North Cook News

Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker recently met with newly-elected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and says that he believes Johnson will bring a new "vibrancy" to the city.

According to NBC Chicago, Pritzker quickly congratulated Johnson on election night after he was projected as the winner and vowed that his administration will do everything possible to aid in the mayoral transition as they do with mayoral offices statewide.

"There were people who thought he would lose by a larger margin than he ended up winning by, but he won. And he overcame, I think, suggestions that he couldn't," Pritzker said. 

Pritzker met with Johnson on Friday, April 7 after sitting down with outgoing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and told reporters that the Midwest's changes have been driven by "people who believe in investing in workers, investing in families, investing in young people."

Johnson said that he appreciated Lightfoot for her service to the city of Chicago and recounted how the outgoing mayor shared some advice with him. 

"What I thought was very inspirational by the mayor, her recognition of just seizing the moment and being able to digest that and appreciate it. Because truthfully, you know, this is not necessarily the place that I originally sought. As a teacher, as an organizer, then eventually going into government," Johnson said. "But she was very intentional about making sure that the city of Chicago and this wondrous position, to digest that and to take it in and appreciate it. It's going to be good advice."

NBC Chicago reports that public safety is one of Johnson's top priorities. The mayor-elect says that he will promote more detectives in the Chicago PD and foster increased cooperation between the department and other emergency workers.

“Our plan is to bring people together. I’ve said that repeatedly, that there’s more than enough for everyone in the city of Chicago, and so these conversations that we’re going to have throughout the week and in the coming days, it’s going to be centered around ‘how do we continue to collaborate to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago,’” Johnson said, according to NBC Chicago.

Johnson will be sworn in as mayor on May 15.