Tue. February 9, 2021 9:17 PM by Gerald Farinas photo credit // nicola patterson Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th) is upset that Democratic committeepersons chose Mike Simmons to replace Sen. Heather Steans (7th), according to the
Chicago Sun-Times Monday. Simmons was sworn in for his seat on Saturday becoming the first openly gay Black state senator in Illinois.
The 7th senate district encompasses the North Side neighborhoods of Rogers Park, Edgewater, Andersonville, Uptown and parts of the City of Evanston.
The newspaper claimed that Cassidy, herself an out legislator, was eager to assume the seat vacated by her friend Steans and felt frustrated when she was not chosen by Democratic colleagues.
photo credit // facebook Mike Simmons, a Black and LGBT activist community organizer, was appointed to the 7th district seat vacated by Illinois state Sen. Heather Steans. He will speak for the residents and workers of the North Side communities of Rogers Park, Edgewater, Andersonville, Uptown, et al.
The founder of Chicago-based Blue Sky Strategies, Simmons has targeted politicians and other civic influencers to create more equitable public policy for people of color especially in urban planning, education, and developing Black and queer leaders. He has used his experience to create leadership programs for youth and helped a past city administration bring grocery stores to food deserts where residents are more likely to be poor and people of color.
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BREAKING this morning: The Senate approved a budget resolution early Friday morning to speed passage of President Joe Biden’s pandemic aid plan without the need for Republican buy-in. And Vice President Kamala Harris broke the tie, reports POLITICO’s Caitlin Emma and Jennifer Scholtes