>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO A SPECIAL ELECTION NIGHT EDITION OF CHICAGO TONIGHT.

THE MAYOR WILL NOT GET A SECOND TERM WILLFUL WELL MORE THAN 97% OF REPORTS OF A APRIL 4 RUNOFF.

THE MAYOR CONCEDED TONIGHT.

JOINING US FROM THE ELECTION HEADQUARTERS OF THE TOP THREE CANDIDATES IS OUR OWN REPORTER.

AMANDA, YOU ARE REPORTING LIVE FROM THE ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.

>> Reporter: HERE AT CITY HALL, THIS IS THE SPACE , THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING, BALLOTS OCCUPYING THE FIFTH FLOOR.

THE SUPPORTERS ARE FEELING HAPPY AND CONFIDENT WITH THE FRONT RUNNER STATUS .

APPROXIMATELY 35% OF THE VOTE.

WE HEARD FROM PAUL IN THE 9:00 HOUR.

HE CONTINUED TO HAMMER ON THE PROCESS HERE, A FOCUS ON PRIVATE PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN.

A CIVIL RIGHT.

IT IS THE PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT WE WILL HAVE A SAFE CHICAGO.

WE WILL MAKE CHICAGO THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA.

>> Reporter: HE MADE THE SPEECH AFTER BAGPIPES PLAYED AND A INTRODUCTION FROM ONE OF HIS KEY SUPPORTERS IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO HELP VALLAS NOT JUST BE THE VICTOR OF THE RACE BUT HOW DOES HE GET MORE THAN 50% OF THE VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION?

>> I THINK THAT HIS MESSAGE IS CLEAR AND RESONATES WITH CHICAGO RESIDENTS.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE ISSUE.

IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL THE OTHERS.

HIS PLAN TO BOOST NOT JUST RESOURCES BUT THE MORALE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A NEW POLICE SUPERINTENDENT.

>> IS THAT WHERE LORI LIGHTFOOT WENT WRONG?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF SHE AT HER DISCRETION WERE ABLE TO LEAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I DID NOT CALL FOR HIS RESIGNATION BUT THE MAYOR GETS TO MAKE THE CHOICE AND OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE COMMANDER IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE FOR HIM TO MAKE .

NUMBER TWO IS EDUCATION WHICH I THINK HE HAS A STRONG POINT THERE.

>> DOES VALLAS HAVE A CHANCE TO BE OUR MAYOR?

>> HE DEFINITELY HAS A CHANCE.

>> THERE WE HAVE IT FROM THE ALDERMAN SENDING IT BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO.

>> AMANDA THANK YOU SO MUCH AND JOINING PAUL VALLAS IS IN THE RACE AND BRANDON JOHNSON.

>> Reporter: HELLO BRANDON, IT'S A JUBILANT CROWD OUT HERE.

THE MUSIC HAS BEEN LOUD ALL NIGHT.

THERE'VE BEEN SOME DANCE PARTIES THAT BROKE OUT.

MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, SUPPORTERS TAKING THE STAGE.

WE HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER JOHNSON HE WRAPPED AT 10 OR 15 MINUTES AGO WITH A VICTORY SPEECH.

HERE'S A LITTLE OF WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CHICAGOANS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN .

YOU WENT DOOR TO DOOR .

YOU MADE PHONE CALLS.

SOME OF YOU ALL HAD BEEN HARASSING YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OVER MONTHS.

AS THE NEXT MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO I APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO RECEIVED MULTIPLE TEXT MESSAGES FROM YOUR COUSINS, YOUR AUNTIE, YOUR PASTOR, YOUR GRANDMOTHER .

THANK YOU.

WHAT YOU DID, YOU TURNED OUR HOPES INTO A REALITY .

YOU BELIEVED A BETTER CHICAGO AS POSSIBLE.

>> WE ARE JOINED BY THE CHICAGO'S TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN A BIG BACKER OF COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HIS CHANCES THAT HE HAS IN THE RUNOFF?

>> I'M SO HAPPY FOR US AS A RESIDENT OF CHICAGO.

HAVING HIM INVEST IN US AND KEEP US SAFE AND BUILDING US A STRONGER AND BETTER CHICAGO.

