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James Clayborne Jr. (born December 29, 1963) was a member of the Illinois Senate representing the 57th District from his appointment in 1995 until 2019.[1] The 57th District, located in the Metro East region includes all or parts of Freeburg, Belleville, East St. Louis, O'Fallon, Madison, Fairview Heights, Shiloh and Scott Air Force Base.[2]
James Clayborne | |
|---|---|
| Majority Leader of Illinois Senate | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 9, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Debbie Halvorson |
| Succeeded by | Kimberly A. Lightford |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 57th district | |
| In office April 1995 – January 9, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Hall |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Belt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 29, 1963 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Staci Clayborne |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Tennessee State University (BA) University of Miami (JD) |
At the time of his retirement, Clayborne was the second highest-ranking member of the Illinois Senate as the Senate Majority Leader.[3] On September 21, 2017, Clayborne announced he would not run for reelection in 2018.[4] He was succeeded by Christopher Belt.[5]
Senator Clayborne was born and raised in East St. Louis.[6] After graduating from East St. Louis High School,[7] he earned a Bachelor of Science from Tennessee State University and later a law degree from the University of Miami.[1] While at the University of Miami, he met his future wife Staci, with whom he now has four sons.[6][7]
He went on to serve as an assistant state’s attorney in St. Clair County as well as a child support prosecutor, a supervisor in the St. Clair County Juvenile Abuse and Neglect Division, a supervisor in Felony Probation Revocations and a felony prosecutor.[8] He also was one of 50 attorneys selected nationwide to participate in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Law Institute in Quantico, Virginia.[8] He later chose to enter private practice[6]
In 1995, Clayborne was appointed to complete the term of longtime Senator Kenneth Hall and was later elected in his own right in 1996.[7] In 2009, he became the Senate Majority Leader after finishing second to John Cullerton in the race for Senate President.[9]
Clayborne is the current chair of the Assignments Committee as well as the committees on Energy, Executive Appointments, Insurance, Public Pensions & State Investments and the subcommittees on Governmental Operations and Constitutional Amendments.[1]
Clayborne also served as a delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[10]
Clayborne was succeed in the Illinois Senate by Christopher Belt and as Majority Leader by Kimberly A. Lightford.[11]
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