>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight on Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> I still believe Chicago can be the city that works.

>> A longtime lobbyist for Bally's, the United Center and more makes his pitch for Chicago's top job mayoral candidate John Kelly shares his plans for city.

And across town classic with playoff implications.

We preview big match up.

>> First off tonight, Cook County has issued a disaster proclamation for storms that swept through the area last Tuesday, meaning the county n pursue more resources to help residents and businesses recover.

The National Weather Service confirmed 6 tornadoes across Chicagoland as well as destructive straight line.

Winds across multiple south suburban cities leading to flooding, structural damage, downed trees and power lines.

Since then, the county's Department of Emergency Management and regional Security has been working to provide generators.

Excavators in portable light towers where needed along with help in clearing roads in removing debris impacted, residents are asked to complete the resident damage survey online by August 24th.

Hundreds of invasive juvenile silver carp are swimming farther north than ever.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says the carport discovered only 80 miles away from Lake Michigan as crews worked to rapidly remove them.

Experts say if the silver carp are able to enter Lake Michigan, it could devastate local fishing industries and the aquatic ecosystem, the presence of juveniles suts that the invasive carp population in the Illinois River is growing.

This discovery comes just weeks after the Army Corps of Engineers halted construction on the Brandon Road Inter Basin Project, which is designed to block the invasive fish from entering the Great Lakes.

200 Cook County Forest Preserve workers are off the job today striking over their contract with the county.

Teamsters, local 700 represents maintenance staff truck drivers and mechanics whose jobs include plowing roads conducting prescribed fire burns and keeping facilities clean.

They say the key sticking points are lack of parity in pay raises with non-union staff as well as compensation for overtime.

Their contract expired at the end of December and members have voted down the offer from the forest Preserve district officials say they offer 2% raise in January and another in July.

Plus, 4% raise in 2027 along with other concessions.

Meanwhile, the forest preserves remains open to the public during the strike.

Chicago's baseball teams have been in the spotlight for months now.

And that's not going to change this week as fans get part 2 of the Crosstown Classic.

The Cubs and White Sox are set to face off in a 3 game series starting tonight at Wrigley Field.

And it's an exciting time for fans on both teams as both teams are looking playoff bound.

The Cubs hold the 5th best record in baseball and are currently the top wild card spot in the National League.

Meanwhile, the Sox continue to surprise as they take a 5 and a half game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the American sent league central.

We'll have more on this week's showdown later in the program.

Up next, one on one with mayoral candidate John Kelly who joins us right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Election Day for the next mayor of Chicago is still more than 6 months away.

But the race is off and running for nearly a dozen candidates.

One of them is John Kelly.

As a veteran lobbyist, he seen one side of city hall while representing a client list that includes Bally's and the United Center now is the first time candidate for office.

He says he's hoping to make Chicago live up to its nickname as a city that works.

Joining us is candidate for Chicago Mayor John Kelly.

Welcome.

Congrats on race.

Thank you so what do you see as your qualifications to lead?

The city of Chicago?

Well, I'm definitely not a career politician like a lot of the folks that I'm running against.

I'm a problem solver.

>> And when I go to all these neighborhoods just this weekend, we debt went to a lot of fast because you needed to that when you're getting petitions, people were like just solve the problems.

We've got 2.5 million views on our video.

This city that used to work.

We want to make it work.

We want the city to be safe.

We want the city to be clean.

Specially the transit is something that I highlighted and I'm not high-level nice things about this because consultants political pros are telling me like it because that's what people tell me.

The highlight one.

I go across the city and campaign.

So they want a problem solver.

I'm going to be right against for career politicians in this large field and the 4 of them have run for 14 different offices over the course of their career.

And in fact, 2 of them, I'm going to be running for 2 offices at the same time that really show Chicago voters.

They want the title.

I want the job.

So we've mentioned your your background as a lobbyist.

How are you planning to navigate potential conflicts of interest from your career from your time spent It's a very simple and straightforward answer.

of said to numerous interviews.

