Democrats to choose new Senate president, eyeing the call of history — and ‘shadows’ of the feds

It appears the field to replace outgoing Illinois Senate President John Cullerton has dwindled to two power-players: Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and Assistant Majority Leader Don Harmon, D-Oak Park.

SHARE Democrats to choose new Senate president, eyeing the call of history — and ‘shadows’ of the feds
State Senate President Don Harmon, left; state Sen. Kimberly Lightford, right. File Photos.

State Sen. Don Harmon, left, speaks at a Cook County Democratic Party event in 2017; State Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, right, talks to a reporter in Springfield in 2019. File photos.

John O’Connor/AP; Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Illinois Democratic senators plan to meet Sunday behind closed doors to select one of the most powerful players in state politics.

And it appears the field has dwindled to two heavyweights: Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and Assistant Majority Leader Don Harmon, D-Oak Park.

Harmon would be the first suburban Democrat to hold the job this century.

Lightford would become the first woman ever.

“There hasn’t been a woman at all, no matter what nationality,” she said. I think it’s time to have a woman’s perspective.”

Both vow to try to help lift the ethical cloud over Illinois government.

“The shadows of the federal investigations continue to hang over us, and we’re going to have to deal with them in a way that is honest and direct and resolute,” Harmon said.

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton on Nov. 14 shocked his Democratic colleagues in announcing his plans to retire in January. That set the wheels in motion for Senate Democrats to scramble and drum up support — privately — for their next leader.

Democrats will meet on Sunday in Springfield in a private caucus in Cullerton’s Capitol office to nominate the next Senate president, which will require 30 votes. Cullerton will sit in on the meeting but will not vote in caucus, according to his spokesman John Patterson.

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton in 2017. File Photo.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file photo

From there, senators will begin an open session, starting with Cullerton submitting his resignation as Senate president — triggering the vacancy and election. Gov. J.B. Pritzker will preside over the election. After a nomination and seconding speech, senators will vote on the floor.

If a nominee gets 30 votes, the next Senate president will be immediately sworn in. Cullerton will be able to vote on the Senate floor — and then will step down as senator from the North Side’s 6th District.

With the chamber dominated by Democrats, 40 to 19, the GOP essentially has no say in who gets the job. But Senate Republicans plan to be there to witness the passing of the torch.

After a series of one-on-one meetings, telephone calls and a meeting at a suburban hotel, it appears Harmon and Lightford are the two nominees. Last year, state Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, and Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz, D-Chicago, all announced their support for Lightford’s bid, giving her a big boost.

Harmon was elected in 2002 and was appointed president pro tempore by Cullerton in 2011. Harmon said he’d work to keep the caucus “unified and protected” — and he’d help drum up support for the graduated income tax, which will be on the November ballot.

Harmon said he’s “angry and embarrassed” at the recent federal investigation into several Senate Democrats, including state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, and former state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago.

He supports more ethical reforms such as revamping the way economic interest statements are disclosed. And he’d also like to revise the role of elected officials as lobbyists, which has become a thorny issue in light of the federal investigation into state Rep. Luis Arroyo. Arroyo was charged in late October with allegedly offering a state senator $2,500 a month in bribes to support electronic sweepstakes-related legislation.

“It is stunning to me that an indicted state rep thought he could lobby the General Assembly while serving in the House,” Harmon said.

Luis Arroyo leaving the Dirksen Federal Building Oct. 28.

Luis Arroyo leaving the Dirksen Federal Building in October. File Photo.

Santiago Covarrubias/For the Sun-Times

Besides leading legislatively, the Senate President is also tasked with overseeing fundraising for Democratic campaigns. Harmon said he’d work to use resources as effectively as possible: “You can’t just throw money at a campaign. ... We get lost in the noise of the television and sometimes the radio and the mail. We have to figure out how to communicate with real voters.”

If he is chosen for the leadership position, Harmon would be the first suburban ​Senate president since Republican James “Pate” Philip of Wood Dale, who held the post from 1993 to 2002, and the first suburban Democrat since Phil Rock of Oak Park, who ​served a record 14 years as president before retiring in 1993.

Lightford would be the third African-American senator elected to lead the chamber, but the first woman — of any race.

“Women are strong leaders and as mothers as well we have different experiences that we bring to the table,” Lightford said. “However, I’ve been here for 22 years, and I’ve learned how to negotiate and become really good at it over the years and taken on tough challenges and issues when they weren’t as popular as they are today.”

She called ethical reforms her “top priority” — including ensuring that all units of government have a lobbyist registration and taking a look at ensuring that legislators don’t lobby their units of government. Lightford said she’d also support giving more power to the Legislative Inspector General’s office to investigate sexual harassment claims.

Lightford has met with Cullerton about her run, saying she wanted to speak to him about making sure the caucus is moving forward with redistricting, among other topics.

There were several names in the mix when Cullerton first announced his resignation in late November, including state Sen. Elgie Sims and Sen. Michael Hastings. That list has since dwindled.

Lightford told the Sun-Times this week that Sims had dropped his bid and would be supporting her — but Sims would not comment on the race when asked by a reporter on Wednesday.

Contributing: Neal Earley

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