Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward), an openly gay City Council member who has been an ardent foe of Mayor Lightfoot, announced Nov. 21 that he was dropping his bid for Lightfoot's mayoral seat, and would instead file papers to run for a third term in his current post.
Another openly gay Chicagoan, Bennett Lawson, meanwhile announced that he filed papers to run for the 44th Ward seat that is being vacated by Ald. Tom Tunney. Lawson has long been Tunney's chief of staff and announced his intention to run shortly after Tunney announced his intention not to.
In a Nov. 21 statement, Lopez said that he is dropping his mayoral bid because the field of candidates opposing Lightfoot has become so crowded.
"With every new challenger that enters the race, the odds of Lori Lightfoot making it into a runoff, possible even winning reelection, grows," he said.
Lopez added: "Today I announce my intention to seek a third term as Alderman of the 15th Ward. My residents overwhelmingly supported me in the past, and did so again by coming together quickly to get the necessary signatures to file today."
Lawson, meanwhile expressed his commitment to the Lake View neighborhood in a Nov. 21 statement.
"Thank you to the tireless volunteers who have helped us collect signatures over the last few months to get me on the ballot," said Lawson. "I am so encouraged by the outpouring of support I've received from people across the 44th Ward since announcing my campaign for Alderman. My career has been dedicated to the service of the Lakeview community, and I look forward to continuing to meet with residents sharing my vision for making our ward a better, safer place for everyone. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together throughout this campaign."