Raymond Lopez
{{Short description|American politician (born 1978)}}
{{use mdy dates |date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Ray Lopez
|image = Raymond Lopez.jpg
|office = Member of the Chicago City Council
from the 15th ward
|term_start = May 18, 2015
|term_end =
|predecessor = Toni Foulkes {{small|(Redistricted)}}
|successor =
|birth_name = Raymond Anthony Lopez
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|5|26}}
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|spouse = Hugo Lopez
|education = University of Illinois, Chicago
|signature=Ray Lopez Signature.png
}}
Raymond Anthony Lopez (born May 26, 1978) is an American politician who is currently a member of the Chicago City Council serving as alderman of the 15th Ward in Chicago, Illinois.
A member of the Democratic Party, Lopez was first elected as Democratic Committeeman of the 15th Ward in 2012, becoming the first openly gay Mexican-American to be elected in Illinois. On April 7, 2015, Lopez was elected alderman of the 15th Ward. The 15th ward includes the West Englewood, Brighton Park, Back of the Yards, Chicago Lawn, Canaryville, and Gage Park neighborhoods.
Early life and education
Born in Chicago, Lopez is a graduate of St. Laurence Catholic High School. Lopez was first introduced to politics at the age of 18 when he became a precinct captain under the William Lipinski organization of the 23rd Ward on the Southwest Side of Chicago. He studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Prior to his political career, Lopez worked as a skycap for Southwest Airlines at Midway International Airport. He was a skycap for 12 years.
Career
In 2011, Lopez ran unsuccessfully for alderman of the 15th Ward, forcing the incumbent into a run-off election.
In 2012, after the incumbent Democratic Committeeman withdrew from the race, Lopez ran unopposed. In 2012, as a result of redistricting following the 2010 United States census, the demographics of the 15th Ward changed. Previously, the 15th Ward only included the neighborhoods of Chicago Lawn/Marquette Manor and West Englewood.{{Cite web|url = http://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/general/document_415.pdf|title = Old 15th Ward Map}} The new 15th Ward{{Cite web|url = http://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/general/document_3992.pdf|title = New 15th Ward Map}} (c. 2012) now includes significant portions of Brighton Park, Back of the Yards, Gage Park, and New City, with West Englewood still remaining.
=Chicago City Council=
In 2015, Lopez again ran to represent the newly redrawn 15th Ward on the Chicago City Council. In a primary field of seven candidates, Lopez narrowly missed winning outright by 127 votes.{{Cite web|url = http://www.chicagoelections.com/en/wdlevel3.asp?elec_code=10|title = Municipal Election}} In the April 7, 2015 run-off election, Lopez successfully obtained 58% of the total vote.{{Cite web|url = http://www.chicagoelections.com/en/wdlevel3.asp?elec_code=9|title = Run-off Results}} On May 18, 2015, Lopez was sworn in along with the mayor, city treasurer, city clerk, and 49 other alderman at the Chicago Theatre.{{cite news|last1=Tribune|first1=Chicago|title=Meet Chicago's new city council|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-the-chicago-city-council-meet-the-members-20150516-htmlstory.html|access-date=16 May 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=16 May 2015}}
In the first round of the 2019 Chicago mayoral election, Lopez endorsed Gery Chico for mayor.{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sneed-gery-chico-chicago-mayor-election/|title=Gery Chico joins race for mayor of Chicago: 'I'm going to do it'|date=18 September 2018 }}
Lopez is considered a potential candidate to run for Chicago Mayor in February 2027.{{Cite web |url= https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/2025/01/07/ald-lopez-wants-probe-of-election-fraud-allegation-involving-mayor-johnsons-top-advisor/ |title=Ald. Lopez wants probe of election fraud allegation involving Mayor Johnson’s top advisor |last=Sluzas |first=Robin |website=southwestregionalpublishing.com |publisher=Southwest Regional Publishing |date=January 7, 2025 |language=en |access-date=February 25, 2025}}
= 2023 Chicago mayoral election =
On April 6, 2022, Lopez announced his intention to run in the 2023 Chicago mayoral election.{{Cite web |last=Kapos |first=Shia |title=Raymond Lopez launches bid for Chicago mayor |url=https://politi.co/3KgiBmq |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=POLITICO |date=6 April 2022 |language=en}} No incumbent Chicago City Council member had been elected mayor since the 19th century, although two had been appointed to the office to fill vacancies.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-06 |title=Ray Lopez running for mayor; City Council critic to give up seat to challenge Lightfoot |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/4/6/23013162/ray-lopez-mayor-chicago-2023-election-lori-lightfoot |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}
On November 21, 2022, after fundraising and collecting petition signatures to run for mayor, Lopez instead dropped out of the race and filed to run for re-election to city council.{{cite web | date=2022-11-21 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/elections/ct-chicago-mayor-race-ray-lopez-alderman-20221121-dlcuginjkfbm5fpjab5lho57wy-story.html | title=Ald. Raymond Lopez bows out of mayor race, will seek reelection to City Council|access-date=2023-01-13 | website=Chicago Tribune |language=en }}
=Criticism of Lori Lightfoot=
