Welch’s first session wielding speaker’s gavel: Did he take ‘a great step?’ Or follow in Madigan’s footsteps? – Chicago Sun-Times*

“It’s — by nature — a partisan exercise where emotions run high, and there’s not much anyone can do, let alone the speaker ... but on a number of things you saw Republicans and Democrats work together on individual issues,” state Rep. Michael Zalewski said. “There may not be a kumbaya moment on the floor where we say ‘bipartisanship carried the day,’ but I think Republicans can go back to their districts and point to things they worked with the majority party on.”