Five women representatives have been floated as potential successors to outgoing Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, according to conversations with more than a dozen lawmakers, lobbyists and other insiders. The field includes state Reps. Mary Beth Canty of Arlington Heights, Eva-Dina Delgado of Chicago, Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria, Lisa Hernandez of Cicero and Ann Williams of Chicago.

Many of those interviewed said the time has come for a woman to lead the House, arguing it would help root out a entrenched culture of sexual harassment following the Capitol's latest scandal. Welch lost the support of most of his caucus after his delayed response to misconduct allegations against former state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield — a parallel to how Welch's predecessor, imprisoned ex-Speaker Michael Madigan, fell amid criticism of his handling of complaints within his political organization.

"We have an actual chance to put thought into this that we didn't get to before, and to hear from our colleagues about their visions," said North Side state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who helped lead the push for new leadership. "We have such an array of experience and talent throughout every corner of our caucus." Cassidy said she is "not even remotely" interested in the speaker's post herself.

For the first time since Madigan first took the gavel in 1983, legislators have adequate time to seriously consider a field of candidates without an incumbent or another obvious power player towering over the election. Welch's own rise in 2021 came during a chaotic 24-hour scramble after Madigan suspended his campaign, with lawmakers meeting masked and socially distanced in a Springfield convention center during the pandemic.

"By the time [Madigan] suspended his campaign, there were 24 hours for us to make a decision," Cassidy said. "That's not a healthy way for us to do this."

Gov. JB Pritzker declined to weigh in on whether it's time for a female speaker, saying "that's going to be up to the members." But he emphasized the need for clear reporting processes. "The House is really responsible for getting their house in order," Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Friday. "Every company, every nonprofit, virtually everybody I know, has developed a process for their institutions to deal with these things. It should be no different for the House of Representatives."

The maneuvering will accelerate during the fall veto session starting Nov. 17 and culminate in the speaker's election in January, immediately after the 105th General Assembly is sworn in. Only one candidate had officially entered the race by Friday morning — state Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., D-Chicago, who said he was calling colleagues to ask for their support.

"I've observed some of the concerns people had with the previous speaker, and I believe I can do things a little differently," Evans said. "I have the energy, I have the health. I know we can do great things."

Evans, a South Side assistant majority leader who chairs the House Labor & Commerce Committee, recently completed a two-year term as president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other names in the mix include state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, Welch's speaker pro tempore and a former mayoral candidate who has led on issues from the Bears stadium saga to transit reform; and state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, a longtime downstate legislator who provided Welch's biggest competition in the 2021 speaker scramble.

The contenders bring distinct profiles. Canty chairs the House Democratic Women's Caucus and represents a district at the center of the Chicago Bears stadium debate. Delgado, an assistant majority leader, has been a key shepherd of state budgets and spearheaded landmark transit reform legislation. Gordon-Booth, another assistant majority leader, has championed criminal justice reform since taking office in 2009 and was considered as a potential running mate for Pritzker last year. Hernandez wields enormous influence as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois and has 20 years of Capitol experience. Williams ran for speaker in 2021, chairs the powerful House Executive Committee and has ushered environmental initiatives through the chamber.

Canty, asked Thursday if she'd be interested in the speaker's office, didn't answer directly but said: "Maybe now is the time we start looking to our female colleagues. There are so many great members of our caucus."

The race for 60 votes will unfold over the coming weeks, with more candidates guaranteed to follow. For a chamber long defined by backroom deals and sudden power grabs, the extended timeline offers a rare opportunity for a more deliberate choice — and potentially a historic one.