Speaker Welch First-Term Highlights - Illinois elected a new Speaker of the House for the first time in almost 40 years after former House Speaker Michael Madigan was ousted from his leadership and later resigned at the beginning of the 102nd General Assembly. Madigan, the longest serving state or federal leader of a legislative body in U.S. history, was replaced by Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois’ first black House Speaker....By: McGuireWoods Consulting.