Cong. Bobby Rush, D-1st, has thrown his weight behind the effort to convince Gov. Rod Blagojevich to name an African American to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
“We are at a critical juncture in U.S. political history,” Rush said during a press conference about the statewide effort. “Illinois is the state that gave the nation its first African- American president, and it is the only state in the union to ever produce two African-Americans to the U.S. Senate.”
Rush was joined by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, County Commissioner Jerry Butler, Alderwoman LaTasha Thomas, Alderman Pat Dowell, and an assortment of community leaders, activists, ministers and concerned citizens.
Rush, who has said he is not interested in the post, announced a statewide petition drive to send the message to Blagojevich before the Christmas holiday. Several prominent Black politicians have announced their interest in the seat, including Rush’s congressional colleagues Jesse Jackson Jr. and Danny Davis, along with retiring state Senate President Emil Jones.
“With the resignation of President-elect Obama, we now have no African American in the United States Senate, and we believe it will be a national disgrace to not have this seat filled by one of the many capable African American Illinois politicians.
“The Black electorate is smarter than it was yesterday, and we are stronger today than we were yesterday. We are determined to have our voices heard, and they will be heard before the governor makes his decision,” Rush said.
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