Emmanuel "Chris" Welch will not run for Illinois House Speaker again | First Listen

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Michelle Eccles

Published November 6, 2026 at 7:02 AM CST

Twenty-six state reps are pushing for a new Illinois House Speaker
Illinois State Representative Sharon Chung is among those calling for Welch to step aside
A state lawmaker under federal indictment for wire fraud and obstruction of justice won re-election Tuesday night
Missouri voters defeated a proposal to ban abortion
The movement to separate parts of Illinois from the state continues to grow

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Michelle Eccles

Michelle Eccles anchors NPR Illinois' Morning Edition. Michelle has more than 30 years of experience in broadcasting which all began at her high school radio station, Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois. She attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus in Radio Television and went on to become an award winning anchor and reporter for stations in Decatur and Springfield.

See stories by Michelle Eccles