Unpacking Black Twitter’s Response To Lori Lightfoot Losing Re-Election In Chicago

Politics can oftentimes get downright dirty — at best, putting crooked politicians on blast, and at its worst just being disgustingly petty.

In the case of now-ex-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, her historic run as the simultaneous first openly gay and first Black woman to serve the Windy City in that position came crashing Tuesday night as it was revealed that she won’t be re-elected after receiving just 17.06% of the vote. She trailed in third place behind Cook County Commissioner and Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson (20.29%) and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, who received top ranking with 33.77%. Johnson and Vallas will now meet up again in five weeks to see who will be the new Chicago Mayor during the April 4 runoff.

Lightfoot, on the other hand, will be left to go pack her desk.

Serving as your mayor has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to all of you who have stood beside me these last four years.

We’ve made significant progress building a safer, more equitable city. I thank each and every one of you for believing in me. pic.twitter.com/l33IGevNPC

— Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot) March 1, 2023

While she kept her send-off short and sweet on Twitter (seen above), Lightfoot had a few more choice words to say when speaking to the press following her mayoral loss. According to the New York Post, the 60-year-old politician told one reporter who asked if she had been treated unfairly, “I’m a Black woman in America. Of course.” It echoed a recent profile on her by The New Yorker, which acted as a final plea of sorts to the city of Chicago. In it, she says, “I am a Black woman—let’s not forget,” going on to add, “Certain folks, frankly, don’t support us in leadership roles.”

Even though Lightfoot does make a valid point, there’s a lot that can be said about the controversies she faced throughout her four-year run. From starting her first months in office embattled in the Chicago Teachers Union strike, which supported her opponent at the time, to being the brunt of the blame in Chicago’s infamous crime rate rising during the pandemic, let’s just say the people weren’t on Lightfoot’s side in the least bit.

As you might expect, many on social media — i.e. Black Twitter, of course — felt the need to let her hear it on the way out, with hoards of jokes, memes and vilifying things said in regards to her leadership and lack in doing much to stop the record violence in Chicago. It’s worth noting that many of the more disparaging comments are being made by Trump-supporting Republicans, but you’d be very surprised with how many native Chicagoans and those in the Black community in general are, for lack of words, going in on her.

Take a look below at some of the wildest and hottest takes made in reaction to Lori Lightfoot losing re-election as mayor of Chicago.  As always, sound off with your own thoughts as well over on our social media channels.

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