Democratic Party of Illinois
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2021) |
Democratic Party of Illinois | |
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Chris Welch | |
Headquarters | Springfield, Illinois |
Ideology | Modern liberalism Progressivism |
National affiliation | Democratic Party |
Colors | Blue |
Statewide Executive Offices | 6 / 6 |
Seats in the U.S. Senate | 2 / 2 |
Seats in the U.S. House of Representatives | 14 / 17 |
Seats in the Illinois Senate | 40 / 59 |
Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives | 78 / 118 |
Website | |
ildems | |
The Democratic Party of Illinois is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the oldest extant state party in Illinois and one of just two recognized parties in the state, along with the Republican Party. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling the majority of Illinois' U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship.
History
The Democratic Party of Illinois took shape during the late 1830s. Prior to that time, Illinois did not have organized political parties; instead, political competition in the state was more personalist, with prominent factions centered on Governors Ninian Edwards and Shadrach Bond. As the Democratic and Whig parties began to form at the national level during the late 1820s and 1830s, Illinois politicians began sorting themselves accordingly and, in the summer of 1837, leading Democrats met to lay the groundwork for a Democratic Party organization in the state.
Before 2010, the party had been extremely successful in statewide elections for the past decade. In 1992,
Organization and leadership
The Democratic Party of Illinois is run by a Democratic State Central Committee of 34 members, two from each of the state's 17 congressional districts. The Central Committee has four officers: a chairman, a vice-chair, a secretary, and a treasurer.
Cook County Democratic Party
The
Current elected officials
Members of Congress
U.S. Senate
Democrats have controlled both of Illinois's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2016:
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Junior U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth
U.S. House of Representatives
Out of the 17 seats Illinois is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 14 are held by Democrats:
District | Member | Photo |
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1st | Jonathan Jackson | |
2nd | Robin Kelly | |
3rd | Delia Ramirez | |
4th | Jesús "Chuy" García
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5th | Mike Quigley
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6th | Sean Casten | |
7th | Danny K. Davis
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8th | Raja Krishnamoorthi | |
9th | Jan Schakowsky | |
10th | Brad Schneider | |
11th | Bill Foster | |
13th | Nikki Budzinski | |
14th | Lauren Underwood | |
17th | Eric Sorensen |
Statewide officials
Democrats control all six of the elected statewide offices:
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Governor J. B. Pritzker
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Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton
State legislative leaders
- President of the Illinois Senate: Don Harmon
- Senate Majority Leader: Kimberly A. Lightford
- Assistant Senate Majority Leader/President Pro Tempore: Bill Cunningham
- Deputy Senate Majority Leader: Laura Murphy
- Assistant Senate Majority Leaders: Linda Holmes, Dave Koehler, Iris Martinez, and Antonio Munoz.
- Senate Majority Caucus Chair: Mattie Hunter
- Deputy Senate Majority Caucus Chair: Jacqueline Y. Collins
- Majority Caucus Whips: Omar Aquino, Michael Hastings, Napoleon Harris III, and Laura Fine.
- Emanuel “Chris” Welch
- House Majority Leader: Greg Harris
- Deputy House Majority Leaders: Jehan Gordon-Booth, and Art Turner.
- Assistant House Majority Leaders: Kelly M. Burke, Fred Crespo, Will Davis, Elizabeth Hernandez, Jay Hoffman, and Natalie Manley.
- House Majority Conference Chairperson: Kathleen Willis
Mayors
- Chicago: Brandon Johnson(1)
- Rockford: Tom McNamara (5)
- Peoria: Rita Ali (8)
See also
References
- ^ Wingert, Pat (1986-03-20). "Stunned Democrats Agonize on LaMess". Chicago Tribune. pp. 3 (Chicagoland, Sec. C).
- ^ Illinois Secretary of State (2005). 2005-2006 Illinois Handbook of Government (PDF). p. 51.