IL House Dems want Welch out of speaker’s role

"We represent a broad spectrum of our caucus, and each have come to this decision for our own reasons."

FILE - Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" welch speaks at a ceremony honoring late Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar at the Executive Mansion August 11, 2026, as Governor JB Pritzker stands aside him.

Capitol City NowWill StevensonFILE - Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" welch speaks at a ceremony honoring late Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar at the Executive Mansion August 11, 2026, as Governor JB Pritzker stands beside him.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – More than two dozen Illinois House Democrats say six years of Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is enough.

Twenty-four members of the House, and two more who will be coming in in January, have found enough not to like about Welch’s leadership that they have signed a statement that they will not support him for a fourth two-year term as speaker.

The negatives include his handling of sexual harassment allegations against now-former State Rep. Harry Benton, his conduct in liking social media posts by one of Benton’s victims, and his decision for the House Democratic political organization to pull out of the party’s coordinated campaign.

Quoting the statement, “We represent a broad spectrum of our caucus, and each have come to this decision for our own reasons.”

WTAX/CapitolCityNow has asked the speaker’s office for comment.

This story may be updated.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT CALLING FOR WELCH’S OUSTER:

The following is a statement from 26 members of the Illinois State House Democratic Caucus:

“Over the course of the last few months, we have grown increasingly convinced that the House Democratic Caucus needs new leadership. We represent a broad spectrum of our caucus, and each have come to this decision for our own reasons. We look forward to a robust race for a new Speaker of the House.”

Signers include:

Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock, 46th
Rep. Mary Beth Canty, 54th
Rep. Kelly Cassidy, 14th
Rep. Sharon Chung, 91st
Rep. Justin Cochran, 55th
Rep. Fred Crespo, 44th
Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa, 42nd
Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, 3rd
Rep. Daniel Didech, 59th
Rep. Jessica Dixon Heitman, 97th
Rep. Mary Gill, 35th
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, 17th
Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, 22nd
Rep. Barbara Hernandez, 50th
Rep. Lisa Hernandez, 2nd
Rep. Gregg Johnson, 72nd
Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl, 57th
Rep.-Elect Paul Kendrick, 12th
Rep. Natalie Manley, 98th
Rep. Joyce Mason, 61st
Rep. Bob Morgan, 58th
Rep. Michelle Mussman, 56th
Rep.-Elect Maria Peterson, 52nd
Rep. Anne Stava, 81st
Rep. Katie Stuart, 112nd
Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr., 86th