Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson hounded by an all-time low approval rating hangs out at a hot dog joint with his fellow Marxist sidekick Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th)

Chicago Mayor Hits New Low: Time for Brandon Johnson to Go

By John Kass

Wednesday February 12, 2025

As Chicago slides deeper into the cold circles of hell and dragging Illinois down with it, there is some chirpy news for media happy talkers to cheep about and embrace:

Mayor Johnson has no excuse for not giving his wife a fine Valentine’s Day gift. He’s got a roomful of treasures that he didn’t earn.

It is said to be sumptuous room, chock-full of well-appointed treasures for Chicago’s First Lady, and just like many other Democrat pols, Johnson didn’t have to pay for them. But if you’ve paid taxes in Chicago, you did.

“I will gladly walk you to the mayor’s gift room where he can try on his Gucci bags and purses and all the wonderful items that are in there, collecting dust that he (says) he’s never seen,” said Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) on this week’s Chicago Way podcast. “…I don’t know how the mayor says he’s never seen it because it’s right next to the bathroom.”

WGN executive producer Jeff Carlin and I enjoy talking to Ald. Lopez. I made sure to leave the podcast episode link to the full (and free) current podcast episode in the paragraph above. The Chicago media that crawls before City Hall doesn’t give Lopez enough credit. The City Hall reporter at “the paper” knew I liked Lopez, so naturally “the paper” was mercilessly anti-Ray Lopez and instead championed the Marxist Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th).

But I remember that hot summer day in his ward, after street gangs shot a man. They cruised the neighborhood, all the people could see, and there was Ald. Ray Lopez, alone, without  writers from “the paper” to stand with him, Ald. Lopez stood in front of the murderous gangsters and demanded they leave the neighborhood. I told Ray then, that I would never forget the courage he showed. He’s not a big loudmouth. But he’s tough, the way professional fighters and jockeys are tough.

He’s tough in the mind.

And Johnson? He flails and shouts and lectures and Chicago’s future is getting even worse. The Democrats have a few mayoral white hopes. Many have seen better days cowering when Boss Madigan entered a room, walking upright when they were younger or more sober. Most line up like puppies hoping for treats from Barack Obama, or Obama’s media spinner David Axelrod, or Obama’s hatchet man and former mayor, Rahm Emanuel. They have that type of stab the other guy in the back political ambition. But it doesn’t mean leadership. Actually, thinking of past mayors it seems quite pathetic.

Johnson is called Mayor Panic Attacks for a reason besides the fact that he’s plagued by panic attacks. Every bit of news he and his administration make suggests complete chaos. He was completely unprepared for the job. But he played his race card and his bosses at the Chicago Teachers Union played their race cards, and there were few credible voices left in Chicago media. And the voices of anarchy, race and irrational anger defeated proven manager Paul Vallas and the  angry white chicks, and the angry black racists and the awful Marxist thugs of the CTU got what they so desperately wanted: Mayor Johnson, aka Mayor Chumbalone.

What happens? People next to the money take what they can. It becomes a free for all.  Chicago does not respect the mayor. Just look around.

“You give someone a million dollars to help fight violence prevention, $150,000 goes to the not-for-profit bank account before one dollar reaches the community, or why we are spending millions of affordable housing dollars on rehabbing units at $900,000 a unit, and allowing local not-for-profits and churches to buy equity into these projects for a hundred dollars,” Lopez said on The Chicago Way.

What happens? People next to the money take what they can. It becomes a free for all. This is what Johnson and his minions–including the  never-mentioned boss Toni Preckwinkle, chairman of the Cook County Democrats–and the often mentioned CTU president Stacy “Hoosier Daddy?” Gates–who will lead her union into another strike–worked so hard to achieve: Absolute failure.

Johnson has hit an all-time low in the polls. A new Illinois Policy Institute poll shows 80 percent of Chicago think he’s doing a lousy job, and only 14 percent have a favorable view of the mayor.

“Chicago voters have voiced major concerns about the handling of issues affecting our city and its leaders. Chicagoans still support their local teachers, but CTU’s leadership has driven a wedge between them.”

In a story about his abysmal poll numbers, the IPI wrote: “Johnson’s mayoral approval is the lowest in modern Chicago history. Johnson’s low favorability is striking given how early he is into his administration. Low approval ratings are more common when someone is on their way out of office.”

Its critical Mayor Johnson takes these concerns to heart and meaningfully work toward solutions that benefit the entire city – not just his allies in CTU,” said the IPI’s Austin Berg.

Indeed.