>> My number one concern are the Chicago taxpayers full stop?

I've been a lobbyist my whole career.

You can dig up anywhere you'd like.

We've never had any ethical issues or any concerns.

And I think that the mayor, Chicago really needs to be a lobbyist and you need to lobby the city council so they don't have a budget issue like we have this leading to this Bally's problem which is embarrassing the city.

You also need the lobby, Springfield so that we can go get what is rightfully ours in the city.

Chicago, you have to go down there and fight for dollars for the city Chicago as well as the federal government.

I have one guiding principle.

What I become Mayor Chicago.

It's if someone comes in to my office, a former client, family friend or a friend, I'm going to tell them know if what they're proposing is not what's right for Chicago.

So I think that it's a really easy solution for me because I have that inner belief that I'm going to do what's best for Chicago residents full stop.

>> Okay.

So let's let's take a look at a clip from the video that was posted to your campaigns X account today.

>> For engine one joining 3 power.

39 in Gage Park.

Great current guys here.

Great view of the city from up here and they call over one 16.

>> That 60 at the dash and we had one day.

So we had a great day to day learned a lot about am lenses.

We need more Amazon.

This is Chicago learned about the age of the fire trucks.

So a very informative visits.

They're fun, but very informative.

Talking about the functional.

>> So, John, we've seen before instances where campaigns politicians are using city resources like fire trucks, though.

Are you aware that the Board of Ethics has ruled on that it is not allowed to be used for camp in campaign videos for elected officials were photos for that matter.

That wasn't a campaign video.

This is part of my tour of the city of Chicago.

There are 96 fire department firehouse in the city Chicago and I'm going visit all of them.

>> Were there as a private citizen asking them questions?

We don't distribute any kind of campaign literature.

We don't ask them for signatures.

What we're doing is talking the Chicago fireman because elected officials are not We're talking to police officers and I'm prepared to take those kind of political hits where how dare you go to a firehouse and actually sit down and talk to Chicago from it.

The response I'm getting from the men and women of the fire department is great.

Yesterday I had 2 firefighters off duty come up to me at the Taylor Street Festival and asked me to please come visit the firehouse.

We're not talking politics.

In fact, I'm letting the firemen, the policemen do all the talking.

So right now and you're not you're not asking them for their signature win their but you are using the resource in a video that is appearing on your campaign website.

So is it is that the same as being a private citizen?

>> Appearing I was there.

I that we're going to continue to go to the Chicago fire houses and all of these neighbors in the city of Chicago and talk to the people that really matter and let them do the So we understand that this is what happens when you run for office, it becomes kind of a political football.

And I think this kind of stuff that we're talking about is what Chicagoans are sickout.

want a candidate.

I hope all the candidates go to the fire houses.

I hope they all go to the police departments and talk to city workers.

You know, like a stop and talk to a city worker.

If they have a city chalk.

So it's not something that were intentionally trying to use it for political purposes.

And I think if you asked some of those firing off the record, they would say they value and appreciate the conversations that we had.

So we're going to continue to do it because I'm committed to going to see all these firefighters in these police officers.

So a city budget task force is estimated, as you know, that the city could face a 700 million dollar budget shortfall in 2027.

How would you address that problem as mayor?

Well, we have a 17 billion dollar budget.

It's growing billions of dollars.

I believe Romney man who was mayor the budget was close to 12. now here we are X amount of years later and it's 17 Billion.

The number one way for us to get out of this budget problem is through growth.

30% of our downtown is make it.

That's because of the failed leadership of the mayor.

It's the failed leadership of the politicians I'm running against who have been sitting there watching the mayor, but the city in the state of the kind when your economic engine is only spy during that 70% of its maximum power.

The city doesn't operate function, not able produce the revenue.

And now home owners that I talked to all over the city are seeing that with downtown, the service at the they pay the bill on their property We definitely need a growth strategy for the city Chicago.

People go all around the country.

Brandis.

