Chicago mayor campaign cash? Johnson nearly all union. Vallas mainly from individuals.

In the race for Chicago mayor, over 95% of Brandon Johnson’s campaign contributions come from 15 unions. Nearly 83% of Paul Vallas’ contributions came from 721 individuals.

Chicago voters are learning about two very different mayoral candidates through campaigns with very different funding sources. 

Illinois State Board of Elections data shows over 95% of Brandon Johnson’s funding is from 15 unions, with the majority coming from teachers unions.

Nearly 83% of Paul Vallas’ funding comes from 721 individual donors.

The median aggregate amount given by the teachers unions and their political action committees to the Johnson campaign is more than $940,000. Johnson has just over 140 individual donors to date, with the median donation at $1,000.

Vallas has no donations from teachers unions and just one donation from a union – IBEW Illinois PAC – which is for $100,000. The median aggregate amount contributed by the more than 720 individual donors to the Vallas campaign is $1,500. 

The Chicago Teachers Union’s spending has been met with internal criticism from members for failing to get member approval before funneling funds to Johnson. It has even seemingly violated its own internal rules by using member dues for politics, with $8 per month being taken from each member’s dues to fund Johnson.

Even before the union’s latest contributions to Johnson – bringing its total funding currently to nearly $2.3 million – CTU’s role in the Johnson campaign prompted the Chicago Tribune editorial board to ask, “Is the Chicago Teachers Union the new machine?”

If the Johnson and Vallas funding sources are any indication, the election April 4 certainly seems to be pitting that machine against the people.