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'''Roland Burris''' (b. 1937), a liberal Democrat, is the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois.  In 1978 he became the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 was elected state attorney general. Since then he lost a series of primary elections and was considered a minor player in Illinois.  

'''Roland Burris''' (b. 1937), a conservative Republican, is the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois.  In 1978 he became the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 was elected state attorney general. Since then he lost a series of primary elections and was considered a minor player in Illinois.  

He was named by Illinois Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] to fill the vacant [[U.S. Senate]] seat of President-elect Obama, causing enormous uproar because  Blagojevich was being impeached for trying to sell that same seat. Blagojevich was convicted and removed from office in January 2009.

He was named by Illinois Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] to fill the vacant [[U.S. Senate]] seat of President-elect Obama, causing enormous uproar because  Blagojevich was being impeached for trying to sell that same seat. Blagojevich was convicted and removed from office in January 2009.