As of today Illinois junior senator and now President-Elect Obama has relinquished his seat in the U. S. Senate:
Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate — one of the highest honors and privileges of my life — I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation’s next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will appoint the Obama’s successor who will serve the two years remaining in his term. Several names have come up for prospective candidates.
Emil Jones, currently president of the Illinois Senate, an Obama mentor and Blagojevich supporter, is frequently mentioned. Sen. Jones, who resigned his seat just in time for his son to run for it unopposed, has been one of the major architects of Illinois’s deadlocked legislature. His appointment would hardly curry favor with Illinois voters and such an appointment could well be only in a caretaker capacity especially considering that Jones is 73 and especially since there are other, better qualified candidates available.
Among those candidates are U. S. Reps. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Jan Schakowski. Until he resigned Obama was the only black U. S. senator; now there are none. Appointing Jackson would be popular with a key constituency. Both Jackson and Schakowski are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Another name I’ve heard mentioned is present Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, daughter of Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who has been Gov. Blagojevich’s primary adversary in the Illinois legislature. AG Madigan has done a fine job in her office, her name has been mentioned as a possible rival for Blagojevich should he choose to run for re-election (or be in a position to do so), and she’d be out from underfoot in Washington.
My predictions are either Lisa Madigan or Hynes, two potential rivals for Blago for Governor. A lot of people working for Lisa believed she was going to run for Governor in 2010, as far back as 2005.
My understanding is Jones is mainly interested in landing his son in the Illinois legislature.
Most people I’ve talked with think the Governor is going to nominate himself, which makes no sense whatsoever. The terms would expire at about the same time.
I think that Lisa Madigan is the shrewd choice. Unfortunately, based on the record that’s probably beyond the governor.
I agree that Lisa Madigan would be a wise choice. I also agree that that’s most likely beyond the Governor’s ability to do anything that makes sense. Jones or Jackson would both be terrible imo, and I’ve heard the same rumors about Governor B appointing himself. Wow. Jones is as bad as they come and Jackson has nothing really going for him other than his last name and an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
It would be a shame to lose Lisa Madigan to Washington. Illinois has so few competent politicians at the moment (particularly on the state level) that they really can’t afford to lose even one!