Paul Vallas enters the mix for mayor
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Paul Vallas in 2014. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
This Memorial Day weekend was the most violent of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's term, and her 2023 mayoral challengers are letting us know about it.
Driving the news: Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas will formally announce his mayoral candidacy today.
Context: Vallas, who ran for mayor in 2019 and received just 5.4% of the vote, has used social media and newspaper editorials to decry Chicago violence while pinning blame on Lightfoot and her police chief, David Brown.
Yes, but: He's not alone. Mayoral candidate Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) blasted Lightfoot and Brown for not being transparent in addressing Memorial Day violence.
Meanwhile, candidate and state Rep. Kam Buckner announced his plan if elected, which includes hiring more police officers and creating the city's first-ever internet intelligence office.
- “Pulling up drawbridges is not the answer," Buckner said in a statement. "We need to build bridges for all of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods."
Separately, the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald both published their GOP gubernatorial endorsements.
- The Herald endorsed Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin. This isn't a shock since the Daily Herald is the voice of the suburbs, where Irvin is from.
The intrigue: The Tribune board bucked the frontrunner trend to back former state Sen. Paul Schimpf. They cited his military background and downstate record of supporting police, but they also spent a good chunk of space lambasting state Sen. Darren Bailey for his anti-Chicago stance.
- "We reject that kind of dangerous, divisive talk and we argue it disqualifies Bailey."
Of note: The Sun-Times is no longer endorsing political candidates after transitioning to nonprofit status.