Democrat Congressman Announces Bid for Chicago Mayor, Challenging Lori Lightfoot

Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-Ill.) speaks during a news conference on Title 42 outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 28, 2022. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Just days after securing a win in his reelection bid to Congress, Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Ill.) has announced that he will be running for mayor of Chicago.

In a campaign video released on Thursday morning before formally announcing his run for mayor, Garcia highlighted challenges like racial unrest, inflation, and the COVID-19 pandemic facing the city. The Democrat insisted that Chicagoans are “calling out for help.” Issues like unemployment, affordable housing, and crime have created “so much uncertainty” ahead, he said.

“People are still living paycheck to paycheck. Many live in fear of losing their homes, of losing their livelihood, of losing their loved ones. We need and deserve a safer, kinder, and more prosperous Chicago for all,” he said.

“It’s time for City Hall to work on behalf of all its people; a mayor that will bring us together and unite us, instead of driving us apart.”

Garcia was first elected to the Chicago City Council back in 1986 and became the first Mexican-American member of the Illinois State Senate in 1992. He ran for mayor in the 2015 race but ended up losing. In the 2018 election, Garcia won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

By announcing his candidacy for mayor in the 2023 election, Garcia will be competing against incumbent Democrat Lori Lightfoot.

Garcia’s announcement comes as Chicago is reeling from a surge in crime. By late October, the overall crime rate was up 38 percent when compared to 2021, with car theft higher by 79 percent, theft by 61 percent, and burglary by 22 percent.

Amid Chicago’s crime rates, multiple companies have announced exits from the city. In May, Boeing said it was shifting from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia. Hedge fund Citadel moved to Miami, Florida. Tyson Foods announced it was moving to Springdale, Arkansas.

Betrayal Accusation, Election

Though Garcia said that he would run for mayor only on the condition that the GOP wins a majority in the House of Representatives, Lightfoot’s campaign still characterized his intention as a sort of betrayal.

In a statement, Lightfoot campaign spokeswoman Christina Freundlich called Garcia a “career politician” who is prioritizing his own personal ambitions, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“Now, a mere 36 hours after voters reelected him to Congress, and as Republicans prepare to use their new slim majority to strip away our rights, Mr. Garcia is abandoning ship and going after a fellow progressive Democrat. That’s not the tough, principled leadership our city needs,” she said.

In addition to Garcia, the Chicago mayoral race has 10 candidates. Garcia is popular with Hispanic voters. In the 2020 census, the Latino population of Chicago exceeded the black population for the first time.

Earlier this year, a Latino-focused Political Action Committee had asked Garcia to run for mayor, with a poll commissioned by the organization showing him tying up with Lightfoot.

A Harris poll in June showed that only 22 percent were satisfied with Lightfoot’s performance, with 73 percent wanting another individual to become the next mayor.