SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois state Sen. James Clayborne, D-Belleville, lost his bid to become Senate president at a late-night meeting in a downtown Springfield hotel tonight.

Instead, Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, will assume the high-powered office in January. Clayborne said afterward he was promised the second spot of majority leader, as part of a deal that gave Cullerton a unanimous vote among the 36 Democratic senators.

On the same night, in another meeting in another part of Springfield, the Senate Republican minority elected as its new leader Sen. Christine Radogno, from Lemont (near Chicago) to replace outgoing Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson of Greenville.

Together, Wednesday’s decisions by the two parties leave the top tier of state leadership entirely in the hands of Chicago-area politicians. Watson was the only downstater among the “four tops” (the top Democrat and Republican in the House and Senate, who together control most Legislative business) and Clayborne was the only downstater in serious contention for one of the top spots.

“That was one of the reasons why I did run, because I wanted to make sure (downstate Illinois) was represented,” Clayborne said after the private caucus meeting in the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center. “But I’m confident that John (Cullerton) will do the right thing and he will look out for the best interests of the entire state.”

Cullerton vowed after the meeting to “reach out to all parts of the state.”

Clayborne and Cullerton were battling for the post being vacated by retiring Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago. Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich also is from Chicago, as is Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. The district of House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, skirts the city’s outer suburbs.

Wednesday’s votes also return the top tier of Springfield leadership to an all-white group. Jones is the first and only African-American among the top legislative leaders in Illinois, and Clayborne also is black. Cullerton, Radogno, Madigan and Cross are white.

Radogno’s election marks the first time a top leadership position has gone to a woman.