Chicago Mayor Still Wallows in the Worst Job Approval Rating in the Country

Brandon Johnson's approval ratings have risen, but the mayor remains deeply unpopular

Chicago's self-professed "progressive" may is still wallowing in the worst job approval ratings of any mayor in the country, despite surviving to his mid-term point.

According to a piece in the Chicago Sun-Times, the recent Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation poll shows Mayor Brandon Johnson has had a huge surge in popularity, climbing from less than 10 percent approval all the way to a massive 26 percent, which still makes him the least popular mayor in the country.

This is quite a feat, too. After all, Mayor Johnson has a large part of the City Council in his pocket, and all the media. And yet, despite all that power backing him up, he still can't even rise to 50 percent approval.

The Times notes that when former Mayor Rahm Emanuel decided to hang up his Chicago political career, he was partly driven to his decision by a 40 percent approval rating. That is almost double where Johnson sits right now.

Like Johnson, Mayor Lori Lightfoot also sat in the 20s when she decided not to run for re-election.

Often the details of an approval rating can reveal bright spots. Not so with Johnson's dismal rating.

Take his ratings among the city's Hispanics. Despite all the hundreds of millions he has thrown at illegal aliens in the city, he has a horrendous 26 percent approval among the very sector he has been pandering to with millions in freebies for migrants.

Ah, but he has the approval of African American Chicagoans, right? Not even close. According to the poll, only 38 percent of blacks support him. This is a disastrous number for a black Chicago mayor.

He is also suffering low numbers among young voters with only 22 percent approval for those under 30. And older voters are even less supportive, with those 60 and older only lending Johnson 19 percent approval.

His best support, which still leaves him below the "50 percent underwater" mark, is among middle-aged voters who support him at a poor 32 percent.

The next closest mayor is one who everyone already assumes can't win re-election. Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has a low 29 percent rating, and he is marked as a dead man walking politically as New Yorkers seem prepared to vote in a communist as their next mayor.

Chicago's mayor, however, has his rose-colored glasses on and claims that his approval is soaring because he has successfully lowered the crime rate.

"We’re putting together the best public safety record in a generation. ...against all naysayers who doubted that his agenda could produce a more safe Chicago. But he has," said Senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee.

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"Not only is Chicago becoming more safe, it’s becoming more affordable," Lee claimed. "He’s got the best affordable housing record in recent memory too. Those are the two issues that dominate — public safety above all — and this mayor is going to have a better record on those issues than anyone in recent memory and certainly anyone who would run in the race."

Sure. Great affordable housing. And he wants to raise property taxes by millions of dollars to make it even harder for people to own a home in Chicago.

Even as Johnson is trying to lay claim to lowering the crime rate, some media outlets — such as Chicago's WBEZ are reporting a national trend of falling crime rates. So, just how much has Johnson done to make things better in Chicago?

Anyone would be hard pressed to find his magic solutions.

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