In Chicago, swapping Lori Lightfoot for Brandon Johnson felt less like a victory lap and more like a collective exhale — a citywide plea for respite from the chaos and downright weirdness of Lightfoot’s reign. Who could forget her “Rona Destroyer” COVID-19 costume or street dancing as city murders soared? But as Johnson settled into the mayor’s chair, the initial ray of hope gave way to a harsh reality check.

As a veteran reporter entrenched in the gritty world of Chicago politics, I had multiple viral run-ins with Lightfoot at City Hall press conferences. That’s why she had my city media credentials revoked. When Johnson stepped into the spotlight, most Chicagoans couldn’t pick him out of a lineup, let alone spell out his policies. His win at the ballot box wasn’t a victory for a progressive agenda; it was more of a desperate grasp at change, fueled by exhaustion from Lightfoot’s COVID antics and her incompetence during the George Floyd race riots of 2020.