How’s that for a panic attack, Mayor Panic Attacks?

The party’s over, the people of Chicago are so tired of you. You’re as tone deaf as those leftist Democrats singing “Which Side Are You On?” at an anti-DOGE rally in Washington on Tuesday. It’s an old United Mine Worker song. It was laughable, because the environmental radicals of the hard Democrat left killed coal mining, putting American miners out of work. They’ve been driven out too, like those Chicago taxpayers. And now instead of a paycheck the grandsons of productive, proud miners scrounge for fentanyl to sell.

Chicagoans have identified rising street crime, high taxes, poor city governance and recent migrants as the leading issues facing the city. The illegal migrants are given free stuff, and lifelong Chicago Democrats are given a backhand slap by their own government.

And now Brandon Johnson is a steaming pile of paranoia, threatening a City Hall purge of the disloyal. His one regret, he said, was that he didn’t begin his purge of the disloyal months ago.

“If you ain’t with us, you gotta go!!” he raved.

He’s quite mad you know. Even Boss Toni and Hoosier Daddy Gates must admit this. And the bond-rating agencies will echo the madman’s ravings. The hard Marxist left didn’t want Vallas, and they went after all those who stood up against them. Now, do they think he can govern without Gov. Fat Boy Pritzker holding his hand?

No.

Do the people of Chicago think Brandon the Witless has the brains to do the job?

Not really.

Will Boss Toni and “Hoosier Daddy” Stacy Davis Gates stand by Brandon as his 14 percent approval rating drops to the single digits as the once-great city suffocates under his failed leadership?

Does it matter? They got what they wanted. They put a blithering idiot into the 5th Floor and he’s tearing the city down with him.

Let’s go Brandon.

You just gotta go bro.  But who else is out there to do the job?

Stay tuned Chicago.

(Copyright 2025 John Kass)

 

Chicago Democrat (in CTU red) thinks about leaving town. Kass told him to stay the hell out of Northwest Indiana.

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About the author: John Kass spent decades as a political writer and news columnist in Chicago working at a major metropolitan newspaper. He is co-host of The Chicago Way podcast. And he just loves his “No Chumbolone” hat, because johnkassnews.com is a “No Chumbolone” Zone where you can always get a cup of common sense.

Merchandise Now Available: If you’re looking for a gift for that hard-to-buy for special someone who has everything, just click on the link to the johnkassnews.com store.

Where else would you find a No Chumbolone™ cap or a Chicago Way™ coffee cup?

Because I know this about you: You’re not a Chumbolone.

Comments 35

  1. I’m looking forward to the day when there will actually be positive news to write regarding Chicago and Illinois. May I live so long.

    I appreciate your work John. It keeps me informed. I’m remembering when you replaced Royko. I was thinking then that no way could you do as well as he. Yet here you still stand pounding out solid info that should sway the voting (chumbalone) majority here.

    God bless you and keep you healthy sir.

  3. Those that bothered to vote in the mayoral election got who and what they voted for. They will vote the same way next time because they can’t see beyond the color of the candidate’s skin. Don’t bother them with the issues, nothing else matters. They can pay their taxes until they have no money left and go down with the ship. When that happens, they still will not understand what happened and why.

  4. Chicago can suck it. The chumbalones despised Lightfoot’s governing so much that they went and elected a halfwit ten times worse. You get the government you deserve.

  5. Unfortunately, I feel you painted a too kind picture of BJ. For the hell he & his ilk have wrought upon a once functioning city, he eternally deserves each & every one of Dante’s circles of hell.

  6. Eric Zorn looks at home in red. Nice snap!

    Anyway, Mayor Pinhead will be ruining Chicago until the next election. Then, the idiots who made Pinhead the mayor will find someone worse. Thank a Progressive!

  9. Joyful column on a miserable subject. Inspires me to move back to Chicago as soon as the CTU disbands.

    There must be a Chicago job more appropriate for a goof whose only talent is panic attacks. How about a new mascot for the White Sox? Meet Mayor Panicky! A big-headed costume featuring a white goatee creeps around the box seats strapped to an overstuffed bag of papers labeled ISSUES. Panicky pulls out a few papers with a trembling hand, quickly throws them away, then thrusts a big bucket labeled CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS at fans.

    “Look, Billy, it’s Panicky! Give him a buck!”

  10. I’m anxious to see him testify in Congress next month….how does he justify all that spending on illegals and not on his own black brothers in the city !!!

  12. Chicago uses timing in mayoral elections to suppress the vote. Brandon will be rehabilitated by the next election OR, they will find another patsy to put in his place. Less than 25% of registered voters turn out. That’s how you get communism.

