Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced the members of his House Democratic leadership team Thursday, including state Reps. Jehan Gordon-Booth, Robyn Gabel, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., and Jay Hoffman.
Welch released the following statement:
“As we begin a new day in the House, I’m committed to assembling a Democratic leadership team that values those things that have made our caucus so successful while also pursuing needed changes to strengthen our caucus, our House and our state. Throughout their careers, Reps. Gordon-Booth, Gabel, Andrade and Hoffman have all brought leadership, integrity and unique perspectives to our chamber. They have spoke passionately for their communities and also extended their hands to their colleagues in compromise. I look forward to working closely with them, and with all members of this chamber, to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this moment.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, who will serve as deputy majority leader and speaker pro-tempore:
“As Speaker Welch begins a historic speakership, I’m proud to be a part of a leadership team that recognizes that the diversity of our caucus is our strength. Last week, Democrats stood together to move forward on landmark legislation advancing justice for all – something that required each of us to think beyond our own experience and listen to one another. While there is a lot of work ahead, we will continue to work together in this way to build a stronger Illinois.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“Speaker Welch has called on every member of this House to work together to meet the challenges of this moment. We come to the table prepared to advocate for the critical services families and small businesses need to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, smart budget solutions that invest in our future, the health of our families, our environmental resources, strong schools and a strong economy.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., D-Chicago, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“This leadership team reflects the diversity and geography of our state, and we share a commitment to doing what is right for every part of Illinois. The challenges ahead of us are clear, but Speaker Welch has made it clear this is no time to hide from these challenges – it’s time to confront them head on and work together to strengthen our state.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“The work ahead of our state is so critical. We are tasked with bringing Illinois through an unprecedented pandemic, repairing the budgetary damage that crisis has created, and building a stronger, more just state. Democrats stand united with Speaker Welch in this effort. We’re enthused by this new moment and remain committed to continuing our work for a stronger middle class, an economy that works for everyone, and a better Illinois for all.”
Welch’s full leadership team will consist of:
• State Rep. Greg Harris - Majority Leader
• State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth - Deputy Majority Leader / Speaker Pro-Tempore
• State Rep. Mary E. Flowers - Deputy Majority Leader and Dean of the Caucus
• State Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Robyn Gabel - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Jay Hoffman - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Natalie Manley - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Delia Ramirez - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Carol Ammons - Democratic Conference Chair
In addition to these leadership posts, Welch has tapped leaders within each caucus of the House Democratic delegation to serve as a caucus whips. These members will be empowered to rally the various caucuses around legislation and issues of importance to the entire Democratic Caucus. This team will be:
• State Rep. Will Guzzardi - Progressive Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Kam Buckner - Black Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Theresa Mah - Asian Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr. - Downstate Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Deb Conroy - Women’s Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Aaron Ortiz - Latinx Caucus Whip
Welch and his full leadership team are preparing new changes to the House rules, based on input from both sides of the aisle.
Democratic state representatives moving up to the role of assistant majority leader are North Siders Jaime Andrade and Delia Ramirez, South Sider Marcus Evans Jr. and Robyn Gabel of Evanston.
State Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana moves up to chair of the Democratic Caucus. That position was previously held by state Rep. Kathleen Willis of Addison, who also ran for speaker but dropped out to support a candidate other than Welch.
Democratic Reps. Natalie Manley, of Joliet, Elizabeth Hernandez of Cicero and Jay Hoffman of Swansea will remain as assistant majority leaders in Welch’s ranks. Hoffman was also an unsuccessful candidate for speaker.
Gone from leadership posts are Reps. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates and Will Davis of Homewood, who both served as assistant majority leaders.
Members of the Latinx and Black caucuses held elections for their leaders and submitted names to Welch for inclusion in the team, the new speaker said.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:09 am:
Larry Walsh Jr. - I never thought of Will County as “downstate”, LOL.
- Graybeard - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:12 am:
Interesting to not see Ann Williams on the list.
- Scott Cross for President - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:12 am:
Lots of smart, young talent here. Looks to be a good team for a tough session.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:13 am:
I really hope Kathleen Willis isn’t being punished for her role in Madigan’s ouster here…
- low level - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:16 am:
Hoffman - bleh Otherwise all good
- Ok - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:18 am:
Well, there were clearly those he chose, and those that were selected by the caucuses, or those positioned bargained for.
In the leadership team, it is clear that Gordon-Booth, Flowers, Gabel and Ammons were folks he chose and trusts. And unclear how long Harris is there beyond this Spring.
- Bored Chairman - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:19 am:
Interesting choice to leave out the two women who sought the Speaker’s gavel.
- Ok - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:19 am:
(Not to imply that he didn’t approve of everybody, just based on his reference to the news articles about caucuses electing their representatives internally)
- Frank talks - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:24 am:
Wait no Kelly Cassidy? That’s a shocker right there ……… heavy snark
- Bothanspy - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:26 am:
I’m surprised Natalie Manley made this list given her unyielding, undying support for Madigan
- walker - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:28 am:
“”two women who sought..”"
three
- Pizza Man - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:31 am:
“I really hope Kathleen Willis isn’t being punished for her role in Madigan’s ouster here…”
You better believe it…directly and indirectly. In Welch’s and MJM’s eyes to the say the least..”now you gonna pay.”
Ouch, both Reps. W. Davis and Crespo are out.
- facts matter - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:34 am:
== I really hope Kathleen Willis isn’t being punished for her role in Madigan’s ouster here… ==
Why on earth would a new speaker trust her? She showed she’s willing to break ranks with the man who gave her the opportunity. Your leadership team is about trust and working together. It would be shocking if he kept her. Plus none of the 3 candidates who dropped out early got spots.
