Incumbent Richard Irvin Loses Aurora Mayoral Election to John Laesch

AURORA, Ill. — Incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin conceded defeat in the Aurora mayoral election on April 1, 2025, as challenger Ald. John Laesch secured approximately 51.97% of the votes compared to Irvin’s 48.03%, based on unofficial results from DuPage, Kendall, Kane, and Will counties.

As the results came in, Laesch celebrated his victory at a gathering at Two Brothers Roundhouse, telling supporters, “Tonight, the candle of hope burns a little brighter in our city, in our state, and across the United States of America.” Earlier in the evening, he expressed confidence about his lead, stating, “I’ve probably known for the last two weeks that we were going to win.”

Irvin, who has served as mayor since 2017, acknowledged his defeat during a campaign watch party held at his headquarters in downtown Aurora. “We fought hard. We fought long. Unfortunately, we came up short,” he said. He emphasized his pride in serving the city for the past eight years but criticized Laesch for what he termed “divisive partisan politics.” Irvin stated, “Today isn’t just about me. It’s about all of you. Today, Aurora was beaten by divisive partisan politics.”

Laesch, a union carpenter and former Naval Intelligence analyst, faced Irvin in the 2021 mayoral race but lost. In the 2025 election, he positioned himself as a candidate for change, criticizing what he called a “pay-to-play” system in city governance. He said, “There are two Auroras: one that works incredibly well for Irvin’s donors and developers, and the rest of the city that has to pay for it all.”

Throughout his campaign, Laesch received support from key Illinois Democratic leaders, including former Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S. Reps. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Delia Ramirez. The Illinois Democratic Party also promoted Laesch’s campaign through mailers and online advertisements.

Irvin, who also previously ran for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor in 2022, focused on his administration’s successes and future plans during the campaign. He summarized his vision with the acronym SEE: Safety, Education, and Economy. Supporters pointed to his leadership, including efforts to boost local businesses and reduce crime rates.

As Laesch embarks on his term, he seeks to bridge the divide he perceives in community perspectives. He stated, “This isn’t just how we ran the campaign; this is how we’ll run the community.”

The mayoral election was part of a consolidated election cycle that included local council races. With most votes counted, Laesch emerged as the leading vote-getter, effectively capturing the top seat at City Hall. Irvin had been elected mayor with approximately 56% of the vote in 2017 and 54.17% in 2021.