Pritzker speaks about what's ahead for incoming Chicago mayor

CHICAGO - Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is revealing what he thinks are the biggest challenges facing incoming Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

"He's focused on something that I'm focused on, which is lifting up people who've been left our and left behind. We have neighborhoods in Chicago that have been disinvested from. He ran a campaign that focused on that, and he won because in my opinion he addressed that," Pritzker said.

Pritzker also said he thought Johnson has been authentic as he presented himself to the city during the mayoral campaign, and that he represents the future of the city.

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This comes at a time when large groups of teens have been descending on downtown Chicago to cause chaos.

Johnson said the youth shouldn't be "demonized" for their recent actions.

"Demonizing children is wrong. We have to keep them safe as well," Johnson said after speaking to lawmakers in Springfield on Wednesday.

While the mayor-elect said he doesn't "condone" the violent assaults and robberies committed downtown last weekend, he offered no specific plans regarding the threat of renewed violence this summer, speaking mostly in general terms about youth.

"They're young. Sometimes they make silly decisions. They do. And so we have to make sure that we're investing so that young people know they're supported. And we also have to make sure that police officers who put their lives on the line have the resources that they need to keep us safe," Johnson said.

The mayor-elect spoke to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, as Mayor Lori Lightfoot did four years ago.