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Lake Research Partners is proud to have worked with several progressive Chicago leaders who were elected to office both in the first round on February 28th and in the runoff election on April 4th. All of our clients faced stiff competition but spoke to the issues that mattered to the people of Chicago. We would like to congratulate the following candidates on their victories:
- Brandon Johnson was elected Mayor of Chicago. LRP began polling for Johnson’s mayoral bid in the summer when Johnson had low name ID and ballot support at just 2%. But we spotted very early on that Johnson had a path to the runoff if he could garner the support of a multi-racial movement of progressive voters, particularly young progressive voters. Thanks to a masterful organizing infrastructure and media strategy, Johnson made the runoff over the incumbent mayor (who was on the air attacking him). In the runoff election, Johnson was able to beat a well-heeled opponent, who attacked him early on crime and safety. Johnson beat this by emphasizing his plans to invest in communities, jobs, schools, and healthcare—paid for by raising taxes on wealthy corporations. Johnson nevertheless won, again, due to first-class field and mobilization that helped the campaign hit its vote goals among Black voters, Latine voters, and white women. LRP has known Brandon Johnson for years, and could not be prouder of his spectacular achievement and what it means for Chicago’s future. We also believe this race offers important lessons for progressive leaders running campaigns across the country in ’23 and ’24.
- Jeanette Taylor was re-elected to be Alderwoman for Chicago’s 20th Ward. Taylor garnered over 50% of the vote in the first round against two opponents, avoiding a runoff. Taylor won because she has an inspiring personal story and has prioritized the issues that matter to voters, like affordable housing.
- Jessie Fuentes was elected to be Alderwoman for Chicago’s 26th Ward. LRP polled for State Senator Omar Aquino in the 26th Ward on behalf of Fuentes, who he endorsed. Fuentes has an inspiring personal story as well and will make an excellent addition to the Chicago Council. She beat two opponents in the first round. Fuentes is the first woman, first LGBTQ leader, and the youngest Alderperson from the 26th Ward.
- William Hall was elected to be Alderman for Chicago’s 6th Ward. Hall came in first place in the first round against ten opponents. Hall faced stiff competition in the runoff. He ran on a progressive platform and, though there are still votes left to be counted, appears to have won by a solid margin.
- Desmon Yancy appears to have been elected to be Alderman for Chicago’s 5th Ward. LRP polled for Yancy for his first-place finish in the first round against ten opponents.
We're excited to announce that our latest national poll of women of color voters was released today! Commissioned by Intersections of Our Lives and conducted by Lake Research Partners and HIT Strategies, this poll provides a thorough look at the connections across Black, Latina/x, and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) women voters and their motivations and issue priorities in the 2024 election cycle. Intersections of Our Lives is a Reproductive Justice collaborative of National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda (In Our Own Voice), and National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice (Latina Institute), three women-of-color led national Reproductive Justice organizations with both federal and statewide presence. Our poll found that Reproductive Justice issues – such as securing good-paying jobs, accessing affordable healthcare including abortion and birth control, improving maternal health outcomes, lowering the cost of housing, and addressing rising costs and prices – are top of mind for women of color voters who could decide elections. We invite you to learn more about the poll findings and to share insights with your networks. Below please find links to the Intersections of Our Lives website, a press release, and fact sheets with more information about the polling and details of the findings for Black women, Latina/x women, and AAPI women voters, respectively. Links: Fact sheets General fact sheet Asian American and Pacific Islander Women fact sheet Black Women fact sheet Latina/x Women fact sheet Press release Website
If we do the basic blocking and tackling of great field and GOTV work, and focus on executing an effective strategy for working-class voters, all the elements are in place for a big Democratic victory in 2024.
New polling from Lake Research Partners for Groundwork Collaborative
LRP research on working-class voters, conducted on behalf of American Family Voices, was featured in this NYT article. The report is part of a continuing effort to do on-the-ground research and data analysis to understand the thinking and motivation of working-class voters and to recommend strategies to begin rebuilding the Democratic Party’s and progressive movement’s historic connection to America’s working class. The full report can be read here .
Voters agree politics has grown less civil since COVID-19 and beginning of Biden presidency
As the mounting challenges the country faces continue to go unaddressed, the national unity and civility in America remain frayed with new and concerning controversies in schools, masks, and the state of the economy
The country agrees politicians should compromise to find solutions and get things done on a wide range of issues and challenges, where the voters themselves register strong support for action, across partisan lines.
We draw inspiration from those of you who have marched in the protests, spoken out passionately and eloquently on social media and to friends and loved ones, or engaged in the necessary work of self-reflection and ongoing education required by us all to identify how we directly or indirectly perpetuate systemic injustices. Please click here to go to our full statement.
The FiveThirtyEight 2019 Pollster Ratings , which grades the accuracy and methodology of public opinion polls, are out! Lake Research Partners received an A/B rating, once again confirming Lake Research’s status as the top political firm of our type. KUDOS to our team! Job well done.
Between the impending impeachment of President Trump and the fast-approaching 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, the political landscape has transformed and intensified in important ways since the last Battleground Poll in April of this year, putting Republican electoral prospects in peril up and down the ballot.