>> SOME OF THE SUPPORTERS OR DETRACTORS RATHER WHO COME AFTER BRANDON JOHNSON DIDN'T HAVE SAID THE HEAVY TEACHERS UNION SUPPORT IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN AS HE COULD BE NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> CHICAGO TEACHERS , THEY EDUCATE OUR YOUTH EVERY DAY IN THE CITY.

WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN HERE.

WE ARE 80% WOMEN .

WE OWN HOMES, WE RENT APARTMENTS, WE ARE YOUR TAXPAYERS , PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO HAVE A CHICAGO THAT IS FULLY INVESTED IN US.

AN HOUR'S IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR STUDENTS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THE CROWD IS BEGINNING TO THIN OUT THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING.

GOING THROUGH THE APRIL RUNOFF.

WE WILL HAVE MORE LATER BUT FOR NOW, BACK TO YOU.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A PARTY GOING ON OVER THERE.

LET'S GO OVER TO THIS AREA, THE ELECTION NIGHT HEADQUARTERS OF THE INCUMBENT LORI LIGHTFOOT.

>> IT'S A MORE SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE .

THE ASSEMBLED SUPPORTERS WITNESSING HISTORY ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T THE HISTORY THAT THEY HAD COME HERE TO SEE.

THE MAYOR OFFICIALLY BECOMING THE FIRST MAYOR TO LOSE REELECTION SINCE JANE BURNS AND HAROLD WASHINGTON 40 YEARS AGO.

AT 8:45, SHE TOOK THE STAGE WITH HER WIFE TO DELIVER THE NEWS.

>> I'VE CALLED BRANDON JOHNSON AND PAUL VALLAS TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON THEIR VICTORIES INTO THE RUNOFFS.

>> Reporter: I'M JOINED BY A LONG TIME SUPPORTER.

SCOTT, WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WHY COULD SHE NOT CRACK THE TOP TWO?

>> I THINK IT WAS PEOPLE SPEAKING OUT THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

THEY VOTED FOR TO OTHER PEOPLE .

WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THAT AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

>> SHE LOST SOME OF HER FORMER ALLIES.

YOU STUCK WITH HER THOUGH, WHY IS THAT?

>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THINGS I'VE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS PRIOR IN PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS.

THIS MAYOR MADE SURE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD BEEN FIGHTING FOR ON THE PROGRESSIVE FRONT AND ON THE CITY FINANCE MOVES AND THE FORMS WE NEEDED THAT WE MOVED FORWARD.

>> SOME SPECIFICS ON THAT?

>> THE WORKERS COMP PERFORMANCE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH HER CLOSELY TO BE SURE THAT THE CITY FINANCE IN TERMS OF RATINGS WENT UP WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ETHICS REFORMS AND CITY COUNCIL, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST FIGHT OF ALL AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE ALDERMAN PUSHED BACK AGAINST HER BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE INSTITUTIONS THAT DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE WITHIN THE CITY AND THAT'S WHERE THAT PUSHBACK WAS.

>> QUICKLY DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU WILL BE WITH, VALLAS VERSUS JOHNSON?

>> I NEED TO HEAR MORE SUBSTANCE AND NOT JUST PLATITUDES BUT SEE WHAT THEY WILL MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> BRANDIS, WE WILL TOSS THIS BACK TO YOU.

>> WE WILL CHECK IN WITH YOU AND OUR OTHER REPORTERS LATER ON.

>> IN TERMS OF VOTER WORD TURNOUT THE WORD OF THE DAY HAS BEEN SLUGGISH.

JOINING US IS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

SO EARLY VOTING, THAT WAS UP BUT OVERALL TODAY'S VOTING WAS DOWN.

HAVE THE VOTERS SHIFTED THEIR HABITS?

>> IT SURE LOOKS LIKE IT AND I MAY HAVE BEEN OPTIMISTIC TAKING A LOOK AT THE RECORD-BREAKING EARLY VOTING AND WITH THE MAIL IN TURNOUT LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION DATE.

IT LOOKS THAT WE HAVE THE SINGLE AMOUNT OF VOTERS.

A LOT MORE CHOOSING TO VOTE BY MAIL THAN BEFORE.

>> YOUR DOWN IN NUMBERS BEFORE.

WAS VOTE BY MAIL THE PREFERRED METHOD EARLY?

>> IT WAS.

