Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates signaled firm support for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s political future, declaring in a recent interview that she is prepared to hit the pavement to collect petition signatures for his re-election bid."I hope to see Mayor Johnson come off the sideline and I hope to see the people who support him get out here and pass a petition.If he's not going to pass one, I'll pass one for him," Davis Gates said in an interview with WTTW News on Tuesday."Where the governor has failed to fund our schools, the mayor has given us a billion dollars… I don’t think we’ve done better at Chicago Public Schools than under [Johnson’s] leadership," she added.
"And so I'm looking forward to that progress."CHICAGO MAYOR MAKES STUNNING ADMISSION ABOUT ATTENDING BEARS GAME WHILE TRYING TO KEEP TEAM IN CITYChicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, on August 25, 2025.(KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)The union leader’s enthusiastic backing comes despite ongoing scrutiny surrounding Johnson's deep alignment with the CTU and growing concerns over declining academic performance across Chicago Public Schools (CPS).In 2023, the CTU endorsed Johnson—a former public school teacher, union organizer, and CTU legislative coordinator—helping propel him past incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the primary and defeating former CPS CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff.According to financial disclosures analyzed by the Illinois Policy Institute, the CTU funneled more than $2.6 million directly into Johnson’s 2023 campaign, while teachers unions collectively poured in over $6 million.CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DECLARE MAY 1 A 'DAY OF CIVIC ACTION' FOR STUDENTSThroughout his tenure, critics have argued that Johnson’s policy agenda is dictated by his former employer.
Johnson, however, has consistently dismissed allegations that he is beholden to the union machine, telling ABC 7 in 2023 that his platform re...