Alderman Sophia King spoke with ABC7 one-on-one Thursday about why she's running against Lori Lightfoot and what needs to change.
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King is now the third member of the Chicago City Council to join the mayor's race and the ninth person who has officially declared their intent to challenge Lightfoot. But name recognition and money are two major challenges that lie ahead.
How will Alderman King's candidacy affect mayor's race?
How will Alderman King's candidacy affect mayor's race?
King is promising to bring a different approach to government and leadership if she is elected mayor.
"There's a lot of dissension in the city, a lot of combativeness," King said. "I think people want, you know, someone who can collaborate and bring people together."
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King represents the 4th Ward, which runs from Hyde Park through Bronzeville to downtown. She formally announced her candidacy with a highly produced video Wednesday. A day later, she talked about her priorities.
"Safety, safety and safety will be my top three priorities," King said. "I think, again, we need a change of leadership in order to achieve that at the superintendent level. And on the fifth floor."
She expressed her support for police in general, saying we need to bring back respect for the profession. As for the embattled Cook County State's Attorney, she pivoted when asked if she supported Kim Foxx and how she is handling things.
"I am going to seek to bring everybody together, sit down, and everybody's house needs to be cleaned," King said.
She also criticized Mayor Lori Lightfoot for a lack of respect for the city council.
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"There's too much combativeness, you know, my colleagues are speaking with their feet," King said. "The administrative folks who are working in this administration are speaking with their feet."
But as she tries to raise her profile, King also has another pressing concern: raising several million dollars.
"We're just getting started, we're gonna need raise a lot of money, I think you're right on the spot," King said. "It's all relative, it depends on what other people raise. But we certainly need to raise a lot of money."
King is friends with the Obamas, but she said she did not reach out to them for advice priory to making her decision to run.