Brandon Johnson

Brandon Johnson
Johnson in 2024
Brandon Johnson
Born	27 3, 1976
Birthplace	Elgin, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, former educator
Title	57th Mayor of Chicago
Known for	57th Mayor of Chicago
Education	Aurora University (BA, MA)
Children	3

Brandon Johnson (born March 27, 1976) is an American politician and former educator serving as the 57th Mayor of Chicago since May 15, 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Johnson rose to political prominence through his work as a social studies teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system and as an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). Before becoming mayor, he served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 2018 to 2023, representing the 1st district, which encompassed parts of Chicago's West Side and several western suburbs. Johnson's path from classroom teacher to union organizer to county commissioner to mayor of the nation's third-largest city reflected a trajectory rooted in community organizing and progressive politics. In the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, Johnson advanced to a runoff alongside Paul Vallas, unseating incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot in the first round, and subsequently defeated Vallas to claim the mayoralty. As mayor, Johnson has focused on combating homelessness and pursuing police and education reform.

Early Life

Brandon Johnson was born on March 27, 1976, in Elgin, Illinois, a city located approximately 40 miles northwest of Chicago. He was born and raised in Elgin, where he spent his formative years. Details about his parents and family background during his childhood years in Elgin remain limited in publicly available records, though Johnson has spoken about his upbringing in the context of understanding the challenges facing working-class communities in the greater Chicago area.

Johnson eventually settled in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, where he established roots as both a resident and community member. Austin, one of Chicago's largest and most historically significant neighborhoods, became central to Johnson's identity as a public servant, and he continued to reside there throughout his political career. His experiences living and working on the West Side informed much of his approach to policy issues including housing, education, and public safety.

Education

Johnson attended Aurora University, a private university located in Aurora, Illinois, where he earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. His academic training prepared him for a career in education, and he went on to become a social studies teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system. His time in higher education and subsequent teaching career shaped his understanding of the public education system and the challenges facing students and educators in urban school districts, themes that would become central to his later political platform.

Career

Teaching and Union Organizing

Johnson began his professional career as a social studies teacher within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, one of the largest public school districts in the United States. His firsthand experience in the classroom gave him direct insight into the conditions facing public school students and teachers across Chicago. During his time as an educator, Johnson became an active member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), Local 1 of the American Federation of Teachers.

Johnson's involvement with the CTU extended beyond standard union membership. He became an organizer within the union and played a role in organizing the CTU's 2012 strike, a major labor action that drew national attention to issues of education funding, school closures, and teacher evaluation methods in Chicago. The 2012 strike, the first by Chicago teachers in 25 years, lasted seven school days and involved approximately 26,000 teachers and support staff. Johnson's participation in the strike and its organizing efforts positioned him as a figure within the labor movement in Chicago.

Johnson continued his work with the CTU in subsequent years. During the 2019 Chicago teachers' strike, which lasted 11 school days, the union and its allies — including Johnson — pressed for improvements in class sizes, the hiring of additional support staff such as nurses and social workers, and increased investment in schools serving predominantly low-income communities. The CTU eventually reached a contract agreement with the city, and the union's membership voted to approve the deal in November 2019. The CTU described the organizing efforts surrounding the 2019 contract campaign as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the union's capacity and influence.

Johnson's dual identity as a teacher and union organizer became foundational to his political career. His experience within the CTU connected him to a broad network of labor activists, community organizations, and progressive political figures throughout Cook County and the city of Chicago.

Cook County Board of Commissioners

In 2018, Johnson ran for public office for the first time, seeking to represent the 1st district on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The 1st district encompassed parts of Chicago's West Side, including the Austin neighborhood where Johnson resided, as well as portions of the city's western suburbs. Johnson received the endorsement of Toni Preckwinkle, the president of the Cook County Board, during his campaign for the seat.

Johnson won the election, defeating the incumbent commissioner, Richard Boykin. He was sworn in as the 1st district commissioner on December 3, 2018.

During his tenure on the Cook County Board, Johnson focused on a number of policy areas. Among his legislative initiatives was support for measures that would limit landlords' ability to inquire about prospective tenants' criminal histories during the rental application process, a policy approach commonly referred to as "fair chance housing." In April 2019, the Cook County Board approved restrictions on such inquiries, a measure that Johnson championed as part of broader efforts to reduce barriers to housing for individuals with criminal records. The county subsequently held hearings on fair housing and the intersection of criminal history and tenant screening practices.

Johnson also secured endorsements from a range of organizations during his time on the Cook County Board. He won reelection to the Cook County Board in the November 2022 general election. However, by the time of his reelection, Johnson had already begun laying the groundwork for a campaign for a higher office.

2023 Chicago Mayoral Campaign

In September 2022, Johnson launched an exploratory committee to assess a potential run for mayor of Chicago, signaling his interest in challenging incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot. In October 2022, Johnson formally entered the race for mayor.

