Gilbert Villegas Faces Challenger In 36th Ward Race — For Now
With a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Journalism from Loyola University Chicago, Lisa Nguyen has dedicated her career to covering educational issues in the city. She has worked for WBEZ, focusing on local initiatives and reforms affecting Chicago schools.
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WEST TOWN — One challenger has filed nominating petitions to run against incumbent Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) in next year s aldermanic election. But the candidate, Luis Gomez, Jr., is facing a challenge backed by Villegas to the validity of his petition signatures. That means Gomez could get kicked out of the race before the ballot is formally set later this year. Villegas has represented the 36th Ward in the City Council since 2015. In 2022, the traditionally Northwest Side ward was dramatically redrawn as part of citywide redistricting, with its new borders stretching eight miles from Montclare down Grand Avenue all the way to West Town. In the 2023 municipal election, Villegas fended off a challenge from three candidates hoping to take his seat, and defeated a Chicago Teachers Union-backed candidate in a runoff. Since being reelected, Villegas has operated a second constituent services office on the eastern end of the district in Ukrainian Village. Earlier this yea