==. I’m surprised Natalie Manley made this list given her unyielding, undying support for Madigan ==
See above. A leader needs people he can trust. She’s one of the most loyal and trustworthy people in that caucus.
- How many Assistant Majority leaders do you need? - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:36 am:
Is this a normal number of Assistant Majority Leaders?
- Pizza Man - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:38 am:
Hopefully Reps. Ann Williams and Kifowitz…will keep their chairmanships?
Rep. Hoffman was smart he met with the speaker prior to the caucus holding the final vote and probably agreed on keeping him on leadership.
- Anon y mouse - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:39 am:
Kiffy bravely stepped out, alone, & is now stepped on, Williams too…to a lesser extent. Willis is very responsible for Madigan’s inability to get to 60, yet is also pushed aside. Given some of the rather ceremonial gifts bestowed (Walsh as the Downstate Whip is a classic) couldn’t some titles be granted to the three women who helped move Madigan out & Welch up?
- Been There - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:40 am:
====I’m surprised Natalie Manley made this list given her unyielding, undying support for Madigan====
Well you do know that the current Speaker Welsh was also giving his unyielding, undying support for Madigan? So why would he hold that against Manley?
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:44 am:
“Why on earth would a new speaker trust her? She showed she’s willing to break ranks with the man who gave her the opportunity.”
If this is the mentality in a women-majority chamber, it looks like we’re right back to where we started…
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:51 am:
Sorry to see Fred Crespo go. Sorry to see Greg Harris stay.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:54 am:
I thought odd Willis did not get something but I guess if her husband loses his state job we will know Madigan had a going away gift for her.
- Pizza Man - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:03 am:
“I thought odd Willis did not get something but I guess if her husband loses his state job…”
True if the husband gets pushed out, but highly doubt it once MJM is gone anyway…Pritzker wouldn’t do that. Not the type.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:05 am:
The reading for comprehension department is not strong today.
Crespo and Davis were voted out by their own respective caucuses.
As for everyone else, you might ask, “Did they make the ask?” We know from other reporting that Hoffman did. But going further for the grumpy crowd, please, in detail, list all the state and federal legislative caucuses where leaders install the people who didn’t support them to the top positions. I won’t set my egg timer.
- dbk - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:10 am:
Smiling to myself about the no. 2 spot.
Seriously, Gordon-Booth is my Rep and I think she’d make a fine future Speaker.
- Ferris Wheeler - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:11 am:
Leadership posts are a slight pay bump, a medium size fundraising bump, and a lot of headaches.
It is notable that Welch’s leadership team is majority female, and less concerning that particular White women did not make the cut.
Ann Williams does not need the pay bump, fundraising boost or the headaches, and since she is not on the leadership team can break with the Caucus on Votes which suits her personality and politics just fine.
What will be interesting is to see where Williams ends up on the committee chairs list.
- Paul S - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:13 am:
Manley was a supporter in the special investigative committee - I’m not surprised Welch kept her in leadership.
- Wizzard of Ozzie - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:31 am:
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:51 am:
Sorry to see Fred Crespo go. Sorry to see Greg Harris stay.
Pretty safe to say you don’t spend much time under the dome.
- Frumpy White Guy - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 11:31 am:
Very diverse team with great individual talent. Hopefully Moylan is ok with new leaders. Good luck team Welch.
- Not for nothing - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 12:02 pm:
@Frumpy with the right takeaway here - is Marty Moylan going to be ok /s
- REALTALK - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 12:08 pm:
Don’t agree with Conroy she is self-serving and hungry for power, but the rest of the team are good choices. No one trusts Willis after her dishonesty regarding her husband’s a 96K appointment
- puh-leese - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 12:15 pm:
== - NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 10:44 am:
“Why on earth would a new speaker trust her? She showed she’s willing to break ranks with the man who gave her the opportunity.”
If this is the mentality in a women-majority chamber, it looks like we’re right back to where we started… ==
Did you think “we” were going somewhere? The only thing the women in the House Democratic Caucus can agree on is that they cannot agree on anything. If they knew how to wield the power they have they would have gotten what they claim they wanted - respect. Instead they each took paths to advance themselves, irrespective of their colleagues or the good of the caucus. Meanwhile the black and Latino caucuses stayed together and proved to be a force. The women could have done that, but didn’t. So spare me that we somehow went backward because Kathy Willis wasn’t put in leadership.
- Youdontgetit - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 12:43 pm:
@REALTALK - I couldn’t disagree more with you regarding Conroy. She showed true leadership in one of the biggest upheavals the State of Illinois has ever witnessed. She is not only personally strong, but has been a mentor for many of the new women legislators. If you don’t agree, just ask one of them. On a personal level- this is a women who donated her own kidney to her ex-husband to help add years to his life. You must know the Deb Conroy that I do.
- Commisar Gritty - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:21 pm:
@Puh-leese
Your post reads like one of those ads from the 1940’s that read “7/8 doctors recommend spanking your unruly wife!” You wanna join us in 2021 or just keep thinking of women as a permanent underclass?
- Martinique - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 3:56 pm:
==Wait no Kelly Cassidy? That’s a shocker right there ……… heavy snark==
I believe she’s this/close to replacing Joe Biden as President
- Cook street - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:34 pm:
“The following can be attributed to ……….?” Sounds like one person wrote the text of everyone’s message. Nobody wanted to be quoted directly?
- Too cute by half - Thursday, Jan 21, 21 @ 5:42 pm:
Didn’t Rep. Ramirez just get there in ‘18?