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The longest-serving state legislative leader in the United States and one of the country’s last political leaders is fighting to keep his post, as a growing number of fellow Democrats say they will not support him for another term in the amid a swirling federal investigation that has led to charges against several confidants.
Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan has served as president for 35 of the past 37 years, interrupted only by a two-year window of Republican control in the mid-1990s. He maintained power by respecting carefully his main constituency, the Chicagoland Democrats, who make up the bulk of the State House caucus.
But now Madigan’s future is in danger. Nineteen of the 73 Democrats who will be sworn in next month have publicly declared that they will not back Madigan for another term, enough to deny him the 60 votes he would need to win the election.
“The first question was, is there a clear, steadfast group that will prevent Madigan from getting 60 votes,” said Rep. Bob Morgan (D), one of 19 who said he would not support the incumbent . “I think that question has been answered – the answer is yes.”
For nearly half a century in the legislature, Madigan built an unparalleled power base in the state – so much so that former Governor Bruce Rauner (right) called Madigan the de facto CEO while the two engaged in a bitter budget battle.
“He is the most powerful member of the state legislature,” said Dick Simpson, former Chicago city councilor and political scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “He controls whether the legislation is heard or not and generally whether it is adopted or not. It is at the heart of state government and has been under Democratic and Republican governors.
But Madigan’s grip on power began to slip a few years ago after an “Me Too” scandal involving one of his main collaborators. It eroded further as federal authorities investigated the lobbying practices of Commonwealth Edison, one of the state’s largest utilities, and its connection to the Madigan machine.
A confidant close to Madigan, Michael McClain, and three other people associated with the company pleaded not guilty in federal court on Wednesday to setting up a bribery scheme designed to win Madigan’s favor. Federal agents searched at least nine homes and offices last year as part of the investigation.
Madigan has not been charged with a felony. He denied the wrongdoing. He said in November he would run for another term for president.
“The decision on the next Speaker of the Illinois House will be made in caucus, after a thorough discussion of the issues facing our state and the qualifications of the candidates,” Madigan said in a statement. “I plan to run for President and have confirmed that I continue to have the support of a significant number of members of the Democratic House caucus.
Asked for comments, a spokesperson for Madigan said there was nothing more to add to his statement.
The latest charges against his associates have further shaken Madigan’s support. On Tuesday, House of Representatives Democratic caucus chair Kathleen Willis became the first member of Madigan’s leadership team to say she would oppose his re-election.
“I have no doubts that our caucus has a lot of work to do in the next legislative session and that we must put the distraction created by Representative Madigan behind us and move forward to fix the state of Illinois,” Willis wrote to “We must face the issues around Covid-19 and health care, end systemic racism, reform ethics and protect the services our state provides to our most vulnerable.”
The problem facing recalcitrant Democrats, however, is that no alternative candidate has yet emerged. Up to a dozen members could consider their own offers if Madigan surrenders, and a battle for the presidency would expose the faults of a Democratic caucus divided by race, ideology, and generational lines.
“There’s no agreement yet on who should replace him, or even a favorite,” Simpson said. “It’s going to be straightforward because there is no obvious person who has declared.”
Madigan is also chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, a position he will also seek re-election for next year.
When lawmakers are sworn in on January 13, their first order of business will be to elect a new president. If no candidate obtains 60 votes, Madigan will retain the title, although he will have no formal power; instead, the House would be led by Secretary of State Jesse White (D) until someone achieves the 60 votes needed to win the presidency.
Observers say the result of a deadlocked house could be months of chaos if Madigan refuses to give in – at a time when a global pandemic has sickened nearly three-quarters of a million Illinois and killed more. from 13000.
“Many of us want to embrace comprehensive social equity reforms or tackle climate change or support small businesses that are suffering. We have a huge budget problem right now,” Morgan said. “And we can’t handle this when there is one who believes his power is the most important issue of the state.”
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