Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Republican Party took to a press release to note its distance from both Chicago mayoral candidates. 

In the Feb. 28 primary election, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas was the top vote-getter with 38 percent of the vote to Cook County Commissioner for the 1st District Brandon Johnson’s 22 percent. 

“Contrary to some campaign literature, Republicans view neither Runoff candidate as one of their own,” Stephen F. Boulton, Chair of the Chicago Republican Party, said in the press release. “Republicans instead note that both candidates speak of being Mayor of the entire city, when by their words that plainly that does not include Republicans, despite the Republican vote being 15-20 percent in Chicago, sometimes higher. We return to the same Republican issues raised in an earlier Opinion published on January 8, 2023.” 

Boulton released the points below regarding the Chicago GOP’s views on both candidates: 

“1. Pension Debt Solution.”    

“We are impressed that the runoff candidates have plans, but neither is credible. Mr. Vallas promises welcome changes in investment management, but his main solutions are questionable. Diverting annual TIF excess income is unreliable and a major funding increase from Springfield strikes us as unlikely. Mr. Johnson simply wants to tax his way out with huge increases and new levies on an already overburdened city with a fragile post-pandemic economy. That strikes us as counter-productive.”  

“Neither candidate will face the twin elephants in the room:  the bloated pension benefits agreed to by past city leaders and the Pension Clause of the Illinois Constitution that is blocking any attempt at reform, such as a switch to 401(k) accounts for city employees. There is also the unknown effect of the recent constitutional amendment protecting union contracts, which may well have locked Chicago into a fiscally ruinous position. In the meantime, the pension debt bomb just keeps ticking away.”     

“2. Economic Expansion” 

“Chicago became an economic giant through capitalist Free Enterprise, not government programs. Each candidate appears forgetful of that fact, though both candidates are right in emphasizing business development in minority areas. The rest of their positions, however, simply promote more government, not more business. Brandon Johnson’s emphasis on vocational training is helpful, but the rest of his platform appears to be just more government social programs flavored by hostility to business. A new head tax is completely the wrong direction, as is his expansive new taxes, which will only benefit nearby states as business owners leave.” 

“Paul Vallas’s approach is that of a lifelong bureaucrat: yet another public-private “authority” to lead the way. Each candidate is missing the mark, for the answer is not more government, but less. Like hungry dogs presented with a full dish, Chicago businessmen and entrepreneurs will need no guidance if the government will simply remove the boot on their economic necks in the form of taxes, permits, fees, Aldermen, “expediters” and regulations.  With a positive business and tax climate, Chicago’s bountiful water, transportation and labor pool will attract back national corporations while expanding the tax base.  Release the hounds, and prosperity will come.” 

“3. Police Oversight” 

“In no surprise, neither candidate will adopt the Republican position of scrapping the new oversight structure in favor of a plan emphasizing professional policing. The current structure foretells another era of “political policing” in which a demoralized CPD is a political football. But the Vallas commitment to community policing policies eliminated under Mayor Lightfoot is a step in the right direction, as is boosting CTA patrols.” 

“Brandon Johnson has a good idea in reopening mental health clinics, as so many criminals are simply ill. We keep in mind, however, Mr. Johnson’s past statements on reduced police funding, and are struck by the contradiction of his rejection of hiring more police officers because it would take too long to train them while proposing to promote 200 officers to Detective with no provision to replace the promoted officers on patrol.” 

“4. School Reform”   

“The candidates’ positions on education in Chicago are remarkable in that neither stresses improving academic achievement or school choice when a vast majority of students don’t meet grade-level standards. Instead, each promotes a view of schools as social service centers, not education centers. Republicans see glimmers of reform in Mr. Vallas’ plan, such as placing control of funding in local schools rather than central administration, and allowing failing or underused schools to convert to magnet status.”  

“Mr. Johnson’s lengthy platform strikes us as a Progressive social agenda masquerading as an education policy, as it runs to housing, climate change, child care and other elements. While he proposes Sustainable Community Schools, few of the listed “guiding principles” of that plan speak to actual education. For example, the first guiding principle is “racial justice and equity” when we would rather see reading, math, STEM studies and improved education.”   

Boulton added, "On the whole, Mr. Vallas’ proposals are marginally closer to Republican positions on the issues, but more because Mr. Johnson’s proposals are so far away. In our view, each platform needs less pandering and more reality. We urge journalists and citizens to demand better answers.”  

Johnson has heavy support from the Chicago Teachers Union. He is a former CTU organizer and teacher. The CTU has funded the bulk of Johnson’s campaign Johnson, the Cook County commissioner for the 1st District, recently received another $1.5 million from the Chicago Teachers Union, according to Illinois Policy. The union voted to raise member dues by $8 per month through June of 2023 just to support Johnson’s candidacy. Of the nearly $5 million donated to Johnson’s campaign, around 65 percent has come from government sector unions. Johnson is also employed by the CTU which has paid him over $390,000 for being a “legislative coordinator.”

Vallas has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police due to his heavy focus on resolving the city’s crime problem. He previously noted the city’s issues in terms of response to 911 calls that are not being attended to. Vallas noted that in 2021, "there were 400,000 high-priority 911 calls that they did not have a police car to respond to," WGN9 reported. “That’s half of all the 911 calls that year."

Despite his support for police Vallas condemned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis when he visited with law enforcement officers in Elmhurst earlier this year, Chicago Sun-Times reported. The event was promoted by Chicago Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police which noted in an email to members that it was for “law enforcement members only, spouses are not included.” DeSantis’s political team organized the Elmhurst appearance called “Law and Order: Florida Leading the Way.” DeSantis is a likely GOP presidential contender in 2024.