The Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, faced mockery online for a cringeworthy dance video that he posted as part of his reelection announcement, especially as crime rates in the city have soared during his term.
In the clip, Johnson, 50, displayed his awkward dance moves on a rooftop while lip-syncing to “Hideaway” by Kiesza, surrounded by a group of energetic young people, one of whom sported an “I [heart] DEI” T-shirt.
Accompanied by an enthusiastic caption suggesting a newsworthy moment, Johnson was seen bopping around in a gray suit for the 12-second Instagram video.
Viewers on the platform heavily criticized him for the awkwardness of his performance and questioned his effectiveness as a mayor.
One unimpressed commenter noted, “No solidified plan, just dancing,” while another stated, “This video is just another reason as to why he’s NOT getting our votes.” A third simply asked, “Is this a joke?”
This incident echoed a similar embarrassing moment involving Johnson’s predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, who had also posted a dancing video during her reelection campaign back in 2023.
While Johnson attempted to paint his administration in a positive light, his time in office has seen a significant rise in crime—27% according to statistics from the Chicago Police when compared to the previous four years—along with concerning increases in antisemitic hate crimes.
His leadership has also drawn criticism for fostering racial tensions and for making unusual public statements. For instance, he faced backlash before even taking office for cautioning against “demonizing” violent “teen takeovers” in downtown areas, which led to property damage and confrontations with the police.
After a particularly violent holiday weekend that resulted in 19 deaths, Johnson surprisingly attributed some of the blame to former President Richard Nixon.
He made an unfounded claim that “Black death has been unfortunately been accepted in this country for a very long time,” linking it to past political decisions without providing clear context.
In light of a reported 58% spike in hate crimes against the Jewish community from 2023 to 2024, Jewish leaders, including those from the Anti-Defamation League, have urged Johnson to form an antisemitism task force, though none has been created to date. The city has, however, established other task forces aimed at issues like violence against women and conditions affecting Black immigrants.
In a controversial April statement, Johnson connected the restaurant industry to “slavery” amid discussions with the City Council over tipped wages, asserting a need for reparations in Chicago.
Over the summer, he claimed he was reinstating the city’s “Trans Femicide State of Emergency” to spotlight violence against transgender women, a move that sparked confusion given that there had been only one reported trans murder this year amid nearly 300 total homicides in the city.
Despite facing alarmingly low approval ratings—only 13.6% of likely voters expressed support for his reelection in a recent University of Chicago survey—Johnson seems determined to continue. He is gearing up for a challenging mayoral race in February 2027, where he will compete against candidates including Chicago Housing Authority CEO Matt Brewer, former alderman George Cardenas, and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
