All six Democratic candidates vying to replace former Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, gathered for a candidates’ forum last week moderated by Laura Washington of the Sun-Times. Feigenholtz was recently appointed to the Illinois Senate.
After their introductory remarks, Washington’s first question was: “How many of you think it’s time for Mike Madigan to step down as speaker of the House?”
All six raised their hands.
”So, it’s unanimous,” Washington said. “That’s news.”
I reached out to five of the six to follow up, asking, among other things, if this meant they wouldn’t be voting to re-elect Madigan next January. I didn’t bother asking Jimmy Garfield, who’s made opposition to Madigan a centerpiece of his campaign. And I wasn’t able to reach Kimberly Walz, but, as it turns out, she had by then decided to drop out of the race.
Yoni Pizer, who is backed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and lots of others, said “The culture in Springfield is broken. It’s clear that the status quo simply isn’t working anymore. My constituents have lost faith in their elected officials, and I will do everything I can to ensure that we regain their faith. That’s why I support legislative leadership term limits, so the same people aren’t in power for years and years.”
But Pizer will be voting for Madigan if he runs again. “As a Democrat, I will vote for the Democrat for speaker over the Republican,” Pizer said. “There is too much at stake this session and we need to get to work on passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act, repealing the Parental Notification Act, and ensuring Illinois never becomes a right to work state.” Repealing the PNA is the top priority of pro-choice groups this year. The cash-rich, pro-choice Personal PAC has not yet taken sides in this primary, but could do so soon.
Margaret Croke, who works for the Pritzker administration and has been endorsed by organized labor, confirmed that she thought it was time for Madigan to step down: “I answered yes because I believe that Springfield would benefit from a new generation of leadership.”
”However,” Croke added, “as I have said on several occasions, I will vote for the Democrat for speaker which in all likelihood will be Mike Madigan.”
Croke had about $110,000 cash on hand at the end of the year, the most of any candidate in this primary. She has reported raising $21K since then. Pizer had $56K on hand and has reported raising about $30K since January 1. No other candidate is close to those two. Walz had raised some money, but apparently not enough to effectively compete.
Marty Malone, who worked for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer before quitting to run for the House, but reported raising no money in the fourth quarter and had only about a thousand dollars on hand, said he “Absolutely wouldn’t vote present,” in the House Speaker’s race.
”If he’s in the running I’d vote yes because there’s no way my 5% property tax cap legislation would have a chance without him,” Malone said of Madigan. “I believe he should consider personally stepping down, yes. Much like Cullerton. And I guess I could plug here that I believe in term limits.” But you can’t be term limited if you don’t win.
Another candidate, Ryan Podges, did not respond. Podges raised just over $3K in the fourth quarter and has reported no contributions since then.
Jimmy Garfield, by the way, says he was endorsed by the Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organizations last week. “I won’t back Michael Madigan for speaker,” he announced in his press release. Garfield reported raising $25K in the fourth quarter, including a $5K loan from himself. He spent about $15K, almost all of it on consultants and staff. He’s reported raising $15K since then, including another $5K loan from himself.
Madigan’s spokesperson Steve Brown would only say in response, “I think Laura Washington wandered into a news desert.”
Usually, viable Democratic candidates dodge or even flat-out run away from the “Madigan question.” All but one of the Democratic 12th House District Democratic candidates have found a new path: Say he should step down without actually committing to making him go away. Whatever works, I suppose. But it’s certainly different than what we’re used to, and likely for good reason because that’s a pretty liberal independent district. Let’s see if it spreads.
* Laura Washington saw what I wrote for subscribers last week and asked for permission to use it in her own column. I said yes, of course. Here’s some of her take…
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:29 am:
===I reached out to five of the six to follow up, asking, among other things, if this meant they wouldn’t be voting to re-elect Madigan next January.===
The only other place one can find back peddling this good from people hoping to get hired is at the NFL Combine.
- low level - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:34 am:
I think the comparison is a false one. Many Dem legislators have behind the scenes and sometimes publically to change said Springfield culture. Case in point? Kelly Cassidy.