The 2023 Chicago mayoral election featured a crowded field of candidates. Under Chicago's nonpartisan election system, all candidates appeared on the same ballot in the first round, with the top two vote-getters advancing to a runoff if no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote. In the first round of voting held in February 2023, Johnson and Paul Vallas, a former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, emerged as the top two finishers, advancing to the runoff election. Incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot was eliminated in the first round, becoming the first sitting Chicago mayor to fail to advance to a runoff since the city adopted its current election format.

The runoff election, held in April 2023, presented Chicago voters with a clear contrast between two candidates with markedly different approaches to governance. Vallas, who had the backing of the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement organizations, emphasized public safety and a more traditional approach to policing. Johnson, with strong support from the CTU and organized labor, campaigned on a progressive platform that included investments in mental health services, affordable housing, and education, alongside police reform measures.

Johnson won the runoff election, defeating Vallas to become the 57th mayor of Chicago. His victory was seen as a significant achievement for the progressive wing of Chicago's Democratic Party and for the labor movement that had supported his candidacy. The CTU's role in organizing and funding Johnson's campaign drew particular attention, as the union had emerged as one of the most influential political forces in Chicago politics over the preceding decade.

Mayor of Chicago

Brandon Johnson was inaugurated as the 57th mayor of Chicago on May 15, 2023, succeeding Lori Lightfoot. Walter Burnett Jr. served as his deputy mayor from 2023 to 2025. Upon taking office, Johnson became responsible for governing a city of approximately 2.7 million residents, overseeing a municipal budget of billions of dollars, and managing a complex array of challenges including public safety, affordable housing, homelessness, and education.

As mayor, Johnson has focused on several key policy areas that aligned with the progressive platform on which he campaigned. Among his stated priorities has been combating homelessness through increased investment in shelters, supportive housing, and wraparound services for unhoused individuals. Johnson has also pursued police reform, seeking to implement changes in how the Chicago Police Department operates while addressing community concerns about both public safety and police accountability.

Education reform has remained a central focus of Johnson's administration, consistent with his background as a former CPS teacher and CTU organizer. His administration has sought to increase investment in public schools, particularly those serving low-income communities on the South and West Sides of the city.

Throughout his tenure as mayor, Johnson has been described by political observers and media outlets as a political progressive, reflecting his emphasis on social spending, labor rights, and systemic reform over more traditional or centrist approaches to urban governance.

Personal Life

Brandon Johnson resides in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, where he has lived for an extended period. He has three children. Johnson's residence in Austin, one of Chicago's most populous neighborhoods and a community that has faced significant economic and social challenges, has been a part of his public identity as a representative of the West Side.

Johnson is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his election as mayor, his political activities were rooted in the Cook County Democratic political ecosystem, where he built relationships with labor organizations, community groups, and progressive political allies.

Recognition

Johnson's election as mayor of Chicago in 2023 attracted national media coverage, as it was viewed as a test of progressive politics in one of the largest cities in the United States. His victory over Paul Vallas in the runoff election was analyzed by political commentators as an indicator of the strength of organized labor — particularly teachers' unions — in shaping urban electoral outcomes.

Johnson's career trajectory from classroom teacher to union organizer to county commissioner to mayor has been noted as an example of the pipeline between labor organizing and elected office. His campaigns received endorsements from a range of labor unions, community organizations, and progressive political figures, reflecting a broad coalition of support.

The 2023 mayoral race, in which Johnson unseated an incumbent mayor and then defeated a candidate with substantial institutional support, was covered extensively by local and national media outlets including the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Block Club Chicago, and WTTW News, among others.

Legacy

As a sitting officeholder, Johnson's long-term legacy remains a subject of ongoing development. However, several aspects of his career have already drawn analysis from political observers. His election as mayor in 2023 represented a continuation of the CTU's growing influence in Chicago politics, a trend that began with the union's 2012 strike and expanded through subsequent labor actions and political campaigns. Johnson's candidacy demonstrated the capacity of organized labor to elect one of its own members to the highest office in city government.

Johnson's policy agenda as mayor — focused on investments in social services, housing, education, and alternatives to traditional policing models — has positioned his administration within the broader national conversation about progressive urban governance. His approach has drawn comparisons to other progressive mayors in major American cities who have pursued similar agendas centered on equity and systemic reform.

His path from Elgin, Illinois, through the Chicago Public Schools classroom and the Chicago Teachers Union, to the Cook County Board of Commissioners and ultimately the mayor's office, illustrates the role of community organizing and labor activism as pathways to political power in American cities. As Johnson continues to serve as mayor, the outcomes of his policy initiatives will further shape his political legacy and the trajectory of progressive politics in Chicago.