'I'm a Black Woman in America': Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Blames Election Loss on Racism, Sexism
By: YahooNews
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot attributed her election loss to racism and sexism in comments to reporters Tuesday night, glossing over the impact of violent crime, which surged in the windy city during her tenure.
Lightfoot failed to make the April runoff, losing to Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, who outflanked her from the right and left respectively. Crime had become the leading issue in the election, leading Lightfoot to pivot towards supporting the police.
"I'm a black woman in America. Of course," she replied when asked by a reporter if she had been treated unfairly, according to the New York Post. Lightfoot neglected to mention that Johnson is also black.
Nevertheless, she called her time as Chicago's mayor "the honor of a lifetime."
"Regardless of tonight's outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path," Lightfoot said.
The comments made Tuesday night were in line with her previously stated view that it is difficult for someone like her to succeed in an electoral setting.
In an interview with the New Yorker prior to the election, Lightfoot explained: "I am a black woman — let's not forget. Certain folks, frankly, don't support us in leadership roles."
"The same forces that didn't want Harold Washington to succeed, they're still here," she told one black audience, referring to the city's first black mayor.
Lightfoot is the first black woman and the first openly gay person to lead the nation's third-largest city.
She has been heavily criticized for the rampant crime in Chicago and the demonization of the police. While Lightfoot initially supported cutting the city's police budget, she has since pivoted.
Violent crime in the city increased by 40 percent since she was elected in 2019 on a promise to bring down crime rates, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
With 94 percent of votes counted, Vallas, who was the tough-on-crime choice of the Fraternal Order of the Police, is leading with a plurality of 34 percent. Brandon Johnson, who wants to defund the police, is second with 20 percent of the vote.
Fifty percent of the vote was needed to avoid a runoff, which will take place on April 4, 2023.
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Nice try Betelgeuse. Your gender or skin color had nothing to do with it. You're just plain garbage that ruined the city.
Hopefully the people vote in somebody who cares more for the city than the bullshit Lightfoot did.
She forgot homophobes. The trifecta.
Then she doesn't qualify for the Biden administration.
Perhaps CNN will hire her?
They do have a pretty low standard for their employees.
Orkin might hire her to scare pests away
I guess Chicago democrats are irrevocably racist
No, Mayor Lightfoot, being Black and a woman are not qualifications. The days of token quotas are coming to an end. Black people and women in prominent positions have become too commonplace to attract notice. People are expecting competent leadership instead of checking blocks.
Mayor Lightfoot's problem is that she is a liberal in a MAGA country. Lightfoot's liberally divisive politics needs to fade into history where it belongs.
More whiny Black grievance and blaming.
You are Regan
Following Stacy Abrams sterling example.
Yep, and she did it in two consecutive elections that she lost. I guess she figured being President of United Earth in one episode of Star Trek: Discovery made her qualified!😆
It’s hard to imagine anyone getting reelected with her record.
This guy got more votes than her:
So, no Lori. It’s not because you’re black.
Lori, give it up, that is as played out as election fraud.
Amazingly enough people want you to actually do shit to make their lives better using their tax dollars.
So the very same folks who elected her just a couple of years ago have suddenly turned racist---just pretend the black man running didn't get any votes.
Lori. you were deemed unfit for office. Get over yourself and stop looking for excuses for your crappy term in office.
Condoleezza Rice, Rosalind Brewer, Thasunda Duckett.....
Apparently you get support if you don't suck.
Another thing she obviously never learned is that one has to give respect to get respect.