House Speaker Fight Update

From The Center Square:

Madigan faces ouster as speaker as Illinois House convenes to pick leader

(The Center Square) – The new term of the Illinois Legislature begins Wednesday afternoon and all eyes are on who will be the next speaker of the House.

Longtime Illinois politics observer and University of Illinois Springfield professor Kent Redfield said whoever becomes speaker, they have to pledge to be independent of Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who’s held the seat for all but two years since 1983.

“Whether [Madigan] finishes out his term or not, I don’t expect him to be the controller behind the curtain, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Redfield said.

During the latest house Democratic caucus straw poll overnight, state Rep. Chris Welch [the Black Caucus pick] reached 50 votes of the 60 needed to secure the speakership.

[Downstater] Rep. Jay Hoffman received 15 votes and eight Democrats voted present.

[Chicago liberal] Rep. Ann Williams withdrew her candidacy, saying she couldn’t get the necessary support.

Democrats plan to caucus again at 8 a.m. Wednesday before session kicks off at noon.

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So the hope of women to have a female Speaker seems to be dead.


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