Former Obama cabinet member endorses pro-police candidate: 'Best hope for a safer Chicago'

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The Runoff to Replace Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot

One candidate is calling for more police and charter schools.

Arne Duncan, who served as the Secretary of Education under President Obama, wrote an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune on Friday that supported Paul Vallas for Chicago mayor because of his pro-police stance.

While Duncan complimented progressive candidate Brandon Johnson for his campaign priorities, he ultimately sided with Vallas for his focus on law enforcement.

"I salute Johnson’s courage for running. I agree with his broad commitment to ‘invest in people.’ If he wins, I am 100% committed to helping him succeed. We all have to unite behind the next mayor no matter who wins on April 4," Duncan wrote. "But, given the desperate need to reform CPD, tell police the truth and hold them accountable, Vallas is our best hope for a safer Chicago."

Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary Of Education, was among the advocates speaking at The Kennedy Forum National Summit On Mental Health Equity And Justice In Chicago at the Chicago Hilton and Tower Hotel on Jan. 16, 2018 in Chicago. (Getty Images)

He continued, "Vallas comes from a family of police and, as an unpaid adviser to the FOP and the union representing police sergeants, he negotiated meaningful reforms in both contracts. He also has not taken campaign contributions from them."

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Vallas and Johnson became the official candidates for Chicago’s next mayor on Feb. 28 after being the top two front-runners in the original election. Both candidates defeated incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign which ended her one-term tenure. They will face off against each other again in the April 4 runoff election.

Vallas, who maintained a lead against Johnson in the first election, ran a campaign focused on crime, citing the unprecedented rise in criminal activity under Lightfoot. Duncan agreed that crime should be a major issue regarding the next Chicago mayor.

"Worst of all, too many violent crimes never get solved. In high-crime neighborhoods, arrest rates for nonfatal shootings and even homicides are so low that people feel they have to take matters in their own hands. Absent real justice, you get street justice," Duncan wrote. "That’s why Chicago needs a mayor who can tell CPD and its union the hard truth. We need CPD to take responsibility for its long and troubled history of abuse. We need to deploy police where and when crime is happening — instead of where and when they choose to work. We need to recruit good police, not just more police." 

Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson, left, and Paul Vallas shake hands before the start of a debate at ABC7 studios in downtown Chicago, Thursday, March 16, 2023. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

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Vallas was also later endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, a nationwide organization representing law enforcement officers.

Prior to the Chicago election, Duncan hinted that he himself could run against Lightfoot in Jan. 2022. However, he quickly clarified that he was not thinking about it at the moment.

"I’m not running for anything right now," Duncan said. "But I am deeply concerned about where we are as a city. Nobody feels like we’re in a good place. … Our city’s in a really tough spot. I’ve lived here all my life. I love this city. As I talk to folks, they’re probably more concerned now than at any time that I can remember."

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Regardless of who eventually wins the mayoral race, Duncan commended the candidates for looking to take on the "daunting" challenge of reform the police force.

Arne Duncan argued that crime would be a major issue for the next Chicago mayor to address. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"We need leadership to create a department that is sincerely committed to real partnerships with the community instead of just lip service. And we need to do all of these things while rebuilding morale in a department where retirements and suicides have both spiked. It’s a daunting challenge," Duncan wrote.