Ald. Gilbert “Gil” Villegas (36th) and Ald. Monique Scott (24th) cruised into another term Tuesday night as Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) remained in a heated race with a community activist vying to lead the West Side ward.
“Drinks on me,” Villegas told a crowd of supporters gathered at Barcocina in West Town. Villegas secured 58% of the votes with 100% of the precincts reporting. Challenger Lori Torres Whitt, who was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union, received 42% of the votes. Whitt, a teacher at Monroe Elementary School, conceded shortly after 9 p.m.
“We are disappointed tonight, but we will keep working tomorrow,” she said in a statement. “This isn’t the end.”
Villegas, the chairman of the chamber’s Latino Caucus, sought his third term in the oddly drawn 36th Ward that has been described as a “snake” and “pool noddle.”
The 36th Ward cuts through more than a handful of West Side communities including West Town, Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin and Dunning.
At Villegas’ Election Night party, the crowd started doing toasts as early results showed him in a comfortable lead.
“What I want to do, is continue to serve the community as I’ve done, putting constituent services at the forefront, making sure we’re funding the police but also investing in under-invested communities,” Villegas said.
The alderman said he planned to continue his work on the City Council as an independent. He said he sees his role as a “check on the executive branch.”
29th Ward
Meanwhile, Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) sought to hold onto his City Council seat after write-in votes forced him into a run-off with CB Johnson, who has worked on substance abuse issues with the nonprofit Campaign for a Drug-Free West Side.
The race was too close to call, but both candidates expressed optimism. Taliaferro received nearly 51% of the votes with 96% of precincts reporting. Johnson garnered about 49% of votes. There were 1,114 outstanding mail-in ballots.
Taliaferro, who was first elected in 2015, said he thought the mail-in ballots would break his way. Still, he said the heated race could change his leadership approach.
“I will have to listen to my residents and look at a different style of leadership to reach those voters who did not support me,” Taliaferro said. He spent the night with his family at the 29th Ward office.
About a block away, Johnson said he felt “confident” he would be victorious.
“This community is in crisis and we all want change,” he told a crowd gathered at his campaign office.
Nearby, a bag of balloons was tied to the ceiling for a possible celebration later.
Johnson was flanked by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., who was also optimistic.
“If I were James Brown, I would say I feel good,” Davis said, emphasizing the word “feel.”
The 29th Ward includes West Side neighborhoods including Austin, Montclare and Galewood.
24th Ward
Ald. Monique Scott (24th) declared victory Tuesday night, less than a year after she was appointed to the role after her brother stepped down from the City Council.
Monique Scott secured nearly 67% of the votes with 95% of the precincts reporting. Creative Scott, a small-business owner, received about 33% of the votes. By 10:30 p.m., Creative Scott’s campaign confirmed he conceded.
In North Lawndale, Monique Scott supporters gathered at Soulé and sipped on drinks named “Mo’ for the Win” and “The Alderwoman” while awaiting results. A neon sign stating “Believe in yourself,” overlooked the crowd that listened to pop hits like “Love on Top” by Beyoncé.
For Monique Scott, early results in her favor was the affirmation she needed that the community was backing her not just because her brother, Michael Scott Jr., once led the ward.
“No one can say this is nepotism,” Monique Scott said to the crowd as she declared victory.
She said the restaurant where the crowd gathered was significant to the progress the West Side community is making, adding that she plans to tackle issues such as “economic development, housing, education, food deserts, health disparities.”
The 24th Ward includes Lawndale, Little Village and Austin.
Elvia Malagón’s reporting on social justice and income inequality is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.
Michael Loria is a staff reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times via Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster the paper’s coverage of communities on the South Side and West Side.
