Chicago is witnessing one of the sharpest political collapses in recent memory.
A February survey by M3 Strategies placed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval rating at just 6.6%. Nearly 80% of voters said they viewed him unfavorably.
No modern mayor of Chicago has ever recorded such a low number, and few elected officials in U.S. history have polled worse.
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The city’s problems are not abstract. Residents have grown frustrated with rising property taxes, a shrinking police force, and an ongoing illegal immigrant crisis that has overwhelmed public services.
More than 25,000 illegals have arrived since 2022, straining shelters and schools already stretched thin.
While Johnson created a unified shelter system with more than 7,000 beds, Chicagoans continue to see neighborhood facilities converted into makeshift housing.
Many view it as a sign that their own needs are secondary to city hall’s political agenda.
Public safety remains the defining issue. Johnson can point to official statistics showing progress: homicides are down nearly 30% compared with the previous year, and shootings citywide have trended downward in 2025.
But Chicagoans remain skeptical. Carjackings, robberies, and retail theft have become everyday concerns.
Headlines about brazen downtown crime reinforce the perception that the city is unsafe, regardless of improvements on paper.
In politics, perception often outweighs numbers—and Johnson has failed to convince voters that conditions are improving in their daily lives.
His refusal to accept assistance from the Trump administration, which offered to deploy the National Guard to help restore order, has only deepened frustration.
Economic concerns add to the discontent. Chicago has raised a series of new taxes and fees to plug budget gaps while struggling to maintain core services.
Businesses have left for neighboring states, citing both higher costs and crime.
Families that once saw Chicago as a city of opportunity now speak of leaving, adding to the sense of decline.
A mayor who promised a progressive revival is instead presiding over an exodus of confidence.
The depth of Johnson’s unpopularity makes governing difficult. With only 6.6% approval, he has lost the trust needed to rally the public behind new initiatives.
City council members, eyeing their own political futures, are less willing to align with him.
For a city facing structural challenges in crime, finances, and immigration, the absence of credible leadership compounds the crisis.
Chicago’s voters may not agree on solutions, but they have delivered a clear verdict on Brandon Johnson’s leadership.
The city’s next chapter will depend on whether change comes from within his administration—or from voters who decide that 6.6% is too low to ignore.
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