Illinois Politics Timeline

1832 Mar Lincoln Becomes a Candidate for Illinois General Assembly
Lincoln began his political career in 1832 at age 23 with an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois General Assembly as a member of the Whig Party. The centerpiece of his platform was the...
1834 Aug 4 Lincoln is Elected to the Illinois State Legislature
In 1834, he won an election to the state legislature and, after coming across the Commentaries on the Laws of England, began to teach himself law
1846 Aug 3 Lincoln Elected to Congress as Whig Representative from Illinois
In 1846 Lincoln was elected to one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. A staunch Whig, Lincoln often referred to party leader Henry Clay as his political idol. As a freshman House ...
1854 Oct 16 Lincoln Delivers Peoria Speech
Speech on the Repeal of the Missouri Compromise Abraham Lincoln Speech at Peoria, Illinois October 16, 1854 The repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and the propriety of its restora...
1858 Jun 16 Abraham Lincoln Delivers the House Divided Speech
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect t..." —Abraham Lincoln
1860 Nov 6 Abraham Lincoln Elected 16th President of the United States
Lincoln was chosen as the Republican candidate for the 1860 election for several reasons. His expressed views on slavery were seen as more moderate than those of rivals William H. Seward ...
1968 Aug 26
to 1968 Aug 29
 Riots Erupt at the Democratic National Convention
The 1968 Democratic National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968. The purpose of the...
1976 Mar 16 Alexi Giannoulias Born
1992 Rod Blagojevich Wins a Seat in the Illinois House of Representatives
With the backing of his influential father-in-law, Blagojevich won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992, against an entrenched incumbent. He drew on his experiences as ...
1994 May Alexi Giannoulias graduates from The Latin School in Chicago
1996 Rod Blagojevich Elected to US House of Representatives
In 1996, Blagojevich surrendered his seat in the state house to campaign in Illinois's 5th congressional district. The district had long been represented by the powerful Democrat, Daniel ...
1998 Rod Blagojevich Re-elected to US House of Representatives
In 1996, Blagojevich surrendered his seat in the state house to campaign in Illinois's 5th congressional district. The district had long been represented by the powerful Democrat, Daniel ...
1999 Rod Blagojevich Accompanies Jesse Jackson on a Diplomatic Trip to Yugoslavia to Negotiate the Release of US Prisoners of War
In 1996, Blagojevich surrendered his seat in the state house to campaign in Illinois's 5th congressional district. The district had long been represented by the powerful Democrat, Daniel ...
2002 Rod Blagojevich Defeats Jim Ryan to Become Governor of Illinois
"How can you replace one Ryan with another Ryan and call that change? You want change? Elect a guy named Blagojevich." —Rod Blagojevich
2005 Dec 15 Illinois Supreme Court overturns Price v. Philip Morris ruling
The marketing of "light" cigarettes is not hazardous to the health of the largest U.S. tobacco company: the Illinois Supreme Court has overturned a $10.1 billion Madison County bench verd...
2006 Rod Blagojevich Re-elected Governor of Illinois
The Illinois gubernatorial election of 2006 occurred on November 7, 2006. The Governor of Illinois, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, won re-election for a four-year term scheduled to have ended ...
2006 Nov 7 Alexi Giannoulias elected Illinois State Treasurer
2009 Jan 5 Lt. Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn creates Illinois Reform Commission
The man who could be in line to take over from Illinois' scandal-tainted governor is setting up a panel to make recommendations on cleaning up state government. Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Q...
2009 Jan 8 Roland Burris testifies before Illinois House Impeachment Committee
Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris told state lawmakers investigating the possible impeachment that he did not act unethically in being appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacat...
2009 Jan 9 Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich Impeached
House Resolution for Impeachment HR1671 LRB095 23283 RCE 53981 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, Section 14 of Article IV of the Illinois 3 Constitution provides ...
2009 Jan 13 Rod Blagojevich to host "The Late Net Show"
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be unzipping his lip again. Sneed hears the disgraced ex-gov will get a crack at hosting a late-night Internet talk show complete with a band, celebrit...
2009 Jan 26 Blagojevich Impeachment Trial Begins
Blagojevich's trial begins, without him there.
2009 Jan 29 Blagojevich Impeachment Trial - Day 4
Senators voted 59-0 to remove Rod Blagojevich, who walked out of the silent chamber after delivering an impassioned plea for mercy. Within hours they applauded his former running mate and...
2009 Feb 3 Governor Blagojevich on the Today Show and David Letterman
Former Governor Rod Blagojevich continues to make a spectacle of himself, appearing on the Today Show, Greta Van Sustern and Lettermnan.
2009 Feb 11 Former Governor Rod Blagojevich tees off on Springfield Illinois Politicians
Rod Blagojevich was interviewed on WLS-AM Radio in Chicago this morning. He really tees off on everything and everybody, alleging adultery, excessive drinking and graft. I think he migh...
2009 Feb 14 Illinois Congressman Jim Durkin refers Roland Burris' testimony to Sangamon County State's Attorney
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has changed his story again about what happened before ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him to the Senate, and state Republican leaders said Saturday they want an...
2009 Feb 14 Roland Burris admits he spoke to Blagojevich people
"He assured us there was nothing wrong, so we said, ‘Well, say it under oath. It troubles me that there was a need to file an additional affidavit.”" —Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL
2009 Feb 17 US Senate Ethics Committee opens investigation of Senator Roland Burris
The Senate Ethics Committee has opened a preliminary inquiry into Sen. Roland Burris’s (D-Ill.) conflicting testimony on the circumstances surrounding his appointment while Senate Dem...
