Head of Chicago Teachers Union says she won't run for mayor

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates says she won't run for mayor despite years of speculation, but union ally and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson is hinting at a potential campaign of his own.

Speaking at a City Club of Chicago luncheon Monday on the first day of classes for Chicago Public Schools students, Davis Gates said that "everybody in this room knows you all need a new mayor."

"But it won't be me," she said after applause. "I really love my job."

Ever since the 2019 teachers' strike when Davis Gates stepped into prominent public view, onlookers and even Mayor Lori Lightfoot herself have predicted she might run in 2023. Davis Gates has previously deflected questions about a potential campaign but hadn't shut the door.

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