Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has given Vice President Kamala Harris his "full endorsement" following President Joe Biden's announcement that he is dropping out of the presidential race. Johnson stated, "It is vital for our entire party to come together and support Vice President Kamala Harris." He made this statement in a July 21 post on X.

Kamala Harris was elected Vice President of the United States in the 2020 presidential elections and had been on the Democratic ticket with President Joe Biden until July 21, when Biden announced that he was dropping out of the race and supporting Harris in her bid for the presidency. She is known as the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to hold the vice presidency, according to her official biography. During her tenure, she has made more than a dozen trips abroad and met with more than 150 world leaders.

Her tenure has not been without controversy for Chicago residents. On January 21, 2019, she shared a post on X about her support for and friendship with actor Jussie Smollett, who was at the center of a controversial court case after he said he was a victim of a hate crime. Prosecutors dropped charges against Smollett after he pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police. In a second trial, he was found guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct and sentenced to 150 days in jail and fined $145,000, according to the BBC. Harris' post on X supporting Smollett read: ".@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern-day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate."

Screenshot of Brandon Johnson's July 21 post on X | X

Johnson’s message supporting Harris for President continued: "Vice President Harris is the visionary leader that we need now to defeat the threat of another Trump presidency. She has proven herself as a fearless defender of our democracy. I look forward to doing everything I can do ensure she becomes our next President."

Johnson was elected as mayor of Chicago in 2023 after defeating incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the first round. He ran against fellow Democrat Paul Vallas, whom he defeated to become the 57th Mayor of Chicago.