You wont find such lawmakers among DC Repubs.
- StellaRauner - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:39 am:
Low level:
Kelly Cassidy certainly challenges the system, but she still backs MJM. That’s how MJM works. He’ll let you bash him so long as you make him King of Rules and of the House :-/
- Bruce (no not him) - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:46 am:
Politicians will tell you what you want to hear. Ask them again, you might get a different answer depending on the audience.
I don’t think it is a Democratic, or Republican thing.
- low level - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:48 am:
Stella - I understand. Ive said for a while now that Madigan should retire and Ann Williams should replace him.
That said, my point was you won’t find an equivalent to Cassidy among DC repubs. Or those Dem reps working behind the scenes.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:48 am:
There are no tweets to fear with Madigan
- DIstant watcher - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:49 am:
Her question was flawed, and now she’s embarrassed that the answers she said were news isn’t actually news. She should have been better prepared.
- Boog Alou - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:54 am:
There’s a pretty clear difference between resignation and enthusiasm.
- low level - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 9:58 am:
You cant find a single GOP Congressman or Senator that has stood up to Trump the way many IL Dems have stood up to Madigan. Maybe McCain or Romney but those were one time occurrences. Basically they roll over and become Trump cheerleaders. You wont find ILDem Madigan cheerleaders either.
If Madigan is the Dem choice for Speaker, it shouldnt surprise us that Dem legislators will vote for him over a Repub. A present vote is wasted but certainly makes reformers feel good. Said present votes also dont make any difference in the final tally as the D majority is so large.
When the Democratic caucus is ready for a change, they will do so. Right now, they aren’t ready.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:00 am:
Pretty clear why Illinois Republicans support Trump- because their constituents do.
“Of those surveyed, 90 percent of Republicans said they approve of Trump’s job performance, compared to just 10 percent who did not have a favorable view of the president. That is the highest favorable rating among Republicans in the Hill-HarrisX poll since it began asking the question in 2018.
Forty percent of independents, meanwhile, said they approved of Trump, compared to 16 percent of Democrats.
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/476978-trump-support-among-republicans-reaches-all-time-high-in-poll
No way you can make the same claim about Illinois Democrats support of Mike Madigan
- Charlie Brown - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:06 am:
If you want to compare Illinois House candidates to Congressional Republicans, then the best comparison to Trump is Blagojevich, not Madigan.
Reminder: nearly every Democrat, including Madigan, voted to impeach Blagojevich.
The secondary question is whether a legislator is willing to stand up to Pritzker. Can we get Margaret’s answer?
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:08 am:
After Republicans have been screaming about Democratic corruption, spending and debt all these years but are openly doing these things with Trump, they have no room to criticize anyone for loyalty to Madigan. That’s bad for everyone, and the lesson is to never get on a high horse if we’re not going to ride it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:15 am:
Rich, great stuff…love the take.
To the post,
My take on “Madigan and the Dems”, a terrible “Cars” tribute band that plays at a Moose fish fry every Friday begins here;
In the micro-district politics of drawn areas, folks are voting their “tribal” instincts, and not “Madigan”
Sincerely, if one man were as unpopular as Madigan is, and yet his chamber, the group he leads, is now at its zenith of its seat power… it’s not because of, or in spite of Madigan.
I have so much more to this, but I’m going to leave this here in staying with what this post entails; it’s not the maps, Madigan, bad press, Madigan Movies… it’s that the GOP (former GOP) has yet to come up with candidates that mirror their districts to take full advantage of Madigan, and instead lose districts that were trending Dem… but went Dem because of gosh-awful recruiting.
So, yeah, you say you’re against MJM in a primary, but in the end, there’s no political blowback back home for voting for Madigan… because voters back home have no choice by the Raunerites that make the Madigan issue relevant… and what is the fallout of not supporting Madigan who sits with 73 other members, a great many he carried across the line.
It’s not MJM they’re “afraid” of… like Trumpkins… there’s no retribution to be with MJM… so you back the guy who brung ya… after denying you will to win.
