Wilson enters 2023 mayoral race, calls 2019 endorsement of Lightfoot 'hell of a mistake'
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Weeks after giving away $1.2 million in free gas in Chicago and the suburbs, businessman and philanthropist Willie Wilson has entered the race for mayor, challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot after endorsing her four years ago.
Wilson on Monday called that endorsement of Lightfoot a mistake.
"I made a hell of a mistake. I made a mistake, and I had to say that, because I've been very disappointed. Chicago is my town," Wilson said. "I care about its people, all its people, and I'm going to stand up there for it."
Wilson said he plans to outline his plans for what he'll do in office in about a month, and said one major issue that must be addressed is violent crime.
"The crime must stop, will stop," he said. "We're going to fix that."
Wilson, a millionaire, said he won't be accepting major campaign contributions, and will provide $5 million in funding to his own campaign.
"I owe no politicians any favors. The only thing I'm committed to doing is owing the citizens of the city of Chicago, it's 77 communities. I'm beholden to the community. I will take no money that exceeds $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000. That ain't going to happen. But those who want to donate to my campaign can donate $5, or $10, or what have you," he said.
By donating $5 million to his own campaign, Wilson will trigger a state law lifting restrictions on campaign donations to candidates, as he has done in prior elections, which could also make it easier for Lightfoot and other prominent candidates to raise large sums for their campaigns..
Wilson also said he would not accept his city salary if elected mayor, and would instead donate it to churches and non-profits.
Wilson, who has often run as a Democrat, also has expressed many conservative views, and in 2018 said he had voted for both former President Donald Trump and former Gov. Bruce Rauner.
On Monday, Wilson declined to say if he voted for Mr. Trump in 2020, or if he believes President Joe Biden was properly and fairly elected in 2020.
"How would I know?" he said. "You've never heard me come out and say that it was an unfair election. You never heard me say that. But I'm running for mayor of the city of Chicago, not president."
Wilson also blasted city and state government officials for ordering churches closed, along with most other public places, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
"The lady here that is mayor of the city of Chicago had enough nerve to come into our churches and to tell them to close down, and giving them tickets. I resent that. I fully resent that," he said.
He also said it is wrong for Lightfoot to require Chicago police officers to be vaccinated against the virus.
"I will take the police department and make sure that they got the right to decide whether or not they would like to take a shot or not. They got freedom," he said. "Those are men and women who put their lives on the line for us."
At his campaign announcement, Wilson was backed by several Chicago ministers.
Dr. Whilliam Foster Jr., senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church, said people are tired of violent crime in Chicago under Lightfoot's leadership, and believe Wilson "is the answer."
"We're tired of our people perishing, and we have a leader here today who is second to none, who is capable of leading this city to higher heights," he said.
Pastor Stephen Thurston said "We are looking for a miracle."
"A miracle that God has put in the light of Dr. Wilson, and we are here not to stand by ourselves, but with many clergy that are giving Dr. Wilson all of our commitment, and we are ready to say that Dr. Willie Wilson will be the next mayor of the city of Chicago," he added.
It's Wilson's third time running for mayor. He also ran in 2015 and 2019, getting about 11% of the vote each time. He's also had unsuccessful runs for U.S. Senate and President. He has never won elected office.
His announcement comes the same day Mayor Lori Lightfoot's campaign announced three new hires as they "gear up ahead of a reelection announcement."
"Mayor Lightfoot led our city through an unprecedented pandemic, all while taking critical steps to build a Chicago that is equitable and inclusive for every person, in every neighborhood. We need a leader who will keep us moving forward toward a post-COVID Chicago that lowers crime, brings new jobs and opportunities to the city, and gives Chicagoans a leg up," said Lightfoot campaign spokeswoman Madison Olinger.
At an unrelated event Monday afternoon, Lightfoot said she remains focused on "doing the job that the people elected me to do."
"Part of that is making sure that we're focused on public safety, that we're focused on the pandemic, and that we're focused on truly equitable and inclusive economic development," she said. "I'm very comfortable with our record of accomplishment."
As for Wilson saying he would do away with the city's vaccine mandate for police officers, Lightfoot said she is "very comfortable" with the steps she has taken during the pandemic to protect public health.
"You've got to lead by example. Every single court, every single court, every single arbitrator who has looked at this has said without qualification that it was our right as the employer to make sure that we are doing everything that we can to keep the workplace safe," she said.
Lightfoot declined to say when she plans to officially announce her re-election plans.
"There will be plenty of time for the politics, but right now all I'm focused on is doing my job of leading the city out of a pandemic and into economic prosperity," she said.
Wilson is the third candidate to announce plans to run against Lightfoot in 2023.
Wilson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have a complicated political history. After finishing fourth in the February 2019 mayoral election, Wilson endorsed Lightfoot, helping her cruise to an easy runoff victory over Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, winning every ward of the city.
But the two have often clashed since then.
Wilson made headlines last month when he sponsored two gas giveaways throughout the city and suburbs, giving away a total of $1.2 million in free gas, prompting speculation he was preparing another bid for mayor.
Following Wilson's second gas giveaway, Lightfoot announced a $12.5 million plan to give away gas cards and transit cards to Chicago residents.
While Lightfoot has denied her plan was inspired by Wilson's gas giveaways, she also offered a veiled criticism of Wilson's giveaways, saying "you're not going to have to get up at 4 o'clock in the morning, you're not going to have to sit in a long line," as people did for Wilson's giveaways.
Still, Lightfoot's plan has been met with skepticism from aldermen, some of whom also have raised concerns it is a reaction to Wilson's gas giveaways, along with criticism that it would mainly benefit oil companies without providing significant relief to Chicago drivers. A key City Council committee last week did not vote on her plan as had been expected, a likely signal Lightfoot does not yet have the votes to pass it.
Wilson said he is considering a third gas giveaway, and if the city tries to stop him this time, he'll just give away gas in the suburbs and northwest Indiana.
"We'll do what it takes," he said.
In 2020, Lightfoot criticized Wilson over his effort to provide protective masks in the early days of the pandemic, accusing Wilson of demanding $1 million in cash upfront from the city in order to buy masks from him.
Wilson said the mayor misunderstood. He denied asking for the money in cash, and said a payment was needed before China would ship the goods.
Ald. Raymond Lopez announced a run for mayor last week, and Chicago Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara announced plans to run for mayor last November.
Other potential candidates include Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th), former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, Chicago Teachers Union vice president Stacy Davis Gates, Illinois State Rep. Kam Buckner, State Rep. La Shawn Ford, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, and community activist Ja'Mal Green. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan announced last month he won't be running for mayor, following months of speculation.
Election Day in the city's municipal elections is Feb. 28, 2023. If there's a runoff, it would be on April 4, 2023.