WE RECEIVED 100 TO VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS.

THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE RECEIVED AS OF LAST NIGHT.

THAT IS WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE ELECTION.

WE HAVE OVER 100,000 BALLOTS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING SO WE EXPECT ABOUT 60-80,000 OF THOSE TO RETURN BACK.

AND OVER THE NEXT IMMEDIATE 3- 4 DAYS.

IT SEEMS THIS WEEKEND THERE'S A CLEAR PICTURE.

WE WILL COUNT AND PROCESS THEM AS THEY COME IN AND WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS ON THE UPDATED BASIS DAILY.

THAT WILL AFFECT MORE OF THE WARD RACES AT THIS POINT.

THEY DID PRETTY CLOSE BETWEEN DOUBLE AND SINGLE DIGITS.

THOSE VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS HAVE MOVED TO SWAY THE RATES.

>> WE KNOW WHO IS GOING TO BE APRIL 4 RUNOFF FOR THE MAYORAL RACE.

ARE THE EIGHT ALDERMAN NOT GOING TO BE EXCITED TONIGHT?

>> A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE CLOSE TO 50% IS THE INCUMBENT, THE CANDIDATE DIDN'T GET 50% , IT WILL REMAIN TO SEE HOW CLOSE THE RACES ARE.

I'VE GOT A FEELING THAT A GOOD MANY OF THESE CAMPAIGNS WILL WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES ARE COUNTED OR UNTIL AFTER MARCH 14.

>> ANY RECOUNTS YOU MAY ANTICIPATE THEN?

>> IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT AT THIS POINT.

ESPECIALLY AT THE CITYWIDE OR MAYORAL LOOP.

WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS GETS A LITTLE CLOSER.

WE PLAN TO HAVE THE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION OF RESULTS DONE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN BY THE 15th OR BY THE 16th AND WE HAVE A TURNAROUND FOR THOSE BALLOTS GETTING EARLY VOTING OPEN.

WE HAVE TO GET THIS READY TO GET THE VOTERS VOTING AGAIN ON APRIL 4.

>> THANK YOU .

>>> A LITTLE BIT OF AN ELECTION NIGHT ANALYSIS WE HAVE OUR POLITICAL SPEECHWRITER , SENIOR LECTURER AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY JOINING US AND OUR POLITICAL REPORTER .

THANKS TO YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE PAUL VALLAS PULLED AHEAD IN THE RACE .

WHY DO YOU THINK HIS METHODS WERE SO EFFECTIVE?

>> HE FOUND PEOPLE WHERE THEY WERE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES THE CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY HAD BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE AND SPOKE TO THIS DIRECTLY IN A STARK WAY AND LEVELING THE MESSAGE WITH HIS DEMEANOR AND I THINK IT ALLOWED HIM TO DO WELL WITH THE SOUTHWEST SIDE .

WALKING DOWN THE AREAS AND BEGINNING TO PENETRATE THE BUILDING FRONT AREAS AS WELL AND THAT'S WHAT GOT HIM THE 39% TONIGHT.

>> WE HAVE A MATCH APPEAR.

IT'S VALLAS VERSUS JOHNSON.

THE TEACHERS UNION, HOW WILL THIS LOOK?

>> THIS IS THE MOST CLEAR CHOICE THAT CHICAGO VOTERS REALLY HAVE HAD IN A WHILE IF EVER.

IT'S A CHOICE BETWEEN THE MAN WHO ONCE RAN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ORGANIZER FOR THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION.

THE CLARITY BETWEEN THESE CANDIDATES WILL BE STARK AND WHILE WE HAVE HAD A FIRST ROUND OF VOTING WHERE WE HAD SORT OF YOU KNOW THE SEVEN CANDIDATES WHO WERE SOME FLAVOR OF PROGRESSIVE , DIVIDING THIS HOW YOU WANT, WE HAVE THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES, THE MOST CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE IN THE RACE THAT A LOT OF THESE TIMES PEOPLE WITH THE SHORTHAND POLITICAL DIVIDE, THINGS LIKE THIS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE RUNOFFS WHICH WILL NOT ONLY SHAPE CHICAGO'S FUTURE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS BUT REALLY DEFINE CHICAGO'S PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY.

