Illinois replaces longest-serving legislative leader in US
Associated PressSPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois House on Wednesday elected its first Black speaker to replace the longest-serving legislative leader in modern U.S. history, picking Democratic Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch for the job and pushing aside Michael Madigan after he was implicated in an ongoing bribery investigation. On Tuesday, with Welch’s prospects rising, Durkin derided him as a continuation of “the model of Madigan Inc.” In his first comments as speaker, Welch tried to bridge the decades-long partisan divide. “We’re going to work together to move this state forward.” Durkin, who was elected to his fifth term as minority leader, welcomed Welch’s comments but urged Welch to keep his promise of independence and “avoid taking hand signals and homing pigeons from the 13th Ward,” a reference to Madigan’s southwest-side Chicago home. The Rauner-Madigan rivalry led to a two-year stalemate over a state budget, driving the state’s debt deeper, before Madigan convinced some Republicans to add needed votes for an income tax hike to settle the matter.
History of this topic
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