State Senator Jason Barickman/WJEZ file photo

By Todd Wineburner

State Senator Jason Barickman says he had a good working relationship with former Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, and he’s hoping that he has a similar experience with new Senate President Don Harmon. In a recent interview with WJEZ, Barickman said that he and Cullerton differed on some of the major issues facing the General Assembly, but he said Cullerton was always accommodating when it came to using his influence to help individual Senators in their districts. “…if I had a local issue…I could go to President Cullerton and explain the issue to him and he would help me move my legislation through the process.” Barickman says Republicans, as a minority party, are often at a disadvantage in Springfield and says he’s optimistic with Senator Don Harmon moving into the leadership role. Barickman says he’s worked with Harmon in the past on more than one issue, and their relationship is good. “What I don’t know,” Barickman added, “is how he’ll conduct himself as the president.” Barickman says Harmon might look for opportunities to show the public that  “…he’s not beholden to Mike Madigan and he’ll have his own agenda, his own way of advancing it. I think he’ll want to prove to the public that he’s independent of Madigan.”

Jason Barickman represents Livingston County in the Illinois Senate. You can hear WJEZ’s complete conversation with the Senator on our podcasts page.