Jones Retires and Son To Take His Senate Post
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones (D-14th), announced Aug. 18 that he is retiring when his term ends in January, but his decision to put forward his son, Emil Jones III, 31, to replace him on the November ballot received some criticism from colleagues in the Senate.
Jones, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 25, has held the 14th District seat since 1983, representing a heavily Democratic section of Chicago’s South Side and nearby suburbs.
Committeemen from his district voted unanimously on Aug. 21 to name his son to replace him on the ballot.
Jones III, currently an administrator for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, is expected to win easily against Republican candidate Ray Wardingley, an Air Force veteran and perennial candidate known for his charity work as Spanky the Clown.
The timing of Jones’ decision to step down, after the primary and too late for any other candidates to campaign for the open spot was criticized by Wardingley as well as legislators such as state Rep. Monique Davis (D-27th), who has had political disagreements with Jones in the past.
Some Senate colleagues also questioned the move, which is similar to what happened when former Cong. Bill Lipinski (D-3rd) stepped down before an election and his son, Dan, was nominated to replace him. Cook County President Todd Stroger was nominated in the same fashion after his father, John, suffered a stroke during the 2006 election season.
“He is turning the seat over to his son. I guess it’s fashionable to do that in Chicago,” said state Sen. Louis Viverito (D-11th) of Burbank wryly.
“It’s not so much that it is done, but it’s the way it is done,” Viverito continued. “I think you have to be really diplomatic about it,” he said, noting that some candidates from political families, such as Lisa Madigan, did go through the primary process.
Viverito, as assistant majority leader in the Senate, had been in Jones’ inner circle but was shunned for a time after he came out against a gross commercial tax that Jones and Gov. Blagojevich backed.
“I’ve had my ups and downs. Naturally, it hurt my pride but I never held it against him. I know when you are Senate President you have to do what you think is right,” said Viverito, who has since regained the leadership position.
“You have to give credit where credit is due,” said Viverito, the Stickney Township supervisor.
He and Jones both graduated from Tilden Technical High School in Chicago, and Viverito said he always admired Jones for being able to rise to his current office
“We were not headed to law school at Tilden. We were learning trades,” said Viverito, a former barber.
“Emil worked hard. He accomplished a lot, bringing the Democratic numbers in the Senate up from 27 to 37.”
Viverito said his main concern now is helping choose the right person to be the next Senate president, a job he said he does not want.
The senator said he had considered retiring himself, but has put those plans on hold.
“All of a sudden I am a player again,” he said, noting that many people vying for the presidency have sought his support.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich released a statement praising Jones, a staunch ally of the governor.
“Over the last five and a half years as governor, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Senate President Emil Jones.
“The accomplishments I am most proud of — making Illinois the first state in the nation to provide access to health care to all children, access to preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds, and investing a record amount of money in education without raising taxes on people — would not have happened without the leadership and support of Emil Jones.”
Blagojevich said Jones “used his position as Senate president to give those without a voice better health care, better-funded schools and increases in the minimum wage.”
He described the Senate president as “a man with a big heart and a man of action..a champion of the people.”
“He didn’t just do the talk, he did the walk. All of us in Illinois owe him a great debt of gratitude.”