>> HERE'S THE ISSUE 71% WRONG TRACK FOR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY THINK THE CITY IS DOING.

WHEN YOU'RE THE INCUMBENT YOU WEAR THE JACKET ON THAT WHICH SHE DID WELL WAS TO EVENTUALLY GO AFTER BRANDON JOHNSON AND IN SOME RESPECTS MAY BE SOME OF THE APPEALS WORKED A LITTLE ON EACH.

THE PROBLEM IS A MULTICANDIDATE RACE YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO VOTE FOR YOU NOT JUST TO DEVALUE SOMEONE ELSE AND SHE NEVER REALLY DID THAT.

I NEVER FELT LIKE SHE HAD A MESSAGE THAT WOULD POSITION HER IN A POLITICAL SPECTRUM OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT .

TO ME THIS WAS ALWAYS THE WAY FOR HER TO BE HEARD ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL SO THEN SHE COULD TELL PEOPLE THAT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE.

I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE AND WITHOUT A POSITION BETWEEN HER AND OTHERS, SHE WAS LEFT WITH A LOT OF NUMBERS, FACTS, FIGURES AND NOT THE MOST RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE OF THAT RIGHT NOW.

>> I THINK IT'S WORTH TAKING A MOMENT IN REALIZING THIS IS THE SAME WOMAN WHO FOUR YEARS AGO WON NEARLY 75% OF THE VOTE IN THE SECOND ROUND OF VOTING WINNING EVERY AWARD AND REALLY TOOK OFF WITH WHAT WHICH SHE SAID IS A MANDATE BUT THE QUESTION THAT WE WILL GRAPPLE WITH OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS OR MONTHS AS SHE PREPARES TO LEAVE THE OFFICE IS DID SHE FAIL TO FULFILL THESE PROMISES.

SOMEONE LIKE RANDY JOHNSON WOULD SAY YES BUT I FEEL LIKE SHE WOULD HAVE A MORE NUANCED ARGUMENT AND SAID LOOK I LED THE CITY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND LED THEM THROUGH THE UPRISING AFTER THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND CONFESSED I COULD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SHE WILL HOPE THAT WE WILL REEVALUATE HER TIME IN OFFICE WITH MORE CLARITY.

>> TO SEGUE OFF OF THAT, WHAT HEATHER SAID IS RIGHT ABOUT HER PULLING THE 70% OF THE VOTE.

THEY KNEW WHAT SHE STOOD FOR.

SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZING CANDIDATE.

ALSO VERY STRONG ON ETHICS AS WELL RUNNING AGAINST THE MACHINE .

ON THIS ELECTION NIGHT FOUR YEARS AGO WHERE SHE GAVE HER SPEECH FOR THE RUNOFF TALKING ABOUT FIGHTING AGAINST THE MACHINE BUT THIS TIME AROUND I WASN'T SURE I KNEW WHAT SHE STOOD FOR OTHER THAN HAVING THE SCARS OF THESE BATTLES AND THAT IS IMPORTANT BUT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE TOP TWO RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY BOTH STAND FOR AND IT'S A STARK CHOICE.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE REALLY CHOSE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE OTHER VOTERS WILL LAND LATER ON.

WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS IN A LITTLE BIT.

MY THANKS TO HEATHER AND JASON FOR JOINING US BUT I WANT TO CHECK BACK IN WITH THE ELECTION NIGHT HEAD QUARTERS FOR LORI LIGHTFOOT.

>> SHE TOOK THE STAGE AT 8:40 THIS EVENING SHE CALLED THIS JOB THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME DESPITE HER NOT WINNING REELECTION AND TALKED ABOUT THE RE-HISTORIC NATURE.

SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDE SAYING THAT THOSE NEED TO CONTINUE.

THERE WERE SUPPORTERS HERE.

A SMALL ROOM ABOUT TWO THIRDS FULL.

I SAW TRADE UNION MEMBERS AND A CONGRESSMAN.

THE HEAD OF THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND THE TREASURER AND I SPOKE TO THE TREASURER AND I ASKED HER WHY SHE THOUGHT THE MAYOR COULDN'T GET INTO THE RUNOFF TONIGHT.

>> WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS LOOKING FOR HAVING A SEAT AT A TABLE.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR WHOEVER IS THE MAYOR .

THIS GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS.

