Feigenholtz named to state Senate to replace mentor Cullerton: ‘He brought me to the dance’

Democratic party leaders in the North Side’s 6th Senate District made a few brief remarks before they unanimously chose Feigenholtz as the new state senator. No other candidates came forward to be considered.

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Former Illinois state Senate President John Cullerton, left, congratulates state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

Former Illinois state Senate President John Cullerton, left, congratulates newly sworn in state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz at Ann Sather’s in Lakeview, Tuesday.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Democrat John Cullerton’s state Senate seat didn’t get much of a chance to get cold.

A little over 24 hours after the former Senate president resigned from his North Side Senate district, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz was sworn in Tuesday evening as his replacement.

Democratic party leaders in the North Side’s 6th Senate District made a few brief remarks before they unanimously chose Feigenholtz as the new state senator. No other candidates came forward to be considered.

Feigenholtz was sworn in a little over an hour after the Democratic Party meeting started.

It was a stark contrast to Democratic caucus in Springfield over the weekend to choose Cullerton’s successor as Senate president, a tense ordeal that was followed by angry public airings of years-old grudges and grievances.

On Tuesday, the emotions came largely as Feigenholtz made her case to the committee people at a meeting held at a North Side bar, becoming choked up at the thought that she was about to replace a friend and mentor.

“He is the guy who pushed me in the pool,” Feigenholtz said. “John Cullerton mentored me, and he brought me to the dance.”

Feigenholtz, a Democrat who represented parts of the Lake View, Lincoln Park and Buena Park neighborhoods was then sworn-in at a party at Ann Sather’s restaurant in Lake View.

Seven Democratic ward committee people representing parts of the Senate district selected Feigenholtz using a weighted vote system based on the votes cast for Cullerton in the November 2018 election.

Democratic ward committeepersons voting Tuesday were Tim Egan (2nd), Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), Aaron Goldstein (33rd), Lucy Moog (43rd), Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), Sean Tenner (46th) and Paul Rosenfeld (47th). Former Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st ) and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32rd) were absent and did not vote.

In her speech after being sworn-in, Feigenholtz spoke about the need for the General Assembly to provide more funding for education, to protect the environment and to pass property tax reform, saying she was looking toward a time of change in Illinois politics.

“We have a mayor who is no-nonsense, and now we have a new Senate President to guide us,” Feigenholtz said.

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, right, stands before Democratic committeepersons at Sheffield’s Bar as they vote for her to succeed John Cullerton in the state Senate on Tuesday.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Feigenholtz served in the state House for 25 years, after beginning her career in politics working for Cullerton, eventually being promoted to his chief of staff. 

Feigenholtz said it was Cullerton who urged her to run for office. Cullerton joked that it was more of a push.

“She said that I encouraged her to run for the House. I actually fired her,” Cullerton said jokingly. “I said you’re fired unless you run for the House. So that was the way I encouraged her.”

The Senate seat opened up after Cullerton’s surprise announcement in November that he would retire before the next legislative session.

After weeks of lobbying through meetings and phone calls, state Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park was elected Sunday as Cullerton’s successor as Senate president.

Cullerton then resigned from his state Senate seat on Monday.

Not surprisingly, the battle for the more coveted leadership post on Sunday did not go as quietly or smoothly as Tuesday’s succession process.

On Sunday, Senate Democrats met for more than five hours behind closed doors. Harmon won the first ballot over Marjority Leader Kimberly Lightford, 22-17, short of the 30 needed for the nomination. After hours of talks, Lightford eventually supported Harmon. And Harmon was elected president in an open session on the Senate floor.

Lightford hugged Harmon as she formally nominated him on the Senate floor,

But shortly afterward, she blamed her loss on an 11-year-old grudge held by former state Senate President Emil Jones Jr., and his son state Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago. She said the two worked to steer votes away from her, accusations the father and son denied.

Lightford compared it to betrayal from someone she considered like family.

“He’s been just part of my family,” she told the Sun-Times on Sunday. “ So it was emotional for me in that it was heartbreaking.”

But state Sen. Emil Jones III said, “Leader Lightford stated that she had certain votes and me reaching out to those members directly, they told me otherwise.”

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