Oak Park resident Don Harmon was reelected Illinois Senate President during a Jan. 11 opening ceremony in Springfield presided over by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. In Harmon’s inaugural remarks, the Democrat state senator said he was “honored and humbled” to receive the support of his colleagues and vowed to keep Illinois moving forward.
“My commitment to you is that I will strive each day to do my best to live up to the responsibilities and trust you have placed in me,” he said.
As senate president, Harmon presides over the 59-member Illinois Senate. He called on his fellow senators to honor the obligations the public expects of elected officials, without letting political differences obstruct them from acting in the best interest of Illinois residents.
“What is best for the nearly 13 million people who collectively call Illinois home? Be guided by that truth, whether it be politically convenient or not,” Harmon said. “If your motivations are elsewhere, the Illinois Senate is not for you.”
His inauguration marks the beginning of Harmon’s second full term as Illinois Senate President. Harmon was first elected as a senate president in 2020 to serve the remainder of the term vacated by the former senate president John Cullerton, who retired. He was reelected to a full two-year term the following year.
Senate session resumed Jan. 12, and Harmon used his inaugural address as an opportunity to also welcome the 103rd General Assembly. He congratulated Republican John Curran on being elected senate minority leader and greeted 16 new senators. Harmon also took a moment to remember Senator Scott Bennett, who passed away last month at age 45 due to complications from a brain tumor.