- Angry Republican - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:24 am:
The only opinions that matter are from the voters in Madigan’s district. When they decide it is time for Madigan to go, they will vote for another candidate. Until then….
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:29 am:
Except he is not just the Representative from the 22nd district.
He is the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the Democratic party of Illinois because he has the support of elected Democrats all across the state.
Even JB Pritzker is afraid to stand up to his all powerful organization.
- StellaRauner - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:40 am:
MJM has done a lot of good for the Ds. He was the only one who could keep 71 seats in 14 when Rauner won. That said, it is extremely hypocritical for people who claim they support and believe victims to then turnaround and say they also support Madigan. Mapes? Quinn? DeCremer? Shea? Franks? McClain?
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:41 am:
===“They haven’t been elected, but are ready to surrender.”
I think you best serve your constituents by being practical. That’s hardly surrender. If you, as a Democrat serving in the Illinois House, think voting for a Republican as Speaker, or abstaining from voting for anyone, would aid you in best serving your district, do so. … but i’ve got a bridge I think you’d be interested in, if you think whoever the Republicans put up as their candidate would be better than most any Democrat. Not many, if any, can match Madigan’s effectiveness as Speaker. Not many, if any, current Republicans in the reach-across-the-isle mode these days either that would lend much credence to a cross-party vote.
- Boog Alou - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:06 am:
==No way you can make the same claim about Illinois Democrats support of Mike Madigan ==
But you can’t say the voters oppose him in any meaningful way, either. They keep voting for his guys.
- Rich Hill - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:10 am:
==He spent about $15K, almost all of it on consultants and staff. == Friends and family?
- anon2 - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:22 am:
== Springfield is swamped with allegations of corruption, malfeasance, discrimination and conflicts of interest. Madigan presides over it all.==
The insinuation is that when Madigan leaves, so will the corruption, conflicts, harassment, et al. Yet all of these problems existed before Madigan, and will endure beyond his term.
- Neglected voter - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:27 am:
Perhaps your best column yet, Rich. As a voter in the district, very disheartening to read.
- anon2 - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:29 am:
No one stands up to the Speaker? Former Rep. Nekritz voted against Madigan’s rules.Yet she not only survived that vote, but eventually served in leadership. I will wager that no Republican has ever voted against a GOP Speaker’s rules, including those House Republicans who subsequently complained about the rules Madigan kept that had been first introduced by Speaker Daniels.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 12:35 pm:
First, this is a lazy comparison about party loyalty. On one hand, you have members of a political party standing by a Speaker and party Chairman who’s presided for decades and has never been accused of any crime.
On the other hand, you have a serial liar and con man, who’s cheated his way through life and exploited racial tension to win an office and proudly and loudly accepted the support of the Russian government.
Other than that, yes, it’s exactly the same.
Are Democrats as tribal as Republicans? Yes. But there are rational reasons to stand by Madigan. There is no rational reason to stand by as Trump destroys one institution or norm after another.
But sure, both sides, blah blah blah. It’s easier to say that than do any actual thinking or analysis.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 1:13 pm:
==Even JB Pritzker is afraid to stand up to his all powerful organization.==
You’re fooling yourself if you think JB Pritzker is afraid of Mike Madigan. JB Pritzker is a pragmatist and knows the he needs Mike Madigan in order to get his agenda through the General Assembly. How’d that Bruce Rauner “Mike Madigan is mean” and the Republican mantra of “fire Madigan” work out for you? Not well. Apparently you’ve still not learned that lesson.
- StellaRauner - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 2:12 pm:
+Perhaps your best column yet, Rich. As a voter in the district, very disheartening to read.+
Could always go with Garfield? Kid’s got heart. Shame he can’t compete with the $ JB and Lori have though.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 2:24 pm:
===Shame he can’t compete with the $ JB and Lori have===
He hasn’t yet shown he could compete with anyone.
- Rusty - Thursday, Feb 20, 20 @ 7:34 am:
When I listen to Sean Hannity I hear twisted facts and key parts of the news omitted so that the news supports his twisted views.