    I left Chicago. People ask me if I miss it. I miss my butcher. I miss a few things. I don’t miss the people. Why? Because ever since the Daley’s they vote for this stuff. It’s not as if the Daley’s weren’t as corrupt as the current Mayor. They were. They just knew how to take care of business better.

  14. Johnson won with 19% of all eligible votes (we had a 39% voter participation). If the Preachers can get him 20%, he wins re election in a landslide. The Preachers OWN the African American vote and sell it to the Combine. The only saving grace for Chicago is the Latino community. They love their family, their God and their country (if they were born here or immigrated). The white vote is split between hard working people and the North shore liberals that vote against sanity and personal responsibility. They vote to virtue signal at the cocktail party. I know these people…they are awful (AWFL’s). East Beverly voted for Johnson, west Beverly and Mount Greenwood voted for Vallas or stayed home (all 19th ward). Joe Trippe published an anti cop letter a week before the election and Vallas signed it….WTF. Trippe was a Preckwinkle plant, sent to destroy vallas from inside the campaign. I assume Johnson wins again, I also assume I will leave Chicago (where I was born) after 65 years to safe harbor somewhere else.

    1. yes the AWFLs gathered in Western Springs, screaming like meat eating shrews. they got rid of reasonable Democrats like Dan Lipinski. So I had enough. I had to go.

      1. John,
        Thanks for mentioning Dan Lipinski pro-lifer who was ousted by some pro-abortion shrew Marie Neuman proud mama 0f her trans daughter? When Dan ran and lost, all the pro-union guys and dolls were suddenly quiet because of course they all bowed to the baby killer fringe of their party even though Dan was 100% union.

        1. The “pro-union guys and dolls” showed a lot of guts, didn’t they? They don’t even the guts to stand up to their union leaders, who used their dues money against the “guys and dolls” best interests.
          Moutza for the Chumbolones?

  15. “Gimme a T for Texas!!”. A week ago a few high school students here in Houston were motivated by their beret wearing revolutionary parents to stage a walkout to protest immigration policies. I thought that the school should require a note from a doctor to be readmitted so no pestilence ( new disease) could be spread amongst other students. But nope. Didn’t happen. The school district did me one better. THEY SUSPENDED ALL OF THEM FOR THREE DAYS. Now the Che Guevara styled parents are standing outside with their kids and their signs demanding to be readmitted. The only way this gets better is if the school board reschedule the classes for Saturdays during summer break. After seeing what is being done to Chicago, much of it self inflicted, I am completely reassured I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION BY LEAVING.

  17. I’ve suggested for years to vote with your wallet in mind. If you look past the ideology, skin color, gender, & mealy mouthed platitudes of our politicians and would be candidates you will see empty suits. The state & local governments all have their hands in our pockets. DOGE is finding incredible waste and corruption at the federal level. However our state & local governments are bleeding us dry while we watch the “circus” DC. Voting is the only remedy…smart informed voting. From the hapless Johnson to the entrenched and useless Durbin, we need to find better people…not just candidates but better people.

  19. Yianni,
    As I read today’s post about mayor Pannix on my 78th birthday, I can’t help but feeling depressed when considering Chcago’s and Illinois’ future. It continues to get bleaker and bleaker, with no faint hope or light at the end of this dismal tunnel of failures. The socialist party of America has deeply embedded itself into the very fiber of local and state politics. No viable candidates have a snowball’s chance in hell to win against these evil, deep pocketed, leftists and Marxists. In spite of the mandate given to Trump to undo the progressive BS that has saddled this country with crime, inflation, illegals – Chicago and Illinois go against the grain, forever deepening the hole that has been dug by dems for decades. Just keep on taxing, til there’s no one left to tax!! I no longer hold out hope for either, and will eventually have to depart, as you did. Don’t want to be the last one out the door to “turn off the lights!”

  20. With all the DOGE cleanup, there’s a slight chance, that’s slight, some things may actually change. Panics is a stooge, nothing more than a puppet who thinks he is something he is not. Again, and I’ve said this time and time again, the real problem child is Toni Preckwinkle. Toni goes away and along with it so many of Chicago’s problems. Of course, with the voting mentality, hope is minimal.

    Speaking of DOGE clean up, did anyone see the hot topic floating around that JB has 60+ NGOs being mentioned as USAID recipients. Cha-ching ! Maybe being exposed, maybe convicted of something could rid Illinois of this terminal cancer.

    Thanks John.

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