SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has suspended his campaign to retain the speakership.
During the vote Sunday, Madigan received 51 votes, nine short of the 60 needed for a nineteenth term as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Madigan stressed Monday that he is not ended his campaign, but he is putting it on hold allowing Democrats to maybe see if someone else can get 60 votes to become speaker.
In a statement, Madigan said “This is not a withdrawal. I have suspended my campaign for Speaker. As I have said many times in the past, I have always put the best interest of the House Democratic Caucus and our members first. The House Democratic Caucus can work to find someone, other than me, to get 60 votes for Speaker.”
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House Speaker Michael Madigan has been the longest speaker of any legislature in the United States. He has held the role as speaker since 1983, except for two years of Republican control in 1995-96.
Madigan was implicated, but not charged in a bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison.
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At least 19 House Democrats have pledged to vote against Michael Madigan's bid for another term as speaker, because of a lack of confidence that he can continue to be a force in the General Assembly.
Madigan has secured support from the Black Caucus and the Latino Caucus, but there are a number of lawmakers of all stripes who want to try and take him out of his position.
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In a straw vote Sunday, Rep. Ann Williams of Chicago has rallied the most support of Madigan’s challengers, garnering 18 votes in the first ballot on Sunday. Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, who was the first person to announce she was running against Madigan, received three votes.
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Now it is going to be a matter of negotiation within the caucus to see if either people can coalesce around Ann Williams or if somebody else - for example Greg Harris, who is an ally of the Speaker, but very high in leadership or a person of color, as the Black and Latino caucuses have been in support of Madigan - to see if anyone else could marshal more votes.
If no one can, then it is going to be a matter of "alright we are not going to let the Republicans have this, so we may have to coalesce back around Speaker Madigan."
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin released the following statement Monday saying, "With 36 hours left before the swearing-in of a new General Assembly, Michael Madigan continues to create uncertainty and misdirection. His latest statement about suspending his bid for Speaker, but not withdrawing, is typical of his style and appears to be another ploy or a head fake. For the sake of the institution, his caucus must demand that he be direct and honest about his intentions - in or out."
More caucusing, campaigning, and voting are expected as the General Assembly’s lame duck session continues Monday and Tuesday.