Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson officially announced Sunday that he will seek reelection, asking voters to give him another four years to continue his progressive agenda in the nation’s third-largest city.

Johnson made the announcement at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center after months of uncertainty about whether he would run again. He said his campaign would focus on his record of working-class policies and described the election as a choice between “real progressives and posers.”

“I made a commitment through the lens of working-class leadership that we would take on the billionaires and the corporate interests to prioritize working people to build the safest, most affordable big city in America,” Johnson told The New York Times. “That’s what we’re doing.”

Johnson, 50, was elected mayor in 2023 after defeating then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the first round and Paul Vallas in the runoff. He now enters a crowded field that includes Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

Public safety is expected to remain a major issue in the campaign. Chicago has continued to experience hundreds of homicides annually, although the city has also seen periods of declining violence. The source material notes that 38 people were shot over Labor Day weekend, including eight who were killed.

Johnson has also faced criticism over his handling of immigration and city finances. He has opposed cooperation between Chicago police and federal immigration enforcement, while his administration is preparing for an estimated $882.4 million budget gap for 2027.

The mayor also faces a significant fundraising disadvantage. Johnson had less than $650,000 in his campaign account, while Giannoulias had roughly $22 million, according to the latest reporting.

Chicago's municipal election is scheduled for February 2027, with a runoff in April if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote.