Democratic Party of Illinois

The Democratic Party of Illinois is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the oldest extant state party in Illinois and one of just two recognized parties in the state, along with the Republican Party. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling the majority of Illinois' U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship.

History

File:President Barack Obama.jpg

President Barack Obama (2009–2017)

The Democratic Party of Illinois took shape during the late 1830s. Prior to that time, Illinois did not have organized political parties; instead, political competition in the state was more personalist, with prominent factions centered on Governors Ninian Edwards and Shadrach Bond. As the Democratic and Whig parties began to form at the national level during the late 1820s and 1830s, Illinois politicians began sorting themselves accordingly and, in the summer of 1837, leading Democrats met to lay the groundwork for a Democratic Party organization in the state.

Before 2010, the party had been extremely successful in statewide elections for the past decade. In 1992, Carol Moseley Braun became the first African American woman to be elected to the United States Senate. Her election marked the first time Illinois had elected a woman, and the first time a Black person was elected as a Democratic Party candidate to the United States Senate. A second African American Democratic Senator, Barack Obama was elected in 2004 (the same seat that Senator Moseley-Braun once held), and later elected President of the United States in 2008. Democrats currently hold supermajorities in both the Illinois Senate and Illinois House of Representatives.

Organization and leadership

The Democratic Party of Illinois is run by a Democratic State Central Committee of 34 members, two from each of the state's 17 congressional districts. The Central Committee has four officers: a chairman, a vice-chair, a secretary, and a treasurer.

Calvin Sutker of Skokie served as state party chairman until 1986 when he lost his committeeman seat to reform Democrat Jeffrey Paul Smith. Sutker was succeeded by Vince Demuzio, who served from 1986 to 1990 and is credited with rebuilding the Illinois Democratic Party. Demuzio was then defeated by Gary LaPaille, then-chief of staff for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan himself succeeded LaPaille, serving in the role until he stepped down in 2021. He was succeeded by U.S. Representative Robin Kelly. In 2022, Kelly was replaced by State Representative Lisa Hernandez.

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

Democrats have controlled both of Illinois's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2017:

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U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the 17 seats Illinois is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 14 are held by Democrats:

Illinois Democrats in House of Representatives

District	Member	Photo
1st		File:Rep. Jonathan Jackson official portrait, 118th Congress.jpg
2nd		File:Rep. Robin Kelly, 117th Congress.jpg
3rd		File:Rep. Delia Ramirez official portrait, 118th Congress.jpg
4th		File:Chuy Garcia official portrait.jpg
5th		File:Mike Quigley official photo (cropped).jpg
6th		File:Sean Casten Headshot 117th Congress (cropped).jpeg
7th		File:DannyKDavis113th.jpg
8th		File:Raja Krishnamoorthi official photo.jpg
9th		File:Jan Schakowsky official photo.jpg
10th		File:Brad Schneider Official Portrait 2025.jpg
11th		File:Bill Foster, Official Portrait, 113th Congress.jpg
13th		File:Rep Nikki Budzinski, 119th Congress.jpg
14th		File:Lauren Underwood official portrait.jpg
17th		File:Sorensen House Photo.jpg

Statewide officials

Democrats control all six of the elected statewide offices:

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State legislative leaders

• President of the Illinois Senate: Don Harmon
• Senate Majority Leader: Kimberly A. Lightford
• Assistant Senate Majority Leader/President Pro Tempore: Bill Cunningham
• Deputy Senate Majority Leader: Laura Murphy
• Assistant Senate Majority Leaders: Linda Holmes, Dave Koehler, Iris Martinez, and Antonio Munoz.
• Senate Majority Caucus Chair: Mattie Hunter
• Deputy Senate Majority Caucus Chair: Jacqueline Y. Collins
• Majority Caucus Whips: Omar Aquino, Michael Hastings, Napoleon Harris III, and Laura Fine.
• Speaker of the House: Emanuel “Chris” Welch
• House Majority Leader: Greg Harris
• Deputy House Majority Leaders: Jehan Gordon-Booth, and Art Turner.
• Assistant House Majority Leaders: Kelly M. Burke, Fred Crespo, Will Davis, Elizabeth Hernandez, Jay Hoffman, and Natalie Manley.
• House Majority Conference Chairperson: Kathleen Willis

Mayors

• Chicago: Brandon Johnson (1)
• Aurora: John Laesch (2)
• Rockford: Tom McNamara (5)
• Peoria: Rita Ali (8)
• Evanston: Daniel Biss

See also

• Illinois Republican Party
• Political party strength in Illinois

External links

• Democratic Party of Illinois