Chicago Mayoral Election: Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson spar over policing, education during debate

CHICAGO (WLS) -- During an hour-long forum, the exchanges between Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas were, at times, testy.

"The city of Chicago deserves someone who comes from the working class, who understands the value of working class people," Johnson said.

Paul Vallas blamed the Chicago Teachers Union leadership and Johnson, by extension, as a CTU organizer, for closing CPS schools to in-person learning for too long during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Don't lecture me on middle class values. I come from a Greek-American immigrant family, born and raised on the South Side, six veterans in my household, including myself," Vallas said. "Test scores have plummeted in the Chicago Public Schools; 6% of Black children are meeting state standards in math and 11 % in reading. It's abysmal."

Johnson responded to Vallas' claims.

"Because you are hanging out with the extreme Republican Party, who did not even believe that the pandemic was real, it's unconscionable for you to blame a 100-year pandemic on Democrats," he said.

Johnson said Vallas's plan to fill Chicago Police Department vacancies would take too long and fail to improve safety.

"Paul believes that people are going to come off of retirement and come back to work after serving 25-plus years. That's ridiculous," Johnson said.

Vallas again accused Johnson of wanting to defund police while not looking hard enough at other cuts.

"I think tackling the $28 billion spending that the city does every year is the first order of business, and not tax increases,"Vallas said.

One reporter asked Johnson, "Yes or no, will there be less spending on police in a Johnson administration?"

Johnson responded, "I'm not going to defund the police."

Vallas and Johnson have been continuing to try and build support in the Black community, with the election two weeks from Tuesday.

As the Vallas-Johnson race for Chicago mayor continues, Bobby Rush threw his support behind Vallas Tuesday, while Johnson was endorsed by pastors.

Retired Congressman Bobby Rush said he is throwing his support behind Vallas, who got emotional at a Bronzeville news conference. Vallas never seems to be at a loss for words, but Rush's endorsement left him unable to speak.

It comes as Brandon Johnson received an endorsement from dozens of Chicagoland pastors.

"Been a really long campaign, but this has got to be the highlight," Vallas said. "Thank you, my brother."

Vallas said he is committed to helping underserved communities, and his record shows that he has done that.

"And, that should give the community the confidence that the promises I make will be the promises I keep," Vallas said.

RELATED: Chicago mayoral election: Early voting opens at all 50 ward locations

The endorsement came after the two led an anti-violence march down 47th Street in Bronzeville, where Rush said Chicago is at a crossroads with this election provides voters with two very different choices for mayor.

Rush cited Vallas' experience and commitment to public safety, along with community policing and police accountability as key issues.

"Only one city leader, only one person in this race for mayor that will hit the ground running," Rush said.

He also sought to address accusations that Vallas is a Republican in Democrat's clothing.

A short time earlier, Johnson gathered with a group of more than 100 Chicagoland ministers in a Washington Park church just a few blocks away trying to energize supporters in the final two weeks.

"I am so humbled and grateful to be with you all today. This is an incredible moment in our city's history, and I recognize that this moment is far bigger than a dream. It's bigger than an individual's name," he said. "There's so much excitement in this city because they believe that our promises have to be as big as the city of Chicago, and that we don't have to live in fear or doubt or trepidation, we get to live out our hopes and now is time to turn our hopes into votes."

Johnson, the son of a pastor, speaking the language of the pulpit as he sought to energize supporters for the home stretch of the campaign.

"I was told and raised that you come this far by faith, but also know that you've got to put in some work. And, we can't be afraid to put in some work," he said.

Johnson's supporters also pointed to union support as another distinguishing aspect of this election.

"We'll take our chances coalescing and collaborating with the teachers union, alright, before we ever get in bed with the Fraternal Order of Police," said Greater St. John Church's Ira Acree, who called Vallas "a Democrat in name only."

Rush, a former Black Panther who has had his own issues with police, said he detests FOP leadership, not the rank and file who endorsed Vallas.

"I am not anti-police, I'm anti-bad police," Rush said.

Political observers have frequently noted how critical the Black vote will be in determining this election, which is why Johnson and Vallas are both courting so many endorsements from influential members of the Black community.

Early voting started Monday.