Born and raised inElgin, Illinois, Johnson started his career as asocial studies teacher in theChicago Public Schools system. He also was an active member of theChicago Teachers Union, helping organize their2012 strike. In his first race for public office, Johnson was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in2018, defeating the incumbent. Johnson represented parts of Chicago'sWest Side and some of the city's western suburbs. He won reelection in2022.
Johnson ran successfully for mayor of Chicago in2023. In the first round of the election, he andPaul Vallas advanced to arunoff, unseating incumbent mayorLori Lightfoot. Johnson subsequently defeated Vallas in the runoff election.[2][4]
Throughout his political career, Johnson has been described as a politicalprogressive.[5] As mayor, Johnson has focused on combating homelessness and enacting police and education reform.[6]
Johnson was born inElgin, Illinois.[1] He was one of ten children born to Andrew and Wilma Jean Johnson. Johnson grew up in Elgin. His father was a pastor and his parents were occasional foster parents.[7] Johnson's father, Andrew Johnson, also worked at theElgin Mental Health Center.[8] Johnson attendedElgin High School where he played baseball and was an all-conference defensive lineman in football.[9]
When Johnson was nineteen years old, his mother died ofcongestive heart failure.[7] Johnson met his wife, Stacie Rencher, at a religious convention. They married when Johnson was 22 years old.[10][8]
Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in youth development in 2004 and a master's degree in teaching in 2007, both fromAurora University inAurora, Illinois.[7][11]
Johnson ran against incumbentRichard Boykin in the2018 election for the Cook County Board of Commissioner's 1st district. He was endorsed by a number of labor organizations and progressive advocacy groups, including theChicago Teachers Union, Grassroots Illinois Action, The People's Lobby,Our Revolution, andSEIU Locals 1 and 73.[14] He was also endorsed by Cook County Board of Commissioners PresidentToni Preckwinkle.[15] He won the Democratic Party primary election on March 20, 2018, defeating Boykin by 0.8 percentage points (437 votes), and ran unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2018.[16] Johnson was sworn in as a Cook County commissioner on December 3, 2018.[17]
Johnson was the chief sponsor of the Just Housing Ordinance, which amended the county's housing ordinance by prohibiting potential landlords or property owners from asking about or considering prospective tenants' or homebuyers' criminal history.[13] The ordinance was passed in April 2019.[18][19]
In October 2019, Johnson spoke at a solidarity rally supporting striking teachers and support staff during the2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike, and wrote supportive letters to the editor in theChicago Tribune andChicago Sun-Times.[20][21][22] Johnson worked as a paid organizer for CTU, focusing on legislative affairs.[13] Politico's Illinois Playbook reported after the strike that Johnson was rumored as a potential mayoral candidate in the 2023 election; Johnson responded by calling the rumors "laughable" and criticizing the publication for making a connection between the strike and his electoral career.[13] In November 2019, Johnson wrote an essay in a CTU publication drawing a distinction between the union's organizing model and "top-down school governance."[23][24]
In the summer of 2020, amid theGeorge Floyd protests, Johnson authored the "Justice for Black Lives" resolution that was adopted in July 2020.[28][29] The resolution called for reallocating funding "from policing and incarceration" to "public services not administered by law enforcement that promote community health and safety equitably."[28] In an interview that year, Johnson praised the political catchphrase "defund the police" as a "real political goal". He would later walk back his embrace of the phrase "defund the police", especially making an effort to disassociate himself from it during his 2023 mayoral campaign.[28][30]
During Johnson's tenure on the Board of Commissioners, Board President Toni Preckwinkle exerted strong influence on the policy pursued by the body.[32] Johnson had generally been allied with Preckwinkle.[33]
Johnson was elected themayor of Chicago in the city's2023 mayoral election. He became the third black person to be elected mayor of Chicago[34] and the first mayor to hail from the city's West Side since the 1930s.[35] Johnson was sworn in as Chicago's 57th[36] mayor on May 15, 2023.[37]
On September 13, 2022, Johnson launched anexploratory committee to consider running for in the 2023 mayoral election.[38] In the weeks that followed, he received endorsements fromUnited Working Families,[39] theChicago Teachers Union,[40] andprogressive independent political organizations in the 30th, 33rd, 35th, and 39th wards.[41] On October 23, theAmerican Federation of Teachers pledged to donate $1 million to Johnson's campaign should he enter the race.[41] On October 27, Johnson formally announced his candidacy at Seward Park.[42]
