In the days following the Feb. 26 general mayoral election, the candidates who didn’t make the runoff began making endorsements. They didn’t endorse Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

Was it something she said? Did she wear the wrong shoes? Did she ghost someone on a text thread?

No, the gravitation toward Lori Lightfoot over Preckwinkle among the early contenders for mayor wasn’t unexpected. They considered Lightfoot one of them. A challenger to the status quo. An agent of change to tackle Chicago crime. Change for Chicago Public Schools. Change for city finances. Change on taxation. Change on ethics. Lightfoot, who is making her first run for public office, was a natural choice.

An aside: She also might have been more approachable during the months-long whirlwind of community forums and appearances that force opponents to interact. Preckwinkle isn’t exactly known for fostering a sense of camaraderie or even small talk. And so in the days following the Feb. 26 election, the losing candidates began to pick sides. Red rover, red rover, send Lightfoot on over.