Former Speaker of the House Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) Thursday announced his resignation from the chamber, according to a statement.
Madigan will leave the chamber at the end of February after 50 years of representing parts of Chicago, including serving all but two years since 1983 as the Speaker of the House. In January, Rep. Chris Welch (D-Westchester) was elected House Speaker after Madigan failed to reach the necessary 60 votes to continue his tenure.
“My achievements would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of many members of my staff through the years. I thank them for their efforts on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus and the people of Illinois. I also want to thank the many volunteers and supporters who worked on behalf of the residents of the 22nd District. It is with the collective support of many that we have made Illinois a bastion of Democratic values,” Madigan said in a statement.
“I leave office at peace with my decision and proud of the many contributions I’ve made to the state of Illinois, and I do so knowing I’ve made a difference.”
Madigan remains chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.
“As of last month, Michael Madigan has dedicated 50 years of service to the Illinois House of Representatives. I thank the former Speaker for his sincere and meaningful contributions to our state. Under him, we’ve had strong, sustained Democratic leadership in Springfield. We legalized same-sex marriage, abolished the death penalty and solidified abortion rights. Illinois also became the first state in the Midwest to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. These laws gave underserved populations a new sense of hope,” Welch said in a statement.
Now we must build on that with a new generation of leadership focused on racial and gender equity in all dimensions, improving government transparency, and leading with the kind of conviction, compassion and cooperation expected by our constituents. I truly appreciate his contributions and I join Illinoisans across the state in wishing him well.”
Allison Richard
Legislative Consultant
