The Man Who Made Illinois Politics Shady
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Everyone in our state knows the name Abraham Lincoln… but fewer know his rival, Stephen A. Douglas. We talk about how Douglas’ legacy shapes today’s Illinois politics.
He’s on our license plates, in our museums, he is the namesake for a few of our towns and roadways I’m talking about Abraham Lincoln of course. But if you go to the Illinois House of Representatives today you’ll see two portraits: over the side where Republicans sit, Lincoln, over the Democrats, equally prominent, is Stephen A. Douglas.
Far fewer people recognize the man in portrait opposite of Lincoln, or know offhand what he did for our state. But, some argue that Douglas’ influence might have had even greater implications for our state than Lincoln’s.
Author and journalist Edward McClelland recently penned a piece for Chicago Magazine about Stephen A. Douglas it’s called ‘The Man Who Made Illinois Politics Shady’ he joined us.