STATE SENATE: 7th DISTRICT
Jim Madigan
BY chasse rehwinkel
Jim Madigan—an openly gay adjunct lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School—is gearing up to challenge Democrat incumbent Heather Steans for the 7th District's state Senate seat in the upcoming 2010 primary elections.
Originally from Ohio, Madigan moved to Chicago in 1997 to attend the University of Chicago Law School and, since graduating, has worked primarily in the non-profit sector to promote social-justice causes. Madigan has led protests against the "Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy," done legal research for a gay scoutmaster banned from the Boy Scouts of America because of his sexuality and even protested the naming of a honorary Chicago street after Playboy Inc.'s founder Hugh Hefner. "The idea was insulting to many women and wasn't a very appropriate action for our city to take," Madigan said. Madigan worked for Lambda Legal until 2008.
Currently Madigan is a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School and a boasts that like most Chicagoans he lives from "paycheck-to-paycheck" and depends on the CTA to get to work everyday.
Windy City Times recently talked to Jim Madigan about his campaign.
Windy City Times: On your campaign Web site you quote former Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes who said, "more choices for those who have few." Is this the philosophy that is driving your campaign for state Senate?
Jim Madigan: What Carl Stokes was talking about was what should be the object of the actions taken by the government. He was talking about urban planning then, but I think it can be applied to legislation across the board. I think what he said impacted me because it was a statement about who the government is impacting and how it is impacting them. That's what I think the government should be asking before every decision.
As a Democrat, I believe this is a tremendously important point that stresses looking out for those people who cannot afford the lobbyists and other groups that look after the more advantaged individuals' interests. They, more than anyone else, depend on their elected officials to help with their problems. Stokes's idea, therefore, is definitely a driving force for me and why I am running for the 7th District because I believe that elected officials must be responsive to all of the people, both the advantaged and the disadvantaged.
WCT: Considering the recent abuse of power from the former governor, how will you, if elected, fit into a new, cleaner-run state political system?
Jim Madigan: Let me just tell you that one of the most unfortunate things about Illinois state politics is that the elected officials are so heavily reliant on the special interest, machine run political system to keep them in their legislative seats. And once politicians are dependent on that machine I think they are often unable to fully represent their district's interests, especially when a tough vote comes up. With my campaign I want people to know that I am running without the help of the "Illinois political machine"—I am not asking for it and I'm certainly not getting it—so that I can set myself up to govern differently, with the independence that the people need and deserve. I want people to know that even if you cannot afford your own lobbyist organization, you can still be heard in this state.
WCT: Well, since you explain that many officials are dependent on the "Illinois political machine" for their jobs, is it realistic to think that you can win without the help of this system?
Jim Madigan: We'll certainly find out on Feb. 2, but I have to say I think we're going to win because I really believe that we have the right stances on these issues and that the people will understand this come election day. I think we are demonstrating that standing up for what's right is a worthwhile endeavor even if it means going up against powerful interest groups. And I'll add that if we don't believe that this kind of change is possible at the state level then how can we believe it possible on the national level? I think our campaign has already won in a way by showing that you can still run against these powerful groups and attract public support.
WCT: You are an openly gay candidate who has had a history of supporting both LGBT and women's-rights issues; your opponent, incumbent Heather Steans, has also been an open advocate for these issues. Is there any contention between the two of you on these topics?
Jim Madigan: Well, Heather took up a lot of good positions after she was considered to be the next state Senator. The 7th District is a district that is overwhelming in support of LGBT equality, women's equality, reproductive choice and so on, so you can't represent this district or at least stay in office here without taking up these causes. So, if you are going to vote based on our stances on LGBT rights then yes, we are very similar, my difference with Heather then is that I didn't just take up these positions when I was anointed with a state Senate seat. Instead I've been doing work to advance these causes for years in advance, whether it be while I was at the University of Chicago or when I was working in the non-profit sector. To me, the badge of courage is not that you support these issues; it's that you have been actually progressing these causes over the long term and I've done that.
WCT: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Jim Madigan: Well, I'd like to say that over the last year in Illinois as a Democrat we have experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. We sent a brilliant man to Washington to run the country, but we also had our governor come under some serious allegations of corruption—and, of course, in Chicago this is not the first time we've seen corruption in politics. I think the time then is now, we must change how our elected officials work or we will never do it. I am tired of people snickering when I say that I'm a democrat from Chicago. I instead want to feel what I felt on election night 2008, filled with hope. So, I must say the time is now, it is absolutely essential to start to change Illinois politics with this upcoming primary election.
See www.jimmadigan.com .
