After landslide victory, McNamara plans to ‘expand the work that we have been doing’

Rockford mayor wins reelection with 78% of the vote

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — When John McNamara won reelection to a second term in 1985, he edged past challenger Eugene Quinn by a margin of 180 votes.

He called that slim margin a mandate.

“I think this is a vote and a mandate for the city of Rockford,” McNamara was quoted as saying in the April 3, 1985, issue of the Rockford Register Star.

On Tuesday, McNamara’s son won a third term with a decisive difference over independent challenger Derrick Kunz of nearly 9,400 votes. Mayor Tom McNamara earned more than 78% of the vote for mayor, according to unofficial results from the Rockford Board of Elections.

“I think this evening is a mandate,” McNamara told a crowd of supporters Tuesday evening at Prairie Street Brewing Co. after recollecting his father’s quote.

McNamara told the Rock River Current after the speech that the voters’ support is reason to continue pushing forward on the path his administration has forged since he was first elected in 2017.

“The results show that we have a mandate to not only continue what we are doing but expand the work that we have been doing,” McNamara said in an interview. “We’re going to continue to invest in public safety and continue to make sure our streets and our homes are safer. You’re going to continue to see us hold the line and work to reduce the property tax burden that our residents have. You’re going to continue to see us invest in infrastructure throughout the entire city of Rockford and invest in our people.”

McNamara waited until after 9 p.m. to deliver his victory speech to supporters, but the result of the election was never in question. He jumped out to an early lead shortly after polls closed and never had less than three quarters of the vote at any time results came in.

“We voted loud and clear that we are a community that embraces diversity. We said that we’re a community where fear-mongering and hate has no home,” McNamara said in a roughly 15-minute speech in which he thanked supporters and recapped his administration’s efforts to bolster infrastructure work, support survivors of domestic violence, provide opportunity for advanced education and lower crime.

He said Rockford today is different then when he announced his first campaign in July 2016.

“At that time we were called the most miserable city to live in. We were ranked the No. 1 city in the nation for violent crime. We were the underwater mortgage capital of the United States,” he told supporters. “Our taxes were soaring, our property values were plummeting. Vacant structures were plaguing all of our neighborhoods. Our finances were in shambles. Violent crime was wreaking havoc in our homes and also in our streets, and our infrastructure was crumbling.”

McNamara went on to win a four-way race in 2017 with more than 68% of the vote. He was then uncontested in 2021.

“Together, we not only wanted different results, we wanted to do things differently,” he told supporters.

On Tuesday, McNamara touted the city’s record-breaking investment in infrastructure, which includes six-straight years of City Council approving the largest capital plan in history.

“We are making historic investment in our physical infrastructure,” McNamara said in his speech. “This summer we are going to see more than $75 million worth of roadwork being done throughout our city. Roads that have long been neglected will be reconstructed.”

He also highlighted city police statistics showing violent crime is down 38% since he took office, tuition free college through Rockford Promise, and his administration’s work to reduce the number of vacant structures by 20%. Last year also saw the most number of new homes under construction since 2007.

“And, we are the first administration — regardless of what my opponent may say — to not increase our property tax levy in the last 70 years,” he said.

“Our initiatives together are working. I don’t care what anyone says,” McNamara said before highlighting crime statistics. “We had record years at our BMO (Center) and record years at the Coronado (Theatre), and 2024 was a record year for the city of Rockford tourism.”

There were 16,573 votes tallied Tuesday night. Results won’t be official for two weeks once all mail-in ballots are counted.

The total is fewer than the 22,412 who voted in McNamara’s first victory in 2017. It’s also down from the 36,994 voters in 1985 when his father won that “mandate” victory.

Voter turnout was marked at just under 19% on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

McNamara, who just turned 42, had at one time told supporters and members of the business community that he wasn’t planning to seek a third term. He and his wife, Sarah Reed-McNamara, had planned for his time in the mayor’s office to end after two terms as they raise their two children, Malachy John, 7, and Olympia Rose, 9.

But, McNamara told the Current on Tuesday, they changed their minds because of the momentum they saw in the city.

“We felt that we could help turn Rockford around that proverbial corner that we’ve had really a difficult time turning around,” McNamara said. “I think we’re mighty close to doing that and we wanted to see that through.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas