( 25News Now ) - Politicians on the left and right call former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar a friend and mentor, particularly those selected over the years to participate in the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois.

The two-term Republican governor from the 1990s and former Illinois Secretary of State died Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 79.

The late governor created the Edgar Fellows Program to teach up to 40 emerging leaders each year, stressing the art of compromise and problem solving over politics.

McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston, a Democrat, was chosen for the Edgars Fellows Class of 2024.

“Gov. Edgar was a generous soul who manifested his vision of leadership that breaks through partisan rhetoric. He focused on what matters most: bringing

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