Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Feb. 21 he hasn't made a decision on how long he will continue as state Democratic Party chairman as he installed a 26-year-old constituent services worker as his successor for the Illinois House seat he vacated, The Chicago Tribune reported.
Madigan held 56% of the weighted vote cast in the 22nd House District, controlling the nominationand picked Edward Guerra Kodatt, a bilingual outreach and budget assistant in the constituent services office run by Madigan and 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn.
Kodattan Eastern Illinois University graduate who has worked on three Democratic legislative campaignswill earn $67,836 in accepting a post Madigan held 24 years before he was born.
It was the first time Madigan has been in public since the House vote and his resignation last week, although he continues as state Democratic Party chairman; that term expires in March 2022.
On Facebook, new House Speaker Emmanuel "Chris" Welch said, "Congratulations to the new State Representative of the 22nd District, Edward Guerra Kodatt. History has been made as he is the first new person to represent the district in 50 years, and the first Latino. Welcome to the General Assembly, Rep. Kodatt!"