south as 119th Street to about 108th Street. That YouTuber primarily drives around urban areas, seemingly decaying urban areas.

One could look at South Michigan Avenue as a decaying area, however, I like to look at what could be. A lot of vacant lots and boarded up buildings, houses, etc. Fortunes could change and as it seems has been said a lot on this page with the Red Line extension there's an opportunity there.

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel interviewed by Mary Ann Ahern

 

[VIDEO] Our former mayor and current Ambassador to Japan speaks on the recent Presidential race which resulted in a win for the 45th President Donald Trump who returns to the Presidency as the 47th President. What he says about the Democrats and perhaps what caused them to lose the election last month and he cited the feel good about themselves messaging of the Democrats and even looked at the measures enacted during the 2020 pandemic.

I do think we'd be in a different place in 2020 or so had he still been mayor.

FOX News - Chicago city council meeting EXPLODES: 'We're turning red'

 

[VIDEO] I think turning Chicago "red" isn't realistic if we primarily judge by the last mayoral election.

I haven't read into too many of these clips I've seen on YouTube in recent months leading up to this month's presidential election. There are clips out there of Chicago residents going to City Hall declaring they're going to turn Chicago red and they often wear red baseball caps - though not necessarily MAGA hats.

Whether or not Chicago will turn red in the future remains to be seen. We know that the presidential race in this state was remarkably close. The margin of victory for Vice President Kamala Harris in this state was not millions of votes but at least 600K votes. An opportunity statewide for Republicans in the future but it remains to be seen if they could capitalize.

I'm sure many of you who are on X/Twitter have seen maps of which precincts in Chicago voted for President-elect Trump and some of those areas are no surprise. Especially if those areas primarily contain first responders (police & fire).

Of course one thing we can glean from comments of "turning Chicago red" is that people aren't very happy with what's going on with the city right now.

Roseland Plaza 115th & Michigan #tbt #Ward09

Via VanishedChicagoland FB

This is what you would've found on the vacant lot at 115th & Michigan perhaps before the mid-2000s at least. 

Of course as you can see by the cars here, this is a vintage photograph. Coffee Pot is likely in the foreground. And then the National grocery store you see in the background here.

Once the Red Line is built in this area, here's hoping we can have this block brought back to life again in the future. Retail, restaurants, hopefully some other services.

Is the Red Line extension worth it?

 

[VIDEO] Just found this video this morning and discusses some thing I knew was going to happen.

For example we know that bus service through the affected areas of the Red Line extention will change. Bus routings will either be combined, extended or even eliminated. So the proposed routings we see here such as extending buses into Indiana aren't very likely.

I would like to see more utilization of Metra Electric service especially within those areas that won't be directly served by CTA extension. Especially in the South Chicago/South Shore area and certainly going into West Pullman and Blue Island - further west.

And transit oriented development. I don't know about developing high density projects. High rises for example or even developing say a new neighborhood. Roseland and Altgeld Gardens aren't very desirable areas anyway.

I would say the lot at 115th/Michigan - where a stop will be located would be a great possibility for a multi-use development. I'm thinking certainly housing and retail - perhaps another grocery store and certainly businesses with the commuter in mind. So I think in that area that's a possibility of developing something that might work for the area.

Also I'd be curious how the YouTuber - BurjTransit - gets these numbers 38,000 riders are expected to use this extension once it's online. However, it's more likely that 6,000 rides would utilize the services. I'm sure the 38K comes from CTA's projection itself.

However, let's note as he had that the Red Line ridership hasn't been great post-pandemic. CTA as a whole has issues as far as rail service and certainly if you've had to take a bus anywhere in recent years.

What are your thoughts on the CTA extension? What do you think it would bring to this part of Chicago's south side?

NBC Chicago: State's Attorney's race

[VIDEO]As you may know the incumbent State's Attorney Kim Foxx has opted not to run for a second term. And the two likely successors are in a close race to replace her former Cook County prosecutor Clayton Harris III & former Judge Eileen O'Neill Burke. Below are the results as I wrote this post.

This was in interesting discussion that was had in the above clip from NBC Chicago which included former IL GOP state house minority leader Jim Durkin who had considered throwing his hat into the race on the Republican side. However, he concluded that he would be running a more challenging race where he'd have to answer for the now Republican nominee for President Donald Trump. He would state for the record that he's not a Trump supporter and that he opposes him but he knows instead of saying what he could bring to the State's Attorney office he'd have to answer any possible connections that could be made with former President Trump.

Regardless though it's an obvious conclusion, Cook County is a solidly Democrat county and most likely any Republican would have a tough time here. Perhaps who might head the ticket in a Presidential Race might prove to be a huge issue in the long run.

Let's open up the discussion here. How did you vote in the State's Attorney race? Is crime an important issue? You think either Burke or Harris have different approaches to the crime issue in Chicago?

Write-in for Ward 9 Democrat Committeeman

 Actually it's "commiteeperson" but that just sounds awful like "alderperson," yuck!

Anyway Anything it's unusual to see two flyers for the volunteer, elected position of ward committeeperson, committeeman, or committeewoman which is up for election on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 (wait that's this coming Tuesday) in time for our state's presidential primary. On top of that both the incumbent Committeeman is one Ald. Anthony Beale and his opponent who also ran against him last year for Alderman Cleopatra Draper. Both of these flyers show that both are seeking write-in votes.

Really?

Granted in the last few years, the committeeman err sorry committeeperson ewww spot doesn't have the importance it used to. Historically when Chicago had its strong political machine, the committeeman was a very important - and especially the Democrat committeeman - position for getting out the vote. And perhaps doling out political patronage, anyone is free to correct me if I'm not entirely correct on this.

However, for both candidates to chase write-in votes this year? What happened?

I can't believe an incumbent Alderman couldn't get enough votes to secure a spot on this ballot for this position. Ms. Draper, I think I understand her though she was on the ballot for Alderman err sorry Alderperson yuck last year. This year in 2024 what gives why are both candidates chasing write-in votes?

2024 is already being set up as an unusual usual election we know former President Donald Trump has snapped up the GOP nomination. So you may want to vote against him in this state if you pull a Republican ballot, it really doesn't matter. And never mind the confusing attempt to use the 14th Amendment to keep him off the ballot not just here but in Vermont and Colorado for example.

As far as the incumbent President in Joe Biden unless something weird happens he'll probably be the Democrats choice in November and I'm not sure who's on the ballot against him in Illinois. I do wish it was a Kennedy though it seems he's choosing to run as an independent.

Regardless as we consider other offices beyond committeeperson or President this year. What we may see at the top of our ballots in November will be two former presidents in a rematch of the 2020 race.

However, we have to get through the primary this coming Tuesday, March 19, 2024. If you haven't voted early go ahead and do that on Monday, March 18, 2024.

I also hope you all had a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day 🍀