Brandon Johnson (born March 27, 1976) is an American politician and former educator who is currently serving as the 57th mayor of Chicago since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Johnson previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 2018 to 2023, representing the 1st district.
Born and raised in Elgin, Illinois, Johnson started his career as a social studies teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system. He also was an active member of the Chicago Teachers Union, helping organize their 2012 strike. In his first race for public office, Johnson was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018, defeating the incumbent. Johnson represented parts of Chicago's West Side and some of the city's western suburbs. He won reelection in 2022.
Johnson ran successfully for mayor of Chicago in 2023. In the first round of the election, he and Paul Vallas advanced to a runoff, unseating incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot. Johnson subsequently defeated Vallas in the runoff election.
Throughout his political career, Johnson has been described as a political progressive. As mayor, Johnson has focused on combating homelessness and enacting police and education reform.[7] His term has largely been viewed unfavorably by Chicago voters, earning among the lowest approval ratings ever recorded for a U.S. politician as of February 2025.