Johnson's campaign was supported by what Heather Cherone ofWTTW News described as a "coalition of progressive groups".[43] Johnson was the beneficiary ofChuy García's decision to wait until after the2022 United States House of Representatives election to announce his mayoral candidacy, as a number of groups that had supported García2015 mayoral campaign, such as the Chicago Teachers Union and the United Working Families, grew impatient of waiting for a decision by García on whether he would run and instead pledged their support to Johnson.[44][45]
Johnson was described as a "progressive" and a favored "candidate of theleft."[39][46][47] His campaign emphasized funding and resources forpublic schools,[48] a public safety platform that includes efficiency audits and non-police responses to mental health emergencies,[49]support for a real estate transfer tax to fund homelessness response and prevention,[48] and a budget that proposes raising $1 billion in new revenues, including through new or increased taxes on airlines,financial transactions, high-value real estate transfers, and hotels.[50][51][52] Amid polling showing crime and police relations as the leading issue, Johnson was the only primary candidate who did not express support for hiring more police officers, suggesting instead an increase in the detective force from existing ranks, citywide youth hiring, reopening mental health centers, and investment in violence prevention as means to address 'root causes of crime',[53] in line with voter preferences for increased job training and economic opportunity over force expansion.[54]
In the first round of the election on February 28, Johnson placed second with about 22% of the vote. He advanced to the runoff election on April 4, where he faced Paul Vallas, who placed first in the initial round with over 33% of the vote.[55][56][57]
After they were eliminated in the election's first round as mayoral candidates, U.S. Congressman Chuy García and Illinois State Representative Kam Buckner endorsed Johnson in the runoff.[58] Among the most prominent figures to endorse Johnson in the general election were activist and two-time presidential candidateJesse Jackson,[59] Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle (the runner-up of the previous mayoral election in 2019),[60]Illinois Attorney GeneralKwame Raoul,[61] former U.S. SenatorCarol Moseley Braun (a2004 presidential candidate2011 mayoral candidate),[62] U.S. Congressman from South CarolinaJim Clyburn,[63] as well as U.S. Senators and former presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren (of Massachusetts)[27] andBernie Sanders (of Vermont).[64]
Johnson criticized Vallas for ties to Republican Party organizations and figures, as well as his ties toconservative causes. In the first runoff debate, Johnson remarked, "Chicago cannot afford Republicans like Paul Vallas". In response, Vallas proclaimed himself a "lifelong Democrat", citing his candidacy in the primary of the2002 Illinois gubernatorial election and his unsuccessful campaign as the Democratic Party's nominee for lieutenant governor in the2014 Illinois gubernatorial election.[65][66] Johnson also attacked Vallas as having hurt Chicago Public Schools' finances during his tenure asCEO of Chicago Public Schools.[67] Vallas accused Johnson of lacking "substance", accusing him of lacking a significant political record.[65] Vallas campaigned on lowering crime while characterizing Johnson as wanting to "defund the police".[67]
On April 4, Johnson defeated Vallas to win the runoff election.[68] His victory was described as anupset victory by several media outlets.[69][70]
Johnson was significantly out-fundraised by Vallas,[71] and outspent by a ratio of nearly 2-to-1.[72] Some journalists have attributedgrassroots organizing in support of Johnson's candidacy as having been the difference-maker in his victory.[73]
Many who led Johnson's transition team, including its chair, had ties to trade unions.[74]
On April 6, 2023, Mayor-elect Johnson met with Mayor Lightfoot at herChicago City Hall office in order to discuss the mayoral transition.[75][76] The following day, Mayor-elect Johnson met in person with Illinois governorJ. B. Pritzker.[77] He met in person with Illinois attorney generalKwame Raoul on April 14, 2023.[78]
On April 11, 2023, Chicago was announced to have won the right to host the2024 Democratic National Convention.[79] Johnson had supported the city's bid. After defeating Lightfoot in the first round, both Johnson and Vallas vowed to support the convention bid that Lightfoot had been championing as mayor.[80] It was reported that when PresidentJoe Biden made a congratulatory phone call to Johnson after he was projected the election's victory, Johnson took the opportunity to pitch him on Chicago's bid to host the convention.[81] After the mayoral election, in the final day before theDemocratic National Committee was to select a host city for the convention, Johnson and Governor Pritzker had worked with each other to advance the case for Chicago to host.[82]
