Roderick Sawyer, Son of Former Mayor, Announces Bid To Oust Lightfoot

Chicago IL

02 June, 2022

5:13 PM

Description

CHICAGO - Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th) announced Wednesday he will give up his City Council seat to run for mayor, as he joins a growing number of candidates looking to oust Mayor Lori Lightfoot of office next year. The son of former mayor Eugene Sawyer criticized how Lightfoot has run her administration during her tenure. "I don't think she's the right fit for Chicago in this role. … She doesn't play well in the sandbox with others. … The authoritativeness. The mean-spirited demeanor. That's not how you run a government," Sawyer told the Sun-Times. With violent crime at the top of voters' minds, Sawyer claims Lightfoot has not allowed police Superintendent David Brown and rank-and-file police officers to do their job due to her "dictatorial style." However, he has vowed to fire Brown as superintendent if elected mayor. He also wants to fill the 1,600 police vacancies by offering hiring incentives and retention bonuses. While Lightfoot initially campaigned as a reformer, Sawyer argues she has not measured up to that claim, citing her attempt to block legislation for a 21-member elected school board, prolonging establishing civilian police oversight and her public criticism and pushing out of Inspector General Joe Ferguson. Sawyer is Lightfoot's hand-picked chair of the City Council's Committee on Health and Human Relations and the former chair of the council's Black Caucus. He becomes the fifth candidate and third African American to enter the race. State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) and millionaire businessman Willie Wilson have already announced their candidacies. They are joined by former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Ald. Ray Lopez (15th). Lightfoot has yet to officially announce her reelection bid.