Who is Brandon Johnson? Meet Chicago’s mayor-elect

Brandon Johnson is an American educator and politician who is the mayor-elect of Chicago, having won the 2023 election. Johnson, a Democrat, has been the 1st district’s representative on the Cook County Board of Commissioners since 2018.

Johnson won the Democratic primary election in March 2018 by defeating incumbent Commissioner Richard Boykin; he won the general election without any challengers and was re-elected in 2022.

He received 21.6% of the votes cast in the first round of the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, coming in second to Paul Vallas’ 33% total.

Johnson defeated Vallas in the April 4, 2023 runoff election to become Chicago’s 57th mayor and the fourth African-American to hold the position.

Johnson, his wife Stacie, and their three children reside in the Austin area on the western side of Chicago.

Johnson owed the city of Chicago $3,357.04 in overdue water and sewer fees as well as an extra $1,044.58 in unpaid traffic fines from 2014 and 2015 as of March 2023, it was discovered.

Johnson’s obligations, however, were confirmed to be fully repaid by March 31, 2023.

Johnson defeated Vallas on April 4 to win the runoff election. The Associated Press predicted his victory a few hours after the polls closed on April 4 night. Some media publications referred to Johnson’s victory as an unexpected victory.