WE WANT A BETTER WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND A GREAT CITY AND TO WELCOME MORE BUSINESSES INTO THE CITY.

>> THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN MAYOR OF THE CITY .

I'M A BLACK WOMAN BORN AND RAISED IN THIS CITY.

MY SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ASKED ME TONIGHT DID THE PEOPLE VOTE FOR THE MAYOR .

MY DAUGHTER, A YOUNG BLACK GIRL , IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED FROM ME THAT HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE.

>> SHE WON HER REELECTION AS THE CITY TREASURER SAYING THERE WILL BE A LEGACY AND A POSITIVE ONE FOR THE MAYOR .

AS WELL AS THE OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION ONE OF MANY GROUPS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO THROW THEIR SUPPORT OVER THESE NEXT MONTHS DURING THE RUNOFF .

A LOT AT STAKE FOR THESE GROUPS AND BUSINESSES AS WELL AS UNIONS.

WE WILL TOSS IT BACK TO YOU.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY WILL PUT THEIR SUPPORT.

LET'S CHECK BACK IN WITH AMANDA .

TOO >> Reporter: IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT AND HE ASKED EVERYONE TO GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND HE SPOKE WITH HER THIS EVENING.

VALLAS HE SPOKE AND THE CROWD WAS VERY EXUBERANT.

HE'S LEFT THE PREMISES.

A FOCUS ON WHAT HAS BEEN THE POINT OF HIS CAMPAIGN, PUBLIC SAFETY .

CRITICS ARE TRYING TO CATCH HIM AS A CLOSET CONSERVATIVE BUT VALLAS IS TRYING TO COMBAT THE ATTACK AND IS --.

>> I SUPPORTED MARRIAGE EQUALITY .

YOU CANNOT ERASE THE RECORD.

>> I SPOKE THIS EVENING WITH HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER WHO SAID THAT PUBLIC SAFETY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE METHOD THAT HE WILL PRACTICE AND SAID FIRST AND FOREMOST, ANOTHER CAMPAIGN FOCUS WILL BE GOING INTO THE RUNOFF WILL BE SEPARATING HIM HE WILL BE SURE TO TELL VOTERS HE WILL WORK ON TAXES.

BACK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ANOTHER PARTY I SUSPECTED IS STILL GOING ON IS AT THE BRANDON JOHNSON HEADQUARTERS.

>> THE TUNES ARE OFF AND THE CROWD IS BEGINNING TO THIN OUT BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE CELEBRATING THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND HIS WIN.

HE TOOK THE STAGE A WHILE AGO.

THERE'S A LOT OF TEACHERS UNION AND EDUCATION SUPPORTERS HERE AND HE SPOKE ABOUT HOW HIS TIME IN TEACHING IN A SCHOOL WAS A BIG MOTIVATOR FOR HIM TO BECOME AN ORGANIZER HE SAW THIS AS AN INVESTMENT.

HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> I KNOW WHAT A VESTED COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.

OUR CHILDREN COULD SEE AND TOUCH AND PRACTICALLY WALKED TO ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO FROM THEIR BACK WINDOWS AND OUT OF THEIR FRONT WINDOWS BULLDOZERS STARING THEM DOWN, PREPARING TO DESTROY THEIR OWN HOUSING.

>> IT AIN'T RIGHT.

>> IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO , THE TALE OF TWO CITIES BUT THAT IS WHY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BECOMING THE NEXT MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

>> OBVIOUSLY EDUCATION IS A CENTERPIECE ISSUE OF JOHNSON'S CAMPAIGN BUT THE SUPPORTERS WE SPOKE TO RAISED OTHER ISSUES WHICH VOTED THEM MOTIVATED THEM TO VOTE.

THEY WILL HAVE THESE AS HUGE ISSUES GOING INTO THE RUNOFF AS JOHNSON CONTINUES TO BUILD SUPPORT.

>> AND HOUSE WITH JASON AND HEATHER, HOW DO YOU SEE THE CANDIDATES WHO LOST TONIGHT.

HOW DO YOU SEE THEM MARSHALING THE SUPPORT BEHIND ONE OF THESE FRONT RUNNERS.

>> IT COULD BE A CASE OF WAIT AND SEE BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT VOTERS WILL TRACK WHERE WE THINK THEY WILL GO.

