Mayor Brandon Johnson was voted in by Chicago residents disaffected by the dismal job by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, but they seem to be experiencing some buyer’s remorse over their choice.
The 48-year-old Democrat earned the stunning disapproval of 70 percent of voters surveyed in a Change Research poll.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Approval
Approve 15%
Disapprove 70% (-55)Change Research poll
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) November 25, 2024
Johnson, who has been mayor since 2023, surpassed Lightfoot as a highly unpopular mayor as Lightfoot’s halfway mark still saw her with just 39 percent of voters unhappy with the job she was doing.
With just 15 percent of those polled showing approval for Johnson at his halftime point, he earned the dubious honor of being recognized as “the most unpopular mayor in the history of the city,” according to National Review’s Jeffrey Blehar.
More than half of those surveyed qualified their dissatisfaction as “very unfavorable.”
Brandon Johnson is underwater by a lot with a majority of voters in Chicago pic.twitter.com/Wk0h9Ppkgy
— P. Sergio Serrato (@thedatapopulist) November 25, 2024
Johnson’s office has been roiled in controversy as his former top aide was fired in October over sexual harassment allegations. Several City of Chicago employees filed complaints against Ronnie Reese, the mayor’s former communications director.
Johnson has also been pushing for a property tax hike in his proposed budget but was given a resounding blow when all 50 Chicago aldermen voted against the $300 million increase. The Democrat then lowered his demand “for $150 million in property taxes, $128 million in cloud computing taxes, $10 million in streaming service taxes and $10.6 million from a 35% hike in liquor taxes,” according to Illinois Policy.
Johnson told critics to “grow up” and accept the tax increase as S&P Global Ratings warned the city would be placed on “CreditWatch with negative implications” as Chicago faces a looming $982.4 million deficit for next year.
“The negative watch indicates S&P’s concern that Chicago may undo years of budgetary discipline, which is valid,” portfolio manager Dennis Derby told Yahoo! Finance this week. “There is time to work through budgetary issues constructively and should that fail to occur, the city’s credit profile would weaken.”
There don’t seem to be any easy answers before the end of the year.
“Chicago hasn’t entered December without an approved city budget since 2009, and this year not only is the city starting the month without an OK’d fiscal plan, but the mayor and aldermen are a chasm apart on key issues with aldermen finding few easy answers,” the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.
Residents and local lawmakers alike have expressed frustration with Johnson who has surpassed his predecessor in unpopularity according to the latest local poll.
This new poll for Brandon Johnson is worse than any public poll ever for Lori Lightfoot that I can find, unless someone can show me otherwise. A M3 poll in December 2022 had Lightfoot at -49. pic.twitter.com/IzFwM5Kc4h
— Frank Calabrese (@FrankCalabrese) November 25, 2024
Social media users weighed in on the polls and the deeply unpopular mayor.
“Lightfoot is the worst mayor in the USA.”
Brandon Johnson: Hold My Beer
— Stella (@ItalianGrlGX) November 25, 2024
This is funny, until I remember that this guy is my mayor https://t.co/Eu2nWs6A9B
— Chicago Conservative (@ChicagosLoneCon) November 25, 2024
I warned you guys in 2023. This guy is a communist who cloaked himself until after he was elected.
Most far-left mayor in the entire US. He must go.
Paul Vallas would have turned the city around. Too bad they chose incorrectly. You can’t fix stupid though.
— Bushie (@OldNewRight) November 25, 2024
And yet, he’d still win handily over a generic Republican. At some point, you deserve what you vote for.
— Grab Your Popcorn (@furioustheguy) November 25, 2024
Voters in blue cities are never gonna learn.
— Gabriel Knight (@ShadowHunter471) November 26, 2024
Headline: “Brandon Johnson Breaks New Ground, Becomes Most Unpopular Mayor in Chicago History”
But unfortunately he’ll eventually be replaced with another Democrat. And the cycle will go on and on.
— Community Notes (@Yeshua_4Me) November 26, 2024
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