Ald. Ray Lopez declines, will seek re-election

Southwest side of Ald. Raymond Lopez is dropping out of the race for Chicago mayor and instead will seek re-election to the City Council, he announced Monday.

Lopez, who is in his second term representing Back of the Yards, Brighton Park and West Englewood, has been a frequent critic of Lightfoot and made a long bid to succeed her earlier this year.

Although Lopez campaigned actively, visiting neighborhoods across the city, he was unable to raise as much money as some of his competitors. Aldermen rarely announce their candidacy for mayor, mainly because they can’t run for re-election and hold the city’s top job at the same time.

Lopez has been one of the city’s most prominent aldermen since he was elected in 2015. Since 2019, Lopez has feuded with Lightfoot and accused her of negativity, pettiness, and vindictiveness—traits that some of Lopez’s critics say he shares. Lightfoot, in turn, accused Lopez of “carrying water for” defendant Aldo. Ed Burke, Lopez’s neighbor and associate.

In the previous election, Lopez fended off efforts by progressive groups to defeat him and earned a reputation as one of the council’s most conservative members, particularly on crime.

After the mass shooting in Brighton Park, Lopez said he was grateful “that no innocent lives were lost” and called out members of the community for what he called complicity in the violence, which drew strong criticism from some residents.

However, he found it difficult to win in the 15th Ward, which he would represent for another four years.

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