>> The new contender for mayor of Chicago, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced her second run for mayor today.

Having made a first bid in 2019.

She served controller since 2016 before that she was Chicago City clerk and a member of the Illinois House Meadows has been a frequent critic critic of Mayor Brandon Johnson and her announcement today.

She called for responsible spending and accountability to everyday Chicagoans.

And joining us now Illinois comptroller and now candidate for mayor.

Thank you for joining the program.

We thanks for having So as we mentioned, several roles in prior shot at the mayor's office.

What got you interested in running this time?

>> It became clear to me, number one that we are experiencing a crisis of financial magnitude that the closest thing I can compare it to is what I took over the state of Illinois with that financial crisis.

But when there's really 3 major crises and I really discovered this because I can feel it is Chicago and the more importantly, I had a listening tour over the last almost year.

heard directly from Chicagoans and they made it clear that we have a financial crisis, a public safety crisis and a crisis of confidence in that the city is moving in the right direction and can ever come back.

And so it is absolutely imperative that we get it right this next time, right since 2019, we've now had 2 failed administration's back-to-back people tried something different and it has been a colossal failure.

We've seen credit downgrade after credit downgrade for the city of Chicago at the same time that under my fiscal stewardship we've seen upgrade after upgrade at the state level.

And so I do believe that property taxes are going to always keep squeezing people to death.

If we don't actually get a handle on the hemorrhaging of our state's finances, public safety, huge issue.

You started talking about ShotSpotter.

If you talk to people in the actual communities most impacted by gun violence, they want a system like ShotSpotter to be there.

And I would say that I just heard that story and they did talk about Halloween.

The response times have been better, but that was measured against response times in the winter night in the summer.

So if you're going measure the response times, it should be apples to apples summer.

summer winter winter at the end of the day, if we have a tool that can stop a human being from bleeding out, we should invest in that too and make sure that we can help save lives.

And at the same time assist in investigations.

So you're likely to face a crowded field of competitors here, including the potential of some other more moderate candidates such as yourself.

How does that complicate your path to victory?

Do you think?

>> Well, like every this is America, everybody has a chance to run.

I think that my game plan is going to be to do what I always do, which is go straight to the voters.

This is a time in which I've had a good 9.10, months to talk to the voters directly.

Voters know who I am in the last election that Iran and I was the top vote getter not only in the state of Illinois, but also here in the city of Chicago.

And I love going straight into the neighborhoods.

Why?

Because I'm a neighborhood's girl.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth.

I was born with more like a plastic spork.

And you know, it's it's versatile.

It sufficient just like me.

that's what most of Chicago's like.

They're people who who understand daily challenges.

I can connect with that.

I want to fight for them.

And I also want to do a good job of unifying our whole city.

You know, we need a mayor who's gonna bring us all together.

Instead of finding every area in which we can be divided.

I'm gonna represent the 2 million-plus Chicagoans, some of whom agree with everything you have to say.

And those who do not.

And that's OK because good mayor.

A great mayor is gonna listen to every voice.

Not just the yes people but the know people and try to being people together and find common ground that will lead to progress.

Alright, progress is so much more important and promises.

You know, when ICE raids were first beginning in the Chicago area in January of 2025.

>> You were in supported.

There was a post indeed tie national with a history of crimes for and they haven't been reported charges.

But are you still supportive of the immigration crackdown that's been targeted talk very vocally against targeting hard-working, law-abiding immigrants.

I've been very much, though, like any normal rational person would not be in favor of offenders who in that specific instance you're referring to a repeat offender is not someone who I would support, whether they born here or not said no problem with going after the worst criminals amongst But I absolutely will defend is I always have.

And I've been vocally in support hardworking immigrants who add to our fabric of our economy, both as a city and his state, you know, going after a father with no criminal record who's taking his child to school despicable, right?

I've never for that.

I've been vocally against types of things going after Ali women with no criminal record, his mother for kids, some with disabilities.

