A new campaign mailer being sent to Chicago residents by Paul Vallas’s campaign features Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s photograph and criticism of mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson.
But Lightfoot’s political team is decrying the use of her photograph in the mailer, saying Lightfoot didn’t sign off on it and noting she has not endorsed either in the race.
“Our campaign did not approve the use of Mayor Lightfoot’s image or quote on this mail, which appears to have been targeted at Black voters,” a Lightfoot campaign spokesperson said in a statement.
“Mayor Lightfoot has not endorsed any candidate in this race, and any attempt to imply that she has is incorrect. This unauthorized use should not be repeated by any candidate.”
A spokesperson for Vallas’s campaign said, “These quotes are in the public domain and were properly cited in the mailer, making them allowable for use in campaign materials.”
The mailer attacks Johnson for previous comments he made in support of the so-called “Defund the Police” movement, which Johnson has since distanced himself from and has called such attacks “racist.”
The mailer features the text of a tweet Lightfoot posted on Twitter on Feb. 13 before the first round of the election: “Brandon Johnson will not commit to filling vacancies in the Chicago police department. He said — if elected — he would slash the CPD budget. At the county level, he led the effort to cut public safety funding. This is not going to make Chicago safer.”
The campaign mailer also features a photo of businessman Willie Wilson, another former candidate for mayor who has already endorsed Vallas, and a quote that reads: “If you defund the police, how are they gonna do their jobs?”
In the initial election round, Lightfoot was a frequent and staunch critic of Wilson, Johnson and Vallas.
Lightfoot has criticized Wilson for comments he made that police should be able to “hunt” fleeing suspects down like “rabbits.” She attacked Vallas for the fact he’s taken major financial support from wealthy Republican donors, as well as his stance on abortion. And she attacked Johnson in a similar way Vallas has — for his previous comments in support for defunding the police.
But Lightfoot has so far stayed out of the runoff race for mayor, and has avoided speaking with the media since her Feb. 28 defeat.
While neither remaining candidate has said outright they’ve asked for Lightfoot’s endorsement, both have been sprinting to scoop up the support Lightfoot received in that first round.
Lightfoot won 16.8% of the vote, or 94,890 votes, with a major base of support in majority-Black wards.
Johnson and Vallas have been competing for endorsements from heavyweight Black politicians in hopes of winning over Lightfoot voters. Those endorsements have largely been split between the two candidates.
A few examples: City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, along with her husband and chair of the City Council’s Black Caucus Ald. Jason Ervin, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle have endorsed Johnson.
In addition to Wilson’s support, former Secretary of State Jesse White, former Congressman Bobby Rush, Alds. Sophia King and Roderick Sawyer have thrown their support behind Vallas.
WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel covers city government and politics.
