Illinois Democrats to elect new leader

Posted on March 2, 2021
Mike Madigan relinquished the chairmanship of the state party last week after more than twenty years. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A woman of color from the Chicago area will succeed Mike Madigan as Democratic Party chair in Illinois. We’ll know Wednesday night which one.

The candidates are Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Matteson). The vote is of the state central committeemen and -women. Gov. JB Pritzker doesn’t have a vote, but he does have a preference: Harris.

Pritzker describes her as “a terrific person who has built over decades a ground operation, knows how to get voters to the polls, has supported Democrats up and down the ballot across the state, and she’ll do a terrific job with that.”

Madigan relinquished the chairmanship of the state party last week after more than twenty years. That was after he resigned his House seat, following the election of State Rep. Chris Welch (D-Hillside) to succeed Madigan as speaker.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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