SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The state senators who represent Springfield have greatly differing views of what Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson had to say.
A legislative leader who hired Chicago mayor-elect Brandon Johnson two decades ago is still impressed.
“He is an effective messenger, and he is asking in all the right ways for the right things,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) after Johnson’s speech to a joint legislative session Wednesday. “And we want to work with him to see what’s possible.”
And how will Johnson make things as good as he says they will be?
“I thought he did a really nice job of pushing aside the myth that there’s a false choice,” Harmon responded. “There is not a conflict between progressive policies and prosperity and I think Illinois is proving that.”
Republicans called the appearance long on politics and short on solutions.
“It doesn’t help his cause or the case for Chicago to come here and try to divide,” said State Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield). “We’re here to work together to build a great city of Chicago again. He wants to divide us and be overly political and that’s not what we are here to do in this building.”
State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) provided a rebuttal, calling the state “one Illinois,” adding it does no good to start the relationship by being closed-minded.
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