We talked about different Fair people go to other cities and there's cranes.

We have one crane.

Chicago is the greatest city in the world and we have the proud the tools necessary to fix the problems.

I just think that those tools are in the wrong hands.

It would be like Chicago.

Sorry, should not have just one crane.

And that's why we're in this budget problem because we're not allowing business people to come to Chicago to start a business.

So you talk about efforts to grow the tax base.

If those efforts, you know, should not materialize in time to fix the 2027 shortfall, how else would you grow revenue or cut costs?

There's no way that adding 30% more revenue to this city will not result in positive aspect for the budget.

Yes, you have to be fiscally responsible.

And I understand how that works.

But the key is is you have to hire the best and brightest people in the city of Chicago.

How can we hire the best and brightest when sometimes we run them out of town.

I sat with a businessman who used to have 800 employees at his downtown office.

And when I was there with him, he had only 100.

So we lost not only a lot of employees, a lot of revenue, but we have a brain drain in the city where people are leaving because these companies are moving elsewhere.

We cannot bring people that can sit down with the mayor and talk about these budget problems.

If streets are not clean, the streets are not safe.

So I disagree.

I think that by adding 30% in growth to the downtown area.

We can start tackling these budget case or reporting also shows that you register to vote in Chicago in 2024. and that you owned a home in Orland Park until December 2025.

>> Tell voters how committed you are to the city of Chicago.

My family history in the city.

Chicago dates back to 18, 90 101 years later after my grandfather built a hotel in Woodland.

>> I graduated from Mount Carmel, High School in 1991.

My grandfather was a Chicago police officer.

My sister was a Chicago public school teacher.

My mother on currency exchange, which is a small business on the southeast side.

We have been in the city of Chicago for for decades.

We did spend some time were growing up out in the suburbs.

We've been in the city for since 2024, I've been a resident of the city.

I voted in the presidential election after 2024.

In the city.

I am very committed.

I've had my business in the city and I think that those are coming from my opponents that are afraid of the can to see that I have because I'm talking directly to Chicago voters about their problems and not do in partisan politics like doing with these shots.

But I welcome on because that's the thing.

You know, I met a lady on the CTA and Roosevelt Road and the first thing she asked me, you're running for Mayor, Mr.

Kelly, I hope you have thick skin.

So we've got a thick skin to see through this race.

But we're very committed to the city and always have been OKC mention the CPA, the CTA, most recent C P D.

>> Chicago Police Department data shows that crime on the CTA is down.

28.5% compared to this time in 2025.

And down.

31.5% since 2024, what do you think still needs to change?

But the city's approach to public transit?

Well, Ryan, when it comes to crime again, I always go back to I am doing this.

I'm out campaigning every day.

Crime and safety is how someone feels.

People don't say, oh, this crime is down certain percentage.

I feel that percentage safer people in the city of Chicago.

They're as safe as they feel.

And my speaking of town there tell me that they don't feel safe on July 24th, a woman was beaten and robbed by an unruly group of teenagers and she was robbed.

This sent to the hospital at the Roosevelt Station, which is why it was there talking to people 2 days later Brandis another woman was beaten, robbed and sent to the hospital by an unruly group of teenagers.

I don't care a crime stats.

People are trying to talk about Chicago.

Residents do not feel safe and they tell me that every single day that's why I've made it a center point of the campaign because I'm responding to what the voters are telling me.

So Chicagoans are safe as they feel they don't look at crime stats and wake up and read those.

Okay.

That's what we'll have to leave the best of luck to you on the campaign trail.

John Kelly, thank you very much.

You that.

And additional candidates running for mayor have also been joining us here on Chicago tonight.

You can visit our website to find those interviews at W T Tw dot com slash mayor 2027.

>> And we're back right after this.

For the next 3 days, Chicagoans will be choosing sides.

Blue versus black north versus south Cubs versus socks for only the second time in 18 years.

Chicago's rival baseball teams will face off in a crosstown Classic in which both squads boost winning records.