Lopez emerged as a top critic of Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the City Council.{{cite web |last1=Pratt |first1=Gregory |title=Friends call him 'Showpez.' Meet Mayor Lori Lightfoot's top City Council critic: Ald. Raymond Lopez. |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-chicago-alderman-raymond-lopez-profile-20200102-ofsirjdq2vbhhctja2hxwpy3uq-story.html |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2 February 2020 |date=2 January 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Kass |first1=John |title=Column: Is Ald. Raymond Lopez running against Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2023? |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/john-kass/ct-chicago-police-schools-kass-20200618-aoyazlmcvzbrnihtezbgurhvsq-story.html |website=chicagotribune.com |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2 July 2020 |date=18 June 2020}} On May 31, 2020, during a conference call with all 50 Chicago aldermen regarding protests in response to the police murder of George Floyd, Lopez got into a heated argument with Lightfoot over her supposed insufficient response to looters, culminating with the two swearing at one another.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-08|title=Mayor Lori Lightfoot And Ald. Raymond Lopez Have Foul-Mouthed Argument Over Looting; 'You're 100% Full Of S***' Mayor Says|url=https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/06/08/mayor-lori-lightfoot-and-ald-raymond-lopez-have-foul-mouthed-argument-over-looting-youre-100-full-of-s-mayor-says/|access-date=2020-06-11|language=en-US}}
= 2024 congressional election =
On October 3, 2023, Lopez announced he would run against incumbent Chuy García in the Democratic primary for Illinois's 4th congressional district.{{Cite web |last=Spielman |first=Fran |date=October 3, 2023 |title=Ald. Ray Lopez running for Congress against Rep. Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/10/3/23901394/ray-lopez-running-for-congress-jesus-chuy-garcia-4th-congressional-district-democratic-primary |access-date=November 11, 2023 |website=Chicago Sun-Times}} On March 19, 2024, García defeated Lopez by about 69% to 31%.{{Cite web |last=Hope |first=Leah |date=March 19, 2024 |title=4th District Rep. Jesús 'Chuy' García defeats primary challenge by Ald. Ray Lopez, AP projects |url=https://abc7chicago.com/jesus-chuy-garcia-raymond-lopez-illinois-primary-election-results-today/14545838/ |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=ABC 7 Chicago}}
Political positions
In January 2024, Lopez voted against the City Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza.{{cite web |url=https://chicityclerk.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/reports/Attn-DRC%20for%2001-31-2024%20v2.pdf?VersionId=k9kae4r5uohYdqz5BASbVMTqrahMbvjN |title=Attendance and Divided Roll Call Votes (Record # SR2024-0006422) |date=31 January 2024 |publisher=Chicago Office of the City Clerk |access-date=15 March 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2024/1/31/24057161/mayor-brandon-johnson-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-raucous-debate-clears-chambers |title=Chicago City Council passes Gaza cease-fire resolution as Johnson casts tie-breaking vote |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=31 January 2024 |first1=Fran |last1=Spielman |first2=Sophie |last2=Sherry}} "We can discuss the cease-fire as soon as all the hostages and bodily remains are returned unconditionally," he told the Chicago Sun-Times.{{cite news |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/02/25/congress-democratic-primary-4th-district-jesus-chuy-garcia-raymond-lopez |title=In House Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia challenged from the right by Ald. Raymond Lopez |first= Lynn |last=Sweet |date=26 February 2024 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}
Regarding immigration, Lopez supports legalization of dreamers, although he says he would have supported the stalled senate immigration package from February 2024, which did not include protections for dreamers. According to his campaign website for the 2024 congressional race, he supports immigration reform that includes pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, securing the borders to reduce the influx of additional undocumented immigrants, and creating "carve-outs" in Chicago's Sanctuary city policy so that certain individuals (those who "have committed sex crimes against minors, engaged in prostitution, have identified as members of a gang, or have been arrested for a violent crime") could be turned over to USCIS.{{cite web |url=https://www.raymondforcongress.com/immigrationreform |title=Immigration Reform |website=Raymond for Congress |access-date=15 March 2024}}
Personal life
Lopez is openly gay. He is half Jewish. He refers to his dogs as his "children".{{Cite web |url=https://thedailyline.net/chicago/04/23/2015/new-council-member-profile-15th-wards-raymond-lopez/ |title=New Council Member Profile: 15th Ward's Raymond Lopez |access-date=2021-02-13 |archive-date=2021-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122151558/https://thedailyline.net/chicago/04/23/2015/new-council-member-profile-15th-wards-raymond-lopez/ |url-status=dead }} He is married to Hugo Lopez.{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/4/6/23013162/ray-lopez-mayor-chicago-2023-election-lori-lightfoot|title=Ray Lopez running for mayor of Chicago|date=6 April 2022 |publisher=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=April 6, 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chicago City Council}}
{{Cook county democratic committeemen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Raymond}}
Category:American LGBTQ city council members
Category:Chicago City Council members
Category:American gay politicians
Category:Hispanic and Latino American city council members
Category:LGBTQ Hispanic and Latino American people
Category:LGBTQ people from Illinois
Category:American politicians of Mexican descent
Category:Hispanic and Latino American people in Illinois politics
Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections
Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections