Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was dealt a blow Tuesday as Democratic Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride conceded defeat following a record-smashing, big-dollar fight against a pair of billionaires who wanted to unseat him.

 For the first time in history, Illinoisans voted to not retain a sitting Supreme Court justice, according to the group Citizens for Judicial Fairness. Longtime Illinois politics observer Jim Nowland chairs the group and said the unprecedented outcome sends a message that Illinoisans want an independent judiciary. Killbride received political money from funds controlled by House Speaker Michael Madigan.

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