I THINK LIGHTFOOT VOTERS ARE INTERESTING IN THIS PARTICULAR RACE AND WHERE THEY MAY GO.

I THINK WE ARE APT TO HEAR JOHNSON PICK UP THE MANTLE OF WASHINGTON THAT LIGHTFOOT WAS USING IN THE CLOSING DAYS OF HER CAMPAIGN AND BEGINNING TO TALK DESPITE BEING CANDID ABOUT THE FUTURE IN DIFFERENT GENERATIONS TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE 1980S AND THE 1990S AND PAUL VALLAS'S HISTORY WITH CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

HE STARTED THAT TONIGHT.

JOHNSON DID WITH HIS SPEECH AND HAD DONE SO IN THE DEBATE WHEN THERE WERE NINE CANDIDATES OUT THERE.

I THINK IT WILL CONTINUE ALONG WITH THAT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT THE VOTERS DECIDE WHEN THEY BEGIN TO HEAR THESE CONTROVERSIES.

>> THE CANDIDATE I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECTED TO SEE MORE OF THE CANDIDATE WHO'S THE LATEST IN THE RACE, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

>> HE GOT INTO THE RACE LATE AND WHEN HE DID GET INTO THE RACE, THE FIRST POLICY PROPOSAL WAS FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT WAS THE WHOLE ISSUE, THE WHOLE GAME.

HIS PLAN WASN'T ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM LORI LIGHTFOOT.

HE SAID I WILL EXECUTE AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP BUT LIKE JASON WAS SAYING ABOUT LORI LIGHTFOOT'S PITCH TO VOTERS IT'S A HARD MESSAGE TO GET ACROSS.

THE LAST TIME THAT GARCIA RAN A CONTESTED RACE THAT WAS NEARLY A DECADE AGO.

HE'S BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR A FULL TERM AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SHIFT FROM BEING A CONGRESSPERSON TO BEING ONE OF NINE CANDIDATES.

I THINK THIS TRANSITION WAS PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE ROUGH THAN HE AND HIS REPORTERS SUPPORTERS HAD SEEN.

>> CITY COUNCIL WILL IT LOOK DIFFERENT THIS TIME?

>> IT WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THIS TIME.

12 ALDER PEOPLE ARE RETIRING SO THIS MEANS CITY COUNCIL WILL LOOK DIFFERENT .

SEVERAL VERY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES WON TONIGHT BUT OTHER PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES LOST .

BYRON LOPEZ APPEARS TO HAVE ONE.

JUST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SPENDING FROM THE BUSINESS ALIGNED GROUP HOPING --.

ALSO APPARENTLY WINNING TONIGHT'S .

THE AUTHOR OF THE POLICY WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT FROM BRANDON JOHNSON AS WELL AS OTHER SOCIALIST MEMBERS APPARENTLY , CLOSE TO THE 50% MARK .

SPOTTING THIS IN THE FIRST WARD WHERE THE FORMER ALDERMAN WILL COME BACK WITH THESE ROUNDS FOR VOTERS.

>> WHAT WILL YOU LOOK FOR AND EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES?

>> WE WILL HEAR FROM THE CONTRAST IN THE SPEECH.

VALLAS HASN'T GONE THROUGH THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

JOHNSON HAS, HE USED HIS SPEECH TO DO THAT.

ONE THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, BOTH CANDIDATES TALKED ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY TALKED ABOUT SERVICE AND SAFETY, JOHNSON USED THIS TO TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITY AND EQUALITY WHICH WELL-DEFINED WITH THESE CANDIDATES ARE COMING FROM OVER THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

>> I THINK THAT WE WILL SORT OF SEE A ROBUST DEBATE ON WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS IN CHICAGO.

IT'S ONE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A CARJACKING OR STREET ROBBERIES OR PUBLIC SAFETY FOCUSING ON POLICE REFORM AND ENDING THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT DECADES OF PROBLEMS.

>> A LOT TO TALK ABOUT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

WE WILL BE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE GYM AND K NAVY FAMILY.

THE POLK BROTHERS FOUNDATION AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>> THAT'S OUR CHAUFFEUR THE ELECTION NIGHT.

COVERAGE CONTINUES ONLINE .

PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT 10:00.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.