Seth Lewis, Republican candidate for state Senate District 23, called on fellow candidates and current lawmakers to support term limits in the Illinois Assembly.
The bipartisan effort to limit lawmakers' terms is opposed by House Speaker Mike Madigan.
"I am calling on both political parties in Illinois to come together and support a bipartisan measure to support term limits," Lewis said. "If my opponent is really for putting people over politics then he will stand with me in support of voting 'Yes' on term limits."
Madigan has served in the House for 45 years and as House Speaker for 31 years. Senate President John Cullerton (D-Dist. 6) has served in the Senate since 1990 and previously served in the House for 12 years.
“Madigan and (John) Cullerton have a combined 80-plus years of serving in the House and Senate in Illinois," Lewis said. "Politicians like them have drawn their own maps to serve themselves and denied voters the opportunity to vote on reforms like term limits. We need term limits to erode the power of the corrupt class of politicians in Springfield. I am calling on Republicans and Democrats to come together in support of term limits on state legislators. I ask my opponent, Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Dist. 23), to reject the Cullerton dynasty and support term limits.”
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale polled Illinois residents and found that approximately 4 out of 5 were in favor of term limits. In addition, over 500,000 residents signed the petition for the redistricting amendment, which would take the district mapping process out of the hands of the legislators. The amendment is awaiting a favorable ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court.
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