Chicago, Illinois - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot conceded defeat in the city's mayoral election, ending her efforts for a second term and setting the stage for Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson to face former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in a run-off.

A visibly shaken Lightfoot, who made history four years ago when she became the first Black woman to be elected mayor of Chicago, conceded the race just before 9 PM and said she will be "rooting and praying for our next mayor to deliver for the people of the city for years to come."

"Obviously, we didn't win the election today, but I stand here with my head held high and a heart full of gratitude,"Lightfoot said, highlighting how the city emerged from a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and made "real progress on public safety."

The Associated Press just before 9 PM called the race for Johnson, who in addition to defeating Lightfoot also outdid US Representative Jesús "Chuy" García.

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Johnson's victory sets up an ideological battle with Vallas over the future path of the nation's third-largest city. The two will face off in five weeks on April 4.

Vallas scored the top spot in the first round of the mayoral campaign.

Unofficial results showed Vallas garnered 35% of the vote with 90% of the precincts reporting. Johnson was second with 20%, followed by Lightfoot at 16% and García at 14%. They were trailed by Wilson with 9%. The remaining candidates were each receiving 2% or less of the vote.

With nine candidates running, including seven Black candidates, few expected Tuesday's election would be the final say on the 2023 race for mayor.

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The final matchup was a stunning blow to Lightfoot, who became the first full-term incumbent to fail to win reelection since Jane Byrne lost to Harold Washington in 1983.

The more conservative Vallas and progressive Johnson sparred throughout the divisive campaign, which saw the two typically on opposite ends of the biggest issues in the race – education and crime.

Vallas, a 69-year old former schools chief, has long been a critic of the Chicago Teachers Union that Johnson helps lead, asserting the union's work stoppages during the pandemic harmed children's well-being and hurt their growth for generations. The 26-year-old Johnson regularly paints Vallas' approach to public education as "morally bankrupt" for its promotion of private school vouchers and expansion of charters across the country.

On crime, Vallas has spouted tough talk and positioned himself as the pro-law enforcement candidate who will stamp out the "complete lawlessness" he has seen in Chicago by, among other things, reversing rules he insists restrict cops from doing their jobs.

Johnson, meanwhile, decried the city’s reliance on policing as a failed strategy and instead promised a new citywide strategy that would shift focus toward community investments in housing, mental health, and more.