Voters react as IL Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias joins crowded race for Chicago mayor

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The race for Chicago mayor is getting bigger.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is officially making his run for City Hall.

Commuters at the CTA Roosevelt Station said they valued Alexi Giannoulias' down to Earth approach.

"He proved it by walking up to me and talking to me like a person, instead of a voter," commuter Victoria Johnson said.

The current secretary of state announced his run for Chicago mayor with his "demand better" campaign.

"I am maniacally bullish about Chicago's future, but we need to demand better from City Hall." Giannoulias said.

It has a hyper focus on affordable housing, making the tax code more fair and standing up for working people.

"He gets out with the people," commuter Deran Carpenter said. "He talks to the people. He's real considerate of the things that he does. And also know that he never makes promises, he just handles the situations that he can handle."

Over the weekend, Giannoulias, who has already amassed a $22 -million dollar political war chest with $1 million donations from four unions earlier this year, spoke on his commitment to be Chicago's next leader.

"Running for mayor is like interviewing for a job, a really hard job. Just like anything else, when you're running for a job, you don't quit the one you're in while you're interviewing for that one," Giannoulias said.

He is now the 10th person to announce his run for the mayor's office.

"I just of all the people that's running, including my current mayor, who has not announced if he's going to run again. I think he's the better choice," Craig Sims said.

But other supporters say if Mayor Brandon Johnson puts his hand up for reelection, it might change their minds.

"I'm always a big fan of, you know, the incumbent," commuter Michael Esquivel said.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said instead of focusing on the future, he said he is working in the challenges Chicago is facing now.

"I am committed to building the safest most affordable big city in America and we are doing that," Johnson said. "There is more economic prowess and activity that is coming through our city than we have seen in a generation. There is no mayor in modern history that can say that they have overseen the city at a time when economic development is going up and crime is going down. My focus remains to continue to make the Investments in our neighborhoods."