Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses bid for reelection in US state of Illinois

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her bid for reelection in the US state of Illinois on Tuesday night, coming in third place and accumulating just 16.89% of the vote with 98% of the precincts reporting.

Her opponents – former Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas and Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson – will have a runoff on April 4 to determine who will become the next mayor of the Windy City.

Vallas received 33.95% of the vote and Johnson ended up with 20.32%.

“Obviously, we didn’t win the election. But I stand here with my head held high and my heart full of thanks,” Lightfoot said at her concession speech, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “You will not be defined by how you fall. You will be defined by how hard you work and how much you do for other people."

Lightfoot was the first Black woman and the first openly gay person to serve as Chicago's mayor.

Asked if she was treated unfairly because of her race and gender, Lightfoot said, “I’m a Black woman in America. Of course.”

Vallas praised Lightfoot for her service and courage, then began stumping for the runoff.

“Public safety is the fundamental right of every American. It is a civil right, and it is the principal responsibility of government," said Vallas. "We will have a safe Chicago. We will make Chicago the safest city in America."

Johnson also announced his triumph.

“Well Chicago, we did it y’all. They said that this would never happen," said Johnson.

"A few months ago, they said they didn’t know who I was. Well, if you didn’t know, now you know. ... We have shifted the political dynamics in this city.”

Lightfoot accused Vallas of being a closet Republican who is anti-abortion and pro-voucher and condemning Johnson as a “radical” plotting to defund the police, raising taxes by $800 million, killing jobs and driving businesses out of Chicago.

Vallas ran for governor and lieutenant governor as a Democrat in 2002 and 2014, respectively, and has called himself a Democrat his entire life.