The Cubs into Monday's game with a better record at 72 winds and 53 losses but must fend off a hot first-place White Sox team coming off an impressive sweep against division rival Detroit.

So joining us to preview the series are Mike Mulligan of 1, 0, for 3 to score.

And Jesse Rogers, a reporter for ESPN covering the MLB and the Chicago Cubs.

Welcome both of you.

Thanks for joining us.

Okay.

So an exciting time to be a Chicago baseball fan because a lot of times this part of the year, everybody's just talking about bears preseason.

but this year is different.

The White Sox just swept the second place.

Tigers, putting them a 5 and a half games up 6 games up on Minnesota and Cleveland mic over to you first.

How surprised are you that the White Sox not only first place, but they're that far ahead.

This late in the season.

>> Well, honestly, things could have gone different way Detroit.

It was their lead in the division was down the 2 and a half games we were talking Friday about the possibility that the Sox could be going to Wrigley Field no longer in first place.

And that just steered you.

That was by far their most important their best.

Probably series performance certainly on the road that we've seen this year.

And the Sox just have this.

Resiliency.

I think this season has been a shocker.

And this is a team.

It went through 3 years losing 100 plus games, including 121 the worst season MLB history.

2 years ago.

So incredible that they're in charge of the division.

we just had this statement series.

Yeah, that's a pretty big turnaround.

Jesse.

The Cubs are coming off of a rough couple of losses against St.

Louis.

Actually.

>> They have a better record than the Sox, but they're in a tough division, right?

5 games behind Milwaukee.

Just how good are the Cubs this year?

>> Well, they're very good.

They're they're well-rounded team.

They pretty much have strengths in all areas of the game.

They just suffered an injury at shortstop Dansby Swanson is going to be out for a while.

But they have enough to overcome.

There is deep as they been 10 years.

They have enough pitching.

They play good defense.

They have just enough power.

I think in a good length.

The lineup like there's a lot of good things about the Cubs.

They're very good.

It remains to be seen if they're great.

The playoffs will determine if the Cubs are a great team.

That's what's the separator right now because they made the playoffs last year.

It's not good enough just to make it.

They've the highest payroll in the division by far.

So we will find out over the next 8 to 10 just how good they Losing Swanson's going to hurt for a while, but he should be back before the postseason.

And if they can catch Milwaukee all the better because that will give them a first-round first-round bye in the playoffs.

And that's always much needed at the end of a long season.

>> And Jessie mentioned Dansby Swanson.

You broke that story this afternoon.

How will that impact the teen?

>> Well, it's a lost defensively.

That's the big thing.

He was batting 8th 9008th in the lineup they can overcome.

I think offensively.

You know what they need to do.

Page Ramirez is a good looking rookie that's going to play second base now.

Nico Hoerner will move over to short Nikos a fine infielder.

He can handle it.

But it is a loss because this is one of the best shortstops in the league in, you know, any time you're deep and then you lose a guy and you come become a little bit thinner.

There you start to worry.

What if there's another injury?

So they can overcome it just got to be careful that that, you know, not something else doesn't pop up and the and the fact matter is he is a Gold Glove caliber defender.

So you will lose something there.

But at least they have really good players to over is sort of fill in for him until he gets back.

>> Mike will, which team would you say has more at stake in tonight's 3 game series?

>> had argument about there this morning.

I feel one of 19 games over 500.

I get it.

They still trail Milwaukee.

But think you get them to.

I don't know.

3 and a half game.

Something like that.

They still play them straight up 7 times.

That's that's in the suit.

Strike ratio for them.

I feel it.

The White Sox just given where they've been where they're at.

They need more you know they're they're 39 games in the left left this season, their magic number.

36, not like they have some, you that they're the class of the Yale Central.

Don't get me wrong.

But I like I said, they had a really good weekend.

So they probably look a little better that they really are.

They just got to keep trying to churn it out.

