Chicago Teachers Union President Says She Will Collect Petitions to Back Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Re-Election

Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates said she is prepared to gather petition signatures to support Mayor Brandon Johnson’s re-election campaign if others do not act. In a recent interview with WTTW News, Davis Gates framed the move as an act of political engagement on behalf of union members and public schools.

What Davis Gates Said

Davis Gates told WTTW News, "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." She praised the mayor for directing roughly $1 billion to Chicago Public Schools (CPS), saying, "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."

"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 added, describing the CTU's endorsement process.

Political Context And Past Support

The CTU endorsed Johnson in 2023, a move that helped him defeat incumbent Lori Lightfoot in the primary and former CPS CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff. Johnson—himself a former public school teacher, union organizer and CTU legislative coordinator—has repeatedly rejected suggestions that he is beholden to the union, saying his platform seeks to "unite the city around a set of values that the people of Chicago obviously want."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, on August 25, 2025.

Financial disclosures reviewed by the Illinois Policy Institute show the CTU contributed more than $2.6 million directly to Johnson's 2023 campaign, and teachers' unions collectively contributed more than $6 million.

Governance Changes

During Johnson’s first term the district moved toward a long-sought CTU objective: a 21-member hybrid CPS board created under state legislation enacted in 2021. After the November 2024 elections, 10 seats were filled by voters and 11 were appointed by the mayor, including the board president. All 21 seats are scheduled to be elected in late 2026, with the fully elected board taking effect in January 2027.

Union Demands And Criticism

CTU political activity and its endorsement come against a backdrop of criticism over falling enrollment, rising operating costs, and lagging academic performance. Internal CTU documents obtained by news outlets during the 2024 bargaining cycle outlined a 142-page wishlist of more than 700 proposals that the Illinois Policy Institute estimated could cost in excess of $50 billion.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said in an interview that she would pass petitions for Mayor Brandon Johnson's re-election.

Examples from the list include a proposed 9% annual wage increase through 2028, full coverage for abortions and fertility treatments, $2,000 stipends per migrant child, district-wide climate and social-justice mandates (such as fully electric bus fleets), and dedicated "gender support coordinators" at schools. Critics, including an editorial from The Washington Post, have argued the union places too much emphasis on social and political initiatives while academic proficiency in reading and math remains low.

What Comes Next

Davis Gates said any formal endorsement would follow the union’s internal democratic process: committees will evaluate the mayor’s record, make recommendations, and bring decisions to the CTU House of Delegates. She also cautioned that Johnson would face scrutiny from the union’s political action committee.

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