Brandon Johnson Seeks Second Term Amid Strained CRE Relationship

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his reelection bid Sunday morning, joining a crowded field of challengers vying to become the next mayor of Chicago.

Johnson’s announcement, posted in a video on social media, touts his administration’s accomplishments over his multiyear tenure and ends months of speculation over his political future. Johnson positioned his campaign as building on the progress of his first term, including building more affordable housing, expanding worker rights and reducing crime. 

“The vision that we have put together to build the safest, most affordable big city in America is one that not only are we realizing, we are just getting started,” Johnson said in the video. 

Johnson is expected to formally introduce his reelection bid at a campaign event Sunday afternoon at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Hyde Park. 

Ahead of the February 2027 election, Johnson will have his work cut out for him to win over the commercial real estate community. Many of the policies and proposals during his tenure have been unpopular with the city’s real estate leaders.  

Two of those proposals are working their way through the city council: One would overhaul the rules regarding renting in the city and require landlords to provide relocation assistance to renters in certain eviction cases, and another would further regulate data centers in the city. 

Johnson began his term engaged in a battle with the CRE industry after his attempt to increase the transfer tax on property sales over $1M failed to pass a citywide vote in early 2024. In a press conference shortly after, he vowed the fight wasn’t over and said he would be “punching back.”

The mayor has made overtures to the business community, including hiring real estate professional Ciere Boatright as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. He also unveiled the Cut the Tape initiative to streamline the development process and has continued former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s LaSalle Street Reimagined conversion program. 

Less than 14% of respondents to a second-quarter poll by the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation said they would like to see Johnson run for another term as mayor. More than half of respondents also said they disapprove of how Johnson is handling his job as mayor. 

Johnson is the 15th candidate in the running for mayor, joining:

– Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza

– Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias

– U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley

– Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas

– Former Chicago Housing Authority Board Chair Matt Brewer 

– Spring CEO Joe Holberg

– Healthcare and public policy adviser Lisa Nee

– All Circo owner John Kelly

– Omar Supplies founder Willie Wilson

– Former U.S. Army National Guard member Toni Brooks

– Chicago Flips Red co-founder Danielle Carter-Walters

– Real estate developer Zoe Ma

– University of Chicago health policy researcher Jabari Taylor

– Chicago Department of Transportation traffic signal repairman Jessica Maronto

In the same Mansueto Institute survey, which didn’t include all of the candidates listed above, the three candidates with the most excitement among likely voters were Giannoulias, Mendoza and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Pappas hasn’t officially announced a run for mayor but is widely expected to do so. 

The upcoming mayoral election is slated for Feb. 23, and the deadline for candidates to secure a place on the ballot is near the end of October. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in February, the top two candidates will go to a runoff election April 6. 

Johnson beat former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in a mayoral runoff in April 2023, winning 51.4% of the vote.