Chicago teachers union boss vows to push petitions for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s re-election

Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates signaled firm support for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s political future, declaring in a recent interview that she is prepared to hit the pavement to collect petition signatures for his re-election bid.

"I hope to see Mayor Johnson come off the sideline and I hope to see the people who support him get out here and pass a petition. If he's not going to pass one, I'll pass one for him," Davis Gates said in an interview with WTTW News on Tuesday.

"Where the governor has failed to fund our schools, the mayor has given us a billion dollars… I don’t think we’ve done better at Chicago Public Schools than under [Johnson’s] leadership," she added. "And so I'm looking forward to that progress."

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The union leader’s enthusiastic backing comes despite ongoing scrutiny surrounding Johnson's deep alignment with the CTU and growing concerns over declining academic performance across Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

In 2023, the CTU endorsed Johnson—a former public school teacher, union organizer, and CTU legislative coordinator—helping propel him past incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the primary and defeating former CPS CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff.

According to financial disclosures analyzed by the Illinois Policy Institute, the CTU funneled more than $2.6 million directly into Johnson’s 2023 campaign, while teachers unions collectively poured in over $6 million.

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Throughout his tenure, critics have argued that Johnson’s policy agenda is dictated by his former employer. Johnson, however, has consistently dismissed allegations that he is beholden to the union machine, telling ABC 7 in 2023 that his platform represents a shared commitment to "uniting the city around a set of values that the people of Chicago obviously want."

During his first term, Johnson oversaw the transition toward a historic governance shift for CPS. Under state legislation enacted in 2021 — a long-held CTU policy objective — Chicago established a 21-member hybrid school board. Following the November 2024 elections, 10 board members were elected by voters, while Johnson appointed the remaining 11 members, including the board president. Voters will elect all 21 seats in late 2026, transitioning CPS to a fully elected board in January 2027.

The CTU’s political maneuvers come as the district battles a severe enrollment crisis paired with soaring operational costs.

During the 2024 collective bargaining negotiations, internal union documents obtained by news outlets revealed a 142-page wish list of over 700 demands. The Illinois Policy Institute estimated the total cost could exceed $50 billion.

Among the union's demands were a 9% annual wage increase through 2028, 100% coverage for abortions and fertility treatments, and $2,000 stipends per child for migrant families. Another demand was new district-wide climate and social-justice mandates, including fully electric bus fleets and dedicated "gender support coordinators" at schools.

The CTU has frequently drawn sharp public criticism for prioritizing political and social activism over core academics. Earlier this year, The Washington Post editorial board called out the union's aggressive push for social justice initiatives in a district where reading and math proficiency scores continue to hover at alarming lows.

Documents obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this year also highlighted substantial union spending on left-wing political causes and opposition to federal immigration enforcement operations.

A CTU spokesperson pointed Fox News Digital to a statement Davis Gates made during an interview with WGN9 three months ago.

Highlighting the CTU’s internal democratic process, Davis Gates dismissed doubts over the union’s continued alignment with Johnson ahead of potential endorsement discussions. Yet, she added that Johnson "will also face the political action committee of the teachers union."

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"He knows that, as he used to help lead that committee, and he'll talk to our committee about what it has meant to be mayor–what it meant in the impact of his work, and they'll make a recommendation, and we'll take it through our House of Delegates."

"This union operates on the highest level of transparency and democracy... Turns out when you ask people to participate and engage in activities that benefit them, they will do that—because you've committed to sharing information, giving them a right to say something, participating in a debate, and ultimately voting for a decision," Davis Gates said.

When asked about the possibility of endorsing someone other than Brandon Johnson, Davis Gates dismissed the question. 

"I don't even know why that would be a question. The question is: Are members satisfied with a mayor who supported their efforts to get a contract that lower class sizes, that codified the protections for them to teach the truth? Those are the questions that we would be debating and engaging our members on with the mayor of Chicago …."

Johnson's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.