2009 Feb 20 Governor Pat Quinn calls for Roland Burris' resignation from US Senate
Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday called on fellow Democrat Roland Burris to resign from the Senate, saying the controversy surrounding Burris' appointment to the seat was hurting the state and hi...
2009 Feb 21 Roland Burris talks to federal investigators
Federal authorities interviewed U.S. Sen. Roland Burris on Saturday as they continued their corruption investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to a person familiar with th...
2009 Feb 24 US Senator Dick Durbin asks Roland Burris to resign Burris refuses
Sen. Dick Durbin said today that he told Sen. Roland Burris that, if Durbin were in Burris' shoes, he would resign. But Burris, the junior and appointed senator from Illinois, told the...
2009 Feb 25 Attorney General Madigan issues opinion to cut Burris's term short with special election
"It is my opinion that the legislature may pass a law allowing the people of Illinois to elect a U.S. senator to fill the seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Such a law would be consis..." —Illinois Attorney General's Office
2009 Feb 26 Revelation that Roland Burris's Son was offered job by Blagojevich
BURRIS' SON GOT STATE JOB FROM BLAGO SCANDAL MUSHROOMS | He serves as housing authority counsel despite facing foreclosure on his own home The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a...
2009 Mar 1 Sen Dick Durbin D-IL suggests race was a factor in seating Burris
Sen. Dick Durbin, who advised Sen. Roland Burris last week to step down from the Senate, acknowledged Sunday that racial considerations were at play in the decision by majority Democrats ...
2009 Mar 2 Alexi Giannoulias opens exploratory bid for US Senate
"Some days you wake up and you say 'I feel like I can do a much better job than the person who's in there now." —Alexi Giannoulias
2009 Mar 2 Rod Blagojevich signs book deal
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is vowing to expose "the dark side of politics that he witnessed in both the state and national level" in a book due out later this year, his publicist announc...
2009 Mar 6 Burris associate contradicts Senator's January 5th sworn statement
""There is more to be discovered. I know the key to finding the information out is through Fred (Lebed). That's the main point I wish to get across." —John Ruff
2009 Mar 7 Roland Burris hands over his side of story to Sangamon County State's Attorney
A document U.S. Sen. Roland Burris promised would explain how he got appointed by then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been sent to a prosecutor investigating perjury charges, the senator's att...
2009 Mar 13 Report that Federal Investigators interview Sam Zell in Blagojevich Case
Tribune Co. chairman Sam Zell was targeted for $25,000 by the Blagojevich campaign last November while the company's Wrigley Field deal was under consideration and two weeks before the ex...
2009 Mar 19 Senator Dick Durbin testifies in both the Illinois state and Senate Ethics Committee investigations of Roland Burris
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) was interviewed Wednesday by the Senate Ethics Committee in its investigation of Sen. Roland Burris, appointed by now-ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to fil...
2009 Mar 20 Roland Burris sets up legal defense fund
Confronted with anticipated legal bills of upwards of $400,000, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is setting up a defense fund to solicit contributions to defray the costs of his struggle to ga...
2009 Mar 24 Rod Blagojevich to guest host morning radio show
Rod Blagojevich will be on WLS in Chicago on the "Don Wade & Roma Morning Show" tomorrow. The show airs from which airs from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m. as its two hosts are off this week. It w...
2009 Apr 2 Rod Blagojevich indicted on Felony Corruption Charges
Blagojevich, his brother, top aides indicted Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, his brother Rob and Christopher Kelly, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich, were all indicted today on c...
2009 Apr 8 Blagojevich investigators interview Illinois Finance Authority Officials regarding Wrigley Field Deal
The head of the state authority involved in talks about the possible sale of Wrigley Field said Wednesday that he and the authority's executive director have been interviewed by federal a...
2009 Apr 9 Blagojevich Prosecutors look into Jesse Jackson Jr.'s alleged attempts to buy Senate seat
Federal authorities have questioned a former chief of staff to ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other cooperating witnesses about an attempt by friends of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to raise fund...
2009 Apr 14 Rod Blagojevich announces plans to be on Reality Show
I just found out that Rod Blagojevich — who today plead not-guilty to being the worst governor ever in the history of ever — is in negotiations to star on a reality show full of "D-list c...
2009 Apr 14 Rod Blagojevich arraigned on corruption charges
CHICAGO, April 14 (UPI) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a date in federal court in Chicago for his arraignment on criminal corruption charges. Blagojevich, indicted on 16 c...
2009 Apr 16 Blagojevich's cohorts plead not guilty
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign finance chairman, a millionaire lobbyist and his former chief of staff pleaded not guilty today on charges related to the racketeering and fraud cas...
2009 Apr 19 Roland Burris holds first fundraiser as US Senator
Burris fundraising total: $845 U.S. Senator Roland Burris, the controversial appointee to the seat once held by President Barack Obama, is holding his first campaign fundraiser since h...
2009 Apr 21 Judge denies Rod Blagojevich's request to go to Costa Rica for Reality Show
A federal judge ruled today that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich cannot go to Costa Rica to film a reality show, saying he does not "have confidence" that Blagojevich will comply with the con...