CHICAGO (CBS) – South Side Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) announced on Wednesday that he is running for mayor, becoming the first candidate to officially run in the race.
“Chicago, I’m in!” Lopez announced on Twitter on Wednesday morning.
Lopez, whose ward includes parts of Back of the Yards, Brighton Park and Englewood, is one of the most outspoken critics of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. He plans to make an official announcement at noon on Wednesday.
“I love my city and, like most Chicagoans, I’m tired of watching Chicago flounder at the hands of a ship without a rudder,” Lopez said in a press release. “It’s time to provide our big city with the compassion and leadership it deserves. I’m in it, and I hope Chicago joins me.”
Lopez’s announcement came less than a week before millionaire and philanthropist Dr. Willie Wilson plans to announce whether he will run again for mayor.