>> Just how important would you say it is to be a division winner as opposed to being a wild-card team, right?

Like how much more of an advantage could that be for the And could it be a disadvantage for the Cubs?

>> Yeah, I mean, I think so.

It's not like wild-card teams haven't won the World Series.

I mean, there's different formulas in October that work.

But if you want to set up your pitching staff having that by is so much better, you get a few days off.

You can line up your top pitchers for the next series.

Meanwhile, the team you're going to play is playing in a wild card round.

They're using up their pitching.

So I I think it's huge.

It's not necessarily going you know, crushed the Cubs if they don't get the bye.

But it just gives the Sox such an advantage to have once.

That's the way I look at it.

more of a plus than anything.

But then then a negative on the other in my world.

I think you can win either way.

But man, setting up your staff of giving a few days off to those pictures is huge.

>> Mike, what would you say?

Been the keys to success of each team?

>> Well, I think that the Cubs are a great defensive team.

You know field, they're built to be a great defensive team.

And we see that over and over again.

You know, PCA has had MVP type season.

Pete and he's just been sensational all year long.

And he's been carrying this team for stretches.

They now increased their pitching I don't know how exactly the hierarchy will work come playoff time.

and they went out and got some great pitching the Sox of power.

The Sox, you know, they they they went out got normally talk economy from Japan, who, by the way, I believe is face showed even aka 6 times and to pander 6 homers against them into tents.

I'm like that's so here's hoping.

you know, they've just got unbelievable vibe with all these young guys.

And it's just been a ton of fun to watch them.

Find success through that.

>> Jesse, what do you think?

Some of the possible downfalls of these 2 teams could in the final 6 weeks of the season?

>> Well, the funny thing is I actually think the Sox built better for the postseason, especially left-handed power is really important.

You face mostly righties.

They need to run into some home runs.

They've proven that for a long time.

Now.

That's why they have so many come from behind wins because they can get into the late innings.

And also on the left hander comes up because there's so many good ones and he hits a home run and they've a veteran bullpen, even though it's a young team, they've a veteran pope and the White Sox.

So their formula actually works for the stretch run and the playoffs, even if they're not as strong in the starting staff inexperienced would be the one thing.

The white with the White Sox in general, just, you know, other than that bullpen, it's an inexperienced group.

It's playoffs are a different story.

But I actually think they're fine for the for the rest of this regular season.

They proven a lot, especially this past weekend.

The Cubs, you know, I think they're great for the regular season.

They may not be as built for the playoffs.

They don't have that kind.

A left-handed slugger outside of PCA that that White Sox have.

They don't have that veteran bullpen necessarily.

They've had a lot of injuries, though, guys, like Jacob Webb of stepped up.

If defense matters in the playoffs and sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

That's where the Cubs can win.

tight playoff series.

But if it comes down to just a few home runs for each team, I don't like the Cubs as much as I like some of the potential opponents down the stretch in the playoffs.

Look, hopefully they can sort make it something make it about something else making about.

So getting the starter out after a lot of pitches racking up hits a link, the lineup and that could be the difference for the cops.

All right.

Just a couple seconds left gentleman who wants to predict the Cubs Sox Crosstown World Series.

>> I hope I don't think they're going to play in the World Series.

That would be great, especially if they made to take the red light.

But got up 2, goal safe for the Cubs missed.

right.

I'll our Pete what Craig Counsell said when someone asked him about that today.

Sign me up.

>> World Series.

I think the entire city of Chicago would would would take That is where we're going to have to leave Thanks to both of you.

Mike Mulligan and Jesse Rodgers.

Appreciate you.

>> You got plus back to wrap things up right after this.

>> And >> that's our show for this Monday night.

You can stream Chicago tonight on our W T Tw YouTube channel every evening and catch up on any programs you may have missed and join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10.

Now for all of us here at Chicago tonight and Brandis Friedman, thanks for watching.

Stay healthy and safe.

>> And have a good night.

>> Woes captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law, offices of personal injury, law firm.