Politics & Government
Michael Madigan Now Longest Serving State House Speaker In Modern U.S. History
It's the House that Mike built. Madigan has presided over the Illinois House for 3 decades and 17 terms.
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois’ longest serving House speaker is now the United State’s longest serving statehouse speaker. The title was held for years by a South Carolina politician from the 1970s, but the title now goes to Chicago Democrat Michael Madigan. Madigan has been speaker of the Illinois House every year since 1983, except for two years in the 1990s when Republicans were in the majority.
Longtime political observer and politics professor Kent Redfield said the reason you know who Madigan is outside of his legislative district is because of his tenure, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
“Because it can mean that being put forward as a symbol of what’s wrong with a particular party,” Redfield said, “or what’s wrong with the state’s politics.”
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Redfield said Madigan has a lot of power outside being the longest-serving speaker.
“[Madigan] also raises money and exercises influence as chairman of the [Illinois] Democratic political party,” Redfield said. “He can’t control all of the political system, but it’s very difficult to do things in Illinois to get around him.”
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The most recent general election, however, indicates Madigan’s power might be slipping slightly.
“You had the Democratic candidate for president carrying the state by a very large margin,” Redfield said, “and yet Republicans were able to pick up seats in the [Illinois] House and the Senate.”
Redfield said Madigan is a very private individual.
“One of the things that is most fascinating that the Speaker as a politician is how private of a person he is,” Redfield said. “He is 10 times more visible than he was a decade ago. ... It’s unusual for a politician. You don’t find a lot of people who have inside stories of the speaker. And those that have them are probably not going to share them with you.”
Madigan has been elected to his legislative district in Chicago every two years since 1971. He’s been elected by Democratic members of the Illinois House for 17 two-year terms.
story by Greg Bishop, Illinois News Network
photo: Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, leaves Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's office during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol in December. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)