Chicago’s experiment with progressive Mayor Brandon Johnson has crashed, and voters are sounding alarms for New Yorkers eyeing socialist Zohran Mamdani, as the New York Post reports.
In 2023, Johnson, a Cook County Commissioner, rode a wave of minority and young activist support to defeat Lori Lightfoot and Paul Vallas, becoming Chicago’s mayor. His campaign, fueled by left-wing promises, now leaves voters like Cata Truss with deep regret.
“I have buyer’s remorse,” Truss, a 59-year-old former Johnson campaigner, said, urging New Yorkers to scrutinize Mamdani’s backers. Her plea for research smells like wisdom born from betrayal, as Chicago reels from Johnson’s policies.
Johnson’s 2020 resolution to defund the police, which he later distanced himself from, lured voters craving change. Now, with approval ratings stuck in the high-20s, his leadership is labeled a “disaster” by critics like Doris Lewis. The flip-flop on policing shows a politician bending to pressure, not principle.
Lewis, an 81-year-old retired teacher from Hyde Park, voted for Johnson, swayed by his image as a “young black man with a family.” She now accuses him of “playing the race card” to mask an agenda that’s tanked the city. Her anger reflects a broader distrust in progressive promises.
“All these resources he’s used to take care of illegal citizens is hurting the city,” Lewis said. Chicago’s $600 million spent on 50,000 unauthorized migrants has fueled budget woes, turning voters into skeptics. Lewis’s blunt critique cuts through the fog of idealism.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board dubbed Johnson “America’s worst mayor” for his budget mismanagement and progressive flops. Chicago’s struggles are now a cautionary tale in New York’s mayoral race, where Mamdani leads the pack. Comparisons between the two socialists are impossible to ignore.
Mamdani, the Democratic Party nominee, faces ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, lawyer Jim Walden, and the GOP’s Curtis Sliwa in November’s election. Cuomo, running as an independent, took a swipe at Mamdani on X, calling Chicago a “half-baked mess” under Johnson. His jab lands because the parallels are stark.
“Chicago is proof that incompetent leadership can turn a deep-dish city into a half-baked mess,” Cuomo posted. His words weaponize Chicago’s chaos to warn New Yorkers against Mamdani’s similar left-wing vision. It’s a savvy move in a tight race.
Chicago Democrat Alderman Raymond Lopez, who backed Vallas, sees Johnson and Mamdani as cut from the same cloth. “Learn from our mistakes,” Lopez warned, advocating for law enforcement and personal responsibility. His middle-of-the-road stance contrasts sharply with Johnson’s socialist leanings.
“Both are hyper-progressive, hyper-left socialist Democratic candidates,” Lopez said, framing the Chicago-NYC rivalry as a race to the bottom. He paints a picture of two cities flirting with a “socialist nightmare.” It’s a grim warning, but one grounded in Chicago’s reality.
Truss echoed Lopez, urging New Yorkers to “do your homework” before voting for Mamdani. “Who is donating to his campaign?” she asked, pointing to the money trail as a telltale sign. Her call for vigilance is a slap at blind idealism.
Johnson faces recall efforts and PACs raising millions to block his 2027 re-election. A February M3 Strategies poll showed only 20% of Chicagoans approve of his job. The numbers scream failure, and New Yorkers are taking note.
Lewis, reflecting on her vote, questioned Mamdani’s agenda for New York’s black community. “Socialism hasn’t worked for black people,” she said, calling his candidacy a potential “disaster” like Johnson’s. Her words carry the weight of experience, not just opinion.
“Now you have New York and Chicago duking it out for who is going to be the more socialist, the more progressive city,” Lopez said. His warning to pick “common sense” over ideology is a plea to avoid Chicago’s fate. New York’s voters face a choice: heed Chicago’s regrets or roll the dice on Mamdani.
