Four months after announcing his plans to retire from the Illinois Senate next year, retiring Senate President Emil Jones said he’d like to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat.
Four months after announcing his plans to retire from the Illinois Senate next year, retiring Senate President Emil Jones said he’d like to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat. Jones, a close ally of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and “political godfather” to Obama, announced his interest Sunday on WBBM-AM’s “At Issue” news program. The South Side democrat said, “Yes, I am interested,” adding that the seat should be filled by an African African. A spokesperson for Jones told the Defender on Monday that Jones would not issue a statement about his interest. A few hours after the show aired, supporters of Jones held a news conference at a church in Bronzeville calling for the governor to appoint Jones to the seat. Under state law, Blagojevich must choose someone to serve as Obama’s replacement through the next federal election in 2010. “We must make sure the seat is filled by someone who is not only sensitive to the needs of all the citizens of (the) state, but who also has a proven record for delivering. No candidate is more knowledgeable on the issues, better qualified, or has done as much for the citizens and the state of Illinois than Emil Jones,” said Frances Carroll, a Chicago educator. Far South Side Alderman Carrie Austin (34th) concurred, stating that there is “no other candidate more qualified.” U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st), like Jones, called on Blagojevich to fill the seat by another African African. “We are at a critical juncture in U.S. political history. Illinois is the state that gave the nation its first African American president, and it is the only state in the union to ever produce two African Americans to the U.S. Senate,” Rush said at a recent news conference. Jones’ name, along with U.S. Reps. Danny Davis (D-7th), Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd), Jan Schakowsky (D-9th), Luis Gutierrez (D-4th) and Ill. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Dir. Tammy Duckworth have been floated around as a possible replacement. The 72-year-old Jones, a 35-year state legislature veteran and a former city sewer inspector, announced in August his plans to retire at the end of his term next month. His son, Emil Jones III, will succeed him as senator in the 14th District. While he hadn’t officially expressing his desire to fill the president-elect’s Senate vacancy until now, Davis said he “already knew he was interested in the Barack Obama vacancy.” Davis has garnered widespread support from West Side and west suburban politicians. During the Thanksgiving holiday, Blagojevich sent the rumor mill swirling after he referred to Davis several times as “Senator Davis” while performing community service. The governor said it was merely a slip of the tongue but added that Davis was extremely qualified and one of the top contenders for the vacancy. Jackson, in addition to snagging several newspaper endorsements–including the Defender–has received support from many south suburban mayors. Blagojevich expects to make his decision this month. ______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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