Approximately a week after his election, Johnson joined a picket line alongside striking faculty members atChicago State University.[83]
In April 2023, after several large groups of teens and young adults engaged in shootings and vandalism across multiple locations in the city,[84] Mayor-Elect Johnson issued a statement, writing, "in no way do I condone the destructive activity we saw in the Loop and lakefront this weekend. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city. However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities."[85]
Johnson made staff decisions during the transition period, such as selecting his mayoralchief of staff.[88] It was announced that Interim Chief of Police Eric Carter would step down from that position on the day that Johnson is inaugurated.[89]
Johnson was inaugurated at noon on May 15, 2023, at theCredit Union 1 Arena.[90] Hours later he signed four executive orders relating to public safety, migrants and youth employment.[90]
In October 2023, the City Council passed the "One Fair Wage" ordinance with the support of Johnson. The ordinance establishes a timeline for the eventual elimination of the subminimum wage fortipped workers by July 1, 2028.[91][92][93]
As Mayor, Johnson has sought to remove red tape to streamline housing and commercial development in the city.[94]
During the 2023 mayoral campaign, Johnson campaigned on passing the "Bring Chicago Home" ordinance, a plan to increase the city'sreal estate transfer tax (RETT) on property sales over $1 million to fundaffordable housing andhomelessness support services.[51][95] In November 2023, City Council voted to put a referendum to change the tax on the primary election ballot in March 2024.[96] The referendum failed, with 53.2% of voters opposing the measure.[97]
In 2024, Johnson pushed for a 615-unit apartment building (of which 124 units were affordable housing) on the lot of a former industrial site at 1840 North Marcey Street. The alderman in the district,Scott Waguespack, sought to use his aldermanic privilege to block the housing development, but Johnson pushed to streamline the project and not allow Waguespack to delay or block it.[98][99]
In February 2025, Johnson introduced the Green Social Housing ordinance. The ordinance creates a city-run nonprofit run by the Department of Housing that finances private construction of mixed-income housing through low interest loans. Each new construction will have at least 30 percent affordable housing. After construction, the city retains a majority ownership stake and rent payments go into the funding of new developments. The buildings must also meetgreen sustainability standards designed to decrease carbon emissions, save on energy bills, and improve indoor air quality. In May, City Council approved the ordinance.[100][101][102]
In 2024, the city of Chicago was engaged in contract negotiations with theChicago Teachers Union (Johnson's former employer).[104] In July 2024, Johnson began suggesting that the school district should take on a newloan in order to cover expenses required to meet the teachers union's demands related to the funding of pensions and contracts.[105] However, higher-ups within the school district, as well as the school board, took issue, expressing concern over the prospect of taking on additionaldebt obligation considering its existing debts.[104]
Amid a standstill, the teachers union publicly lambastedChicago Public Schools CEOPedro Martinez, blaming him and pejoratively labeling him a "Lightfoot holdover".[104] Johnson also privately requested Martinez's resignation (though he publicly denied having done so).[106] On September 24, theChicago Tribune published an op-ed by Martinez, in which he outlined his reasons for refusing Johnson's request for him to resign.[107]
With all of this occurring before a period of change for the board (with the2024 board election set to reshape its composition from an entirely-appointed board to a hybrid board), the incumbent board members all declined to dismiss Martinez. Ultimately, this conflict led the board (including board president Jianan Shi) to tender their own resignations in early October. 41 out of the 50 members of the Chicago City Council (including some of Johnson's key council allies) signed anopen letter criticizing Johnson's move to quickly reshape the board only weeks before the school board election.[106] Days later, Johnson named new appointees to six of the seven seats[108] Seven new appointed members and president were sworn in together on October 28.[109]
In his shakeup of the board, Johnson appointed Rev. Mitchell Ikenna Johnson as the new board president.[110] After he was appointed, controversy arose over numerous social media posts he had previously made. Soon after he was appointed, attention was brought to a social media post he had made heralding theOctober 7 attacks as "resistance against oppression"; forty members of the city council and governorJB Pritzker expressed concern, with the governor accusing Mayor Johnson and his administration of failing to properly vet him.[111][112] Rev. Johnson later offered an apology for the offending post. The mayor initially defended his school board president, remarking:
