Executive
Report

By NORA NEWMAN JURGENS

Inauguration day for a three-term governor

JAMES Robert Thompson became the first Illinois governor to be inaugurated for a third consecutive term when he took the oath of office January 10 before a near capacity crowd of 5,500 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield.

The atmosphere at the swearing-in ceremony was decidedly relaxed that Monday, as the threat of a statewide recount had vanished the previous Friday when the Illinois Supreme Court dismissed a petition by Adlai E. Stevenson III challenging the results of the historymaking November 2 election. Later in the day, Thompson would close his remarks at a GOP fundraising luncheon with what he called a benediction: "God bless the Supreme Court."

The five other constitutional officers inaugurated were George H. Ryan, Republican, lieutenant governor; Neil F. Hartigan, Democrat, attorney general; Jim Edgar, Republican, secretary of state; Roland W. Burris, Democrat, comptroller; and James H. Donnewald, Democrat, treasurer. The election left the highest offices in the state balanced evenly between the parties.

Thompson, 46, was first elected in 1976, beating Democrat Michael Howlett by a record 1.39 million votes. His first term ran only two years under a provision of the 1970 Constitution, which moved elections for statewide offices to nonpresidential years. Thompson was reelected in 1978, beating Democrat Michael J. Bakalis by a 596,550 margin, the record high for an incumbent governor. His third margin in 1982 against Democrat Stevenson was the smallest in modern history: only 5,074 votes.

Ryan, 48, of Kankakee, served in the Illinois House since 1973 and was speaker in 1981-1982 and minority leader, 1977-1980.

Hartigan, 44, of Chicago, now the ranking Democrat among the constitutional officers, was lieutenant governor under Dan Walker, 1973-1977.

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Edgar, 36, of Charleston, was appointed secretary of state by Thompson in 1981, when Democrat Alan J. Dixon resigned upon election to the U.S. Senate. Edgar had served in the Illinois House, 1977-1978; reelected in 1978, he resigned early in 1979 to become Thompson's legislative liaison.

Burris, 45, of Chicago, took the oath of office for the second time; he remains the only black ever elected to statewide office in Illinois.

Donnewald, 57, of Breese, served in the Illinois Senate since 1965 and was assistant majority leader since 1971; he also served one term in the Illinois House, 1961-1963.

Thompson had said his third inauguration would be more austere than his others, but the day had a full agenda, including a church service, the ceremony itself, a $35-a-plate GOP fundraising luncheon at the Springfield Hilton, an open house at the Executive Mansion, a candlelight buffet at the Old State Capitol and an evening ball at the convention center. The only sour note: a sidewalk vendor hawking Thompson buttons — and one of them said, "Stop Jim, He Didn't Win."□

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