ILLINOIS – Illinois and Chicago leaders are reacting to the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100 on Sunday.

The Carter Center confirmed his passing, saying he died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family.

Carter was the 39th President of the United States and the longest-lived president in U.S. history.

Shared below is reaction from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and others. More updates will be added as they become available.

Local reaction to Carter’s passing: 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker: 

• “President Jimmy Carter truly exemplified what it meant to live a life full of service. His towering legacy of compassion for others set a standard that will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to the Carter family and their loved ones. May his memory be a blessing.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: 

• “President Jimmy Carter lived the American dream in every way. His legacy of love and his service to God and country are admirable beyond measure. President Carter valiantly fought for human rights and peace across the world during his presidency and beyond,” said Johnson. “He continued to serve our country with honor after his presidency by dedicating his retirement to building affordable housing and empowering others to value service and care for our neighbors. President Carter was a personal inspiration to me as a man of deep faith in the political arena, and his values remain a north star guiding us all. We can all take comfort that he is with his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and in peace.” 

Congressman Jesus “Chuy” García: 

“Today we lost a giant of progressive politics—a farmer, veteran, teacher, and President who fought for a more humane and accountable government even when doing so was politically costly. Though President Carter faced significant challenges during his administration, he steadfastly pursued a bold agenda focused on social and human services for working families. His Administration crafted the first national energy policy, created the Department of Education, and bolstered the Social Security system. He also expanded the National Park Service, protecting 103 million acres of land in Alaska. In 1976, he created the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs to address issues of critical importance to the Latino community and held town halls across the nation to listen to the community’s concerns. His new Department of Education created a fund for programs to help non-English-speaking students become proficient.

“President Carter’s foreign policy legacy includes unprecedented movement toward peace in the Middle East and taking tangible actions—including the suspension of military aid—against countries that committed human rights abuses. He negotiated the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, which provided for the return of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999.

“His post-presidency, however, was perhaps the most productive era of President Carter’s life. His efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to unwaveringly advance human rights and alleviate human suffering, earned him the Nobel Peace Prize decades after leaving the White House. His steadfast pursuit of truth and peace leaves a powerful legacy to uphold.

“My thoughts are with the Carter family, their friends, and with all those who worked with President Carter through the decades.”

Senator Tammy Duckworth: 

• “From his humble beginnings as a peanut farmer to a Navy Veteran, then Governor, President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner, President Carter lived a long life of service to our nation. A legacy we will never forget. May he rest in peace.”

Senator Dick Durbin: 

• “Jimmy Carter proved that excellence in public service can extend beyond the White House. His life was an inspiration to those of us who aspire to lead a life of service. I offer my condolences to the entire Carter family, to his friends and former staff members, and to the untold millions of people throughout the world whose lives are better because Jimmy Carter lived.”

Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton: 

• “Rest in Peace, Mr. President. Not just a dedicated public servant, but an amazing human being. Thank you for your service to our country and exemplifying what compassionate and selfless leadership looks like.”

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama: 

• “For decades, you could walk into Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on some Sunday mornings and see hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews. And standing in front of them, asking with a wink if there were any visitors that morning, would be President Jimmy Carter – preparing to teach Sunday school, just like he had done for most of his adult life. “Some who came to hear him speak were undoubtedly there because of what President Carter accomplished in his four years in the White House – the Camp David Accords he brokered that reshaped the Middle East; the work he did to diversify the federal judiciary, including nominating a pioneering women’s rights activist and lawyer named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the federal bench; the environmental reforms he put in place, becoming one of the first leaders in the world to recognize the problem of climate change. “Others were likely there because of what President Carter accomplished in the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history – monitoring more than 100 elections around the world; helping virtually eliminate Guinea worm disease, an infection that had haunted Africa for centuries; becoming the only former president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize; and building or repairing thousands of homes in more than a dozen countries with his beloved Rosalynn as part of Habitat for Humanity. “But I’m willing to bet that many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency. “Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. “Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it. “Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away – buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.”