And that is just wrong.

That doesn't make our community any safer.

And I've said that many, many times to.

To be clear, I am not for criminals, protecting criminals where they were born here or not.

And I do believe that the vast majority of our community, our entire city, is made up of immigrants from all over the world who make Chicago a better place.

You also called for the alleged killer of Loyola student shared in Gorman to be deported to El Salvador.

>> There's prison there with a long history of accusations of human rights abuses.

Is call you stand by?

I will say this.

That person is an absolute scourge to society.

>> My heart breaks for the family of Sharon.

Gordon.

And my concern is on that families grieving of that loss.

I'm definitely not concerned with the comfort of the person who murdered her viciously.

And by the way, was just arrested again for having a shank in prison the other day.

So, look, I think we have to get our priorities straight as running a city that puts the victims at the front of the line for compassion, comfort versus the comfort of criminals who are murdering innocent people in our streets.

That shouldn't be controversial.

That's just common sense.

You know, in 2018, you ran for reelection as controller before launching a mayoral bid in 2019.

>> This time you didn't run for re-election.

Do you think that additional campaign time may give you an advantage over some possible competitors like and Alexi Giannoulias, Sir?

Mike quickly, who could do have re-election bid to November?

Well, what I think is that Chicago voters deserve a mayor who's all in?

>> Right.

I could very stepped up for office as a top vote getter in the entire state of Illinois.

And my last reelection.

So I have the full faith and confidence of the public would have continued to support me.

But I'm not really worried about hanging on to elected office for the rest of my life.

I want to be reckoned.

Have the biggest impact.

And for me, it's not about playing it safe for myself.

I'm not I'm not worried about my career prospects.

I'm worried about the future of this city.

And so if I want to go before voters like any candidate, that candidates should be willing you know, throw their ball over the fence in and go for put all their chips on the table and say I am all in for Chicago right now on the only one who's willing to walk away from an office because I do care about my personal career ambitions.

I care about this city and everybody should really ideally the all-in for Chicago if they want this job.

>> During your previous run, you were criticized for your ties to former Alderman Ed Burke.

Are you concerned that that relationship could post trouble for this campaign?

Absolutely not.

That's so absurd.

I mean, any elected official who has ever served for more than 10 minutes over the last 20 to 30 years would have to have had a working relationship with him and many other elected officials and the same way I've had.

Yeah, I've worked with Barack Obama and had photos with him.

So it's just really ridiculous to even bring that up.

I'll tell you why.

Because if you go talk to any Chicago in Houghton, the streets, they're going to tell you that anyone who that is for the most part, but they do care about the violence in their streets.

They care about the fact that we're hemorrhaging money and charging them more in property taxes and they care about the fact that people are leaving our city and losing confidence in it instead of choosing Chicago as a place to grow their family, grow their business, grow their wealth and opportunity.

So I will be the mayor who focuses on the real issues that people care about because really nobody cares about that.

Not Mayor Johnson and Mayor Lightfoot before him have had a somewhat contentious relationship with City Council.

>> What would you do to improve the relationship between, you Mendoza, administration and older people?

I forward to being able to actually lead the council because I've experienced doing that as a state legislator for 10 years.

I was a legislator known for my effective legislation, which was bipartisan.

I Democrats and Republicans work across the aisle to get things done.

I did the same thing when I was city Chicago, I was responsible for managing the council.

I was able to modernize the city sticker program, right?

Because I was able to put the votes together to institute the legislation that gave me that authority.

So I know how to get things legislatively at the state level which the last 2 mayors have failed miserably at certainly at the city council level.

I've been there done that and obviously managing finances.

Nobody can even begin to touch the successful financial record that I delivered for Chicagoans in the state of Illinois.

So I know how to bring people together.

5 a superpower?

It's building great teams and getting things done.

And the city council also, I'm sure is hungry for actual leadership.

That knows how to get things done and bring people together.

So mayor who is absolutely a collaborator, not