Jacksonville’s state senator took some time on WLDS on Friday to answer questions about how things are going between him and leading Illinois Republicans these days.
Sam McCann, representing the 50th senate district, appeared on “What’s On Your Mind?” and was asked about if there’s been any changes to the way he serves on committees.
McCann says for the first four years of his term as state senator, he was the minority spokesperson for the agriculture committee. This year, he’s the only Republican member to not have a leadership position. He explains State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno didn’t pick him.
“I didn’t support her to be leader. I’ve never voted for her in a contested race. She’s been contested twice. Because I don’t think she represents the values of the majority of the voters in the 50th District. The DREAM Act, free college education for illegal immigrants, drivers’ licenses for illegal immigrants, she’s voted for all that sort of stuff; she’s very pro-abortion. I’m not,” says McCann.
“It’s interesting, when I asked the leader about it, when it was obvious she wasn’t going to give me a spokespersonship, she said, ‘Well, you didn’t support me politically, and these are political appointments,’ and I said to her, “Why are we using taxpayer dollars to give anybody a political appointment?’”
McCann, who serves on nearly half-a-dozen committees, says the slight cost him an extra $10-thousand in salary.
“Really, it’s interesting. Most people still come to me- and this is nothing against the current gentleman who is the minority spokesperson, who does a great job- but most people under the dome still think I am the minority spokesperson, and still come to me to get a lot of the stuff done,” he says.
McCann, according to the State Journal-Register, supported Dale Righter for Republican Senate leader this session instead of Radogno.
McCann, who was criticized by Governor Bruce Rauner for voting against a veto of a bill that would have allowed arbitration to settle a labor dispute between the governor and the AFSCME union, said it was “disappointing” that Rauner criticized AFSCME the way he did during his State of the State speech.
However, McCann pointed out to us on Friday he supports the majority of Rauner’s turnaround agenda.
You can listen to the full interview with McCann below: