Brandon Johnson announces bid for a second term as Chicago mayor

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Sunday, September 13, that he will seek a second term as Chicago mayor, ending months of uncertainty about whether the incumbent would enter the 2027 election.

Johnson made the announcement in a campaign video posted online. He and his campaign scheduled a 4 p.m. supporter event Sunday at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, after the Chicago Bears’ season opener.

Announcement follows weeks of speculation

The decision followed a buildup around a September 13 special announcement. Johnson’s political organization invited supporters to attend but did not initially identify whether he would formally launch a reelection campaign.

In an interview published before Sunday’s announcement, Johnson said he would address Chicagoans about his future and the future of the city on September 13. CBS Chicago reported Sunday that he had confirmed his decision to run.

A crowded 2027 contest

Johnson enters a crowded mayoral contest, although the field is not final and candidates may still enter or leave the race. CBS Chicago reported that at least nine candidates had announced plans to run, while Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas had said she would run without formally launching a campaign.

The Illinois State Board of Elections lists Friends of Brandon Johnson as an active candidate committee. The state record identifies the committee in connection with Johnson’s candidacy for Chicago mayor in the 2027 election cycle. That record supports the campaign committee’s status; it is not, by itself, proof of Sunday’s announcement, which was confirmed separately by Johnson’s campaign video and local reporting.

Approval numbers will shape the campaign

Johnson begins the reelection campaign with weak reported poll numbers. A University of Chicago Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation survey cited by CBS Chicago found his approval rating at 23%. The same reporting said 13.6% of Chicagoans surveyed were excited by another Johnson campaign.

Those figures are survey findings, not a measure of every Chicago voter. They nevertheless show the political challenge facing the incumbent as he seeks to make the case for another term.

Budget pressure adds to the governing test

The campaign will unfold alongside Chicago’s budget process. A September 2026 forecast put the city’s projected 2027 budget shortfall at $882.4 million, down from an earlier estimate of $1.2 billion but still a major gap to close.

The figure is a forecast, not an adopted deficit. Decisions about revenue, spending and city services will become a central governing issue while Johnson asks voters for four more years.

What comes next

Johnson’s announcement moves the 2027 mayoral race into a more defined phase. The next developments to watch include additional candidate announcements, campaign-finance activity, ballot-access filings and the city’s budget process.

The declaration confirms that Chicago will have an incumbent in the 2027 mayoral race. It does not determine whether Johnson will win a nomination or reelection.

Sources

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