Chicago Mayor Losing Grip on City as Rivals Build War Chest (1)

Jan. 12, 2026, 2:35 PM UTC

He failed on his campaign promises to tax the rich. Then city council members passed a budget without his blessing. Now his opponents are building a war chest that could be used to unseat him next year.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is struggling to keep a grip on the third-largest US city and get its strained finances back on track, opening the door for a roster of potential candidates to take his spot in 2027.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
Photographer: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images

“He’s in real trouble — in terms of his reelection certainly,” said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at Brookings in ...

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