Chicago’s first openly lesbian, black mayor takes on ‘political machine’
Lori Lightfoot replaces Rahm Emanuel, who announced in September he was not seeking a third term as mayor
Chicago — Chicago, known for its "machine politics" and corruption, woke up on Wednesday to voters choosing an anti-establishment candidate who may shake up a city that made history by electing its first African-American openly lesbian woman for mayor. Voters in the third-largest US city on Tuesday elected Lori Lightfoot, who has never held office, in a runoff election. She easily defeated long-time local politician and a fellow black woman, Toni Preckwinkle, 72, to become the city's 56th mayor. Chicago has now become the largest American city to elect a black woman as its mayor, and an openly gay woman as well. Lightfoot is also the latest in a wave of political newcomers to win major elections around the world as voters upend the status quo, propelling anti-establishment candidates to power. She will now take over a city where politics is a blood sport and where corruption has swirled in and around City Hall for generations. Chicago is ready for a change, Lightfoot said on the cam...
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