He recognizes the harm those statements have caused, and has expressed his apology and will continue to seek atonement to have the full confidence in every community in the city of Chicago.[111]
Additional controversial social media posts came to light on October 31, including amisogynisticmeme and a post asserting a9/11 conspiracy theory. Governor Pritzker issued a public statement calling for Rev. Johnson's resignation. Journalists also uncovered manyanti-Israel and pro-Palestinian posts on his social media accounts that used hostile and offensive rhetoric towardsJewish people.[113] Later that day, Rev. Johnson tendered his resignation as school board president, with the mayor releasing a statement that the board president's resignation had come at the mayor's request due to his past online statements which were "not only hurtful but deeply disturbing."[110][111] On December 11, Mayor Johnson appointed Sean Harden as board president.[114] On December 20, Johnson's new appointees to the school board unanimously voted to terminate Martinez from his position as CEO.[115]
In mid November 2024 Johnson proposed a $300 million property tax increase to balance the city's budget that was unanimously rejected by the city council, 50–0.[116] Johnson would attempt to backtrack, saying that the proposed increase wasn't serious but just to get people's attention.[116] In March of that year voters also rejected an increase to the real-estate transfer tax on properties valued at more than $1 million and his efforts to plan to use a high-interest loan to fund contract demands from the Chicago Teachers Union led to mass resignations of the Chicago school board.[116]The Wall Street Journal denounced Johnson's economic reforms as putting Chicago "on a progressivekamikaze course."[116]
In 2024–2025, theChicago Sun-Times reported that Johnson's senior advisor Jason Lee held considerable influence over Johnson's policymaking; theSun-Times referred to Lee as Chicago's "shadow mayor."[117][118] Lee is the son of lateTexas congresswomanSheila Jackson-Lee, and he maintains an official residence inHouston despite living in Chicago, voting as a Texas resident in 2024.[118] In October 2025, Johnson would decline to fire Lee, despite being recommended by the city inspector general to do so.[119] In January 2026, Johnson would again defend Lee, despite Lee's controversial decision to work out-of-state on Texas-based CongresswomanJasmine Crockett's U.S. Senate campaign, even describing Lee's role with the campaign as vital to his own Chicago agenda.[120]
In late November 2023, Johnson acknowledged that the City of Chicago, with the backing of Illinois governorJB Pritzker,[121] was set to construct atent city hosting mostlyVenezuelan migrants on theSouthwest Side. Along with the encampments, Johnson teamed up with churches in 17 ofChicago's parishes to house roughly 350 migrants.[122]
In January 2024, Johnson cast a tiebreaking vote in support of a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in theGaza war.[123][124]
In March 2024, Johnson appointed college friendClinée Hedspeth to lead the city's art and cultural department, a decision marked with controversy over a short period of time that included bullying, anti-Semitic and sexual harassment allegations among others.[126][127] Hedspeth resigned less than 18 months since her appointment and was placed on the "ineligible for rehire" list for city employment.[128][129][126]
In October 2024, anOrthodox Jewish man was shot as he walked to his synagogue in the historically JewishWest Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Local Jewish activists and community groups condemned Johnson for neglecting to acknowledge the shooting victim's Jewish identity in his initial statement.[130] U.S. RepresentativeRitchie Torres of New York City criticized Johnson, implying that the mayor should resign if unwilling to take action against blatantantisemitism in the city.[130] In November, theChicago Police Department announced the alleged shooter would face hate crime and terrorism charges.[131]
On June 16, 2025, a poll was published that showed 26% approved of his job, 38% disapproved, and 36% expressed "mixed views", for a net approval of −12. This represented an improvement in net approval rating of 44 points from the October 2024 poll.[132] An October 2025 poll by a Democratic polling firm put his approval at 31%, with 61% disapproving.[133]
In March 2023, it was revealed that Johnson owed the city of Chicago $3,357.04 in unpaid water and sewer charges and additional $1,144.58 in unpaid traffic tickets from 2014 and 2015.[134][135] However, Johnson's debts were confirmed to be paid in full by March 31, 2023.[136]
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