Brief • 1 min Read
As Chicago faces ongoing challenges including public safety and economic inequality, local leadership remains a key factor in shaping the city’s future. Under Mayor Brandon Johnson, the city has seen a sharp focus on progressive policies, which some residents feel do not align with their concerns. Our research suggests that this approach may weaken Johnson’s re-election prospects. Chicagoans are underwhelmed by the performance of the city’s most recent mayors, favoring a leadership style that is ethical, knowledgeable, and pragmatic. The Harris Poll recently surveyed Chicagoans about their assessments of the city and its local leadership. Below are some of the findings from the survey.
Chicago wants a moderate mayor
Nearly half (48%) of city residents describe their political views as moderate, 36% as liberal and 16% as conservative.
A large majority (88%) of city residents think Chicago is facing issues that require a strong leader to address. Three in four (75%) think special interest groups (e.g. unions, lobbyists) have too much political influence in Chicago. Less than half (49%) think Chicago’s local leaders usually act in service of residents’ best interests, while 91% think a mayor is obligated to govern with all their city’s residents, rather than only their supporters, in mind.
Chicagoans value leaders who are ethical, knowledgeable, and have a pragmatic leadership style. The key qualities residents expect in their mayor are honesty (73%), trustworthiness (72%), integrity (61%), and leadership experience (58%).
Almost 9 in 10 (86%) think policies rooted in common sense are necessary to get the city back on track, and 68% think Chicago would be best led by a mayor with generally moderate (i.e., rather than conservative or progressive) political beliefs. Six in 10 city residents (60%) note that they’re not aligned with current mayoral administration’s priorities and three-fourths (74%) think the city would be better off with a different mayor.
Chicagoans who describe their political views as moderate say that Chicago would be best led by a moderate more frequently than Liberals or Conservatives (75%; vs. 62% of Liberals and 64% of Conservatives). Moderates also express approval of Johnson’s performance as mayor less frequently than their ideological counterparts (16%; vs. 29% of Liberals and 21% of Conservatives).
This survey was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll from February 21, 2025 to February 24, 2025 among 1,021 residents of Cook County, IL – including 500+ residents of the City of Chicago, aged 18+. Figures were weighted where necessary to align with actual proportions within the population. For additional information, please contact The Harris Poll.
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