New York City mayor Eric Adams says Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot losing reelection should sound an alarm across America.
While on CNN’s State of the Union, Mayor Adams said that election results should be a message to not only Democrat candidates but a “warning sign for the country.”
“I showed up at crime scenes. I knew what New Yorkers were saying. And I saw it all over the country. I think, if anything, it is really stating that this is what I have been talking about. America, we have to be safe,” Adams said.
Chicago’s crime spiked during Lightfoot’s tenure, specifically in the years 2020 and 2021. While shootings and murders have decreased, thefts and more have risen. Adams says mayors that care matter because they are closer to the community issues.
“We are focused on public safety because people want to be safe,” he said.
Last week, Chicago held its mayoral election to close February, which resulted in Lightfoot conceding and not making the cut for a run-off.
Lightfoot made history as Chicago’s first openly gay and Black woman to take the mayor’s office. The runoff election is set for April and will feature candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson.
According to ABC7Chicago, Lightfoot spoke to her base of supporters after her loss and stated she was proud of what she did in the city. One of the hindrances to Lightfoot’s reelection bid is rising crime numbers during her tenure, which has become the top issue for voters.
“Regardless of tonight’s outcome, we fought the right fights, and we put this city on a better path,” Lightfoot said. “Now, as we all know in life, in the end, you don’t always win every battle. But you never regret taking on the powerful and bringing in the light.”
Lightfoot plans to remain a citizen of Chicago once her tenure is over.
