Michael Madigan
| Michael Madigan | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
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Assumed office January 8, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Daniels |
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In office January 12, 1983 – January 11, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Telcser |
| Succeeded by | Lee Daniels |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 22nd district |
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Assumed office January 13, 1971 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 19, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Shirley Madigan |
| Children | Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew |
| Alma mater |
University of Notre Dame Loyola University Chicago |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Michael J. Madigan (born April 19, 1942) is the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Except for Solomon Blatt, Madigan is the longest-serving leader of any state legislative body in the history of the United States, having held the position for all but two years since 1983. He has been a member of the Illinois House since 1971, representing the 22nd District, a majority Hispanic area surrounding Midway Airport in Chicago's Southwest Side.
Chicago Magazine named Madigan the fourth-most-powerful Chicagoan in 2012 and second in 2013 and 2014, calling him "the Velvet Hammer—a.k.a. the Real Governor of Illinois." Rich Miller, editor of the Capitol Fax Illinois political newsletter, wrote "the pile of political corpses outside Madigan's Statehouse door of those who tried to beat him one way or another is a mile high and a mile wide."
Chicago's 13th Ward surrounds Midway International Airport and includes the Clearing neighborhood on Chicago's Southwest Side. In the 1980 United States Census, the population of the 13th Ward was 61,249, 95.58% of whom were White and 57 (0.09%) of whom were African American.
Madigan's father, Michael, was "a very strong Democrat, a product of the Great Depression. He carried with him very strong feelings in favor of the New Deal." Michael Flynn was the Cook County Clerk, and also the Democratic committeeman of Chicago's 13th Ward, an unpaid, political-party leadership position. Madigan's father was a precinct captain in the 13th Ward and worked in the Cook County Clerk's office, where he befriended a young Richard J. Daley. Madigan later characterized the relationship between his father and Richard J. Daley as "political friends." The elder Michael Madigan later worked for 25 years as the 13th Ward superintendent for the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation.
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