CHICAGO – The nation was swept with a tidal wave of red votes Tuesday night, as was the vast majority of Illinois' 102 counties (see map above.)
However, the minority of counties that held blue in Illinois happen to be the most populated – including Cook, the City of Chicago's collar counties, Peoria, Quad Cities, Champaign and Metro East area. In a state of 13 million residents, 2,975,634 voted for Hillary Clinton (55%) and 2,115,017 voted for Donald Trump, who swept the nation by winning the needed 270 electoral college votes.
Illinois' congressional delegation lost two key Republicans – U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and 10th CD Congressman Bob Dold.
At the statewide level, GOP State Comptroller Leslie Munger lost to Chicago Clerk Susana Mendoza – each of them backed heavily by their party's leadership. Munger, who was appointed to office after the sudden death of Judy Baar Topinka shortly before Governor Rauner's 2014 inauguration, lost 49 to 44. Mendoza will add to the list of Democrats filling every statewide office but the governorship.
In the Illinois Senate, Republicans picked up two seats: Jil Tracy will fill retiring Democrat Senator John Sullivan (Quincy) and Downstate Republican Dale Fowler ousted Democrat Senator Gary Forby (Benton). Challenger GOP Seth Lewis narrowly lost to Democrat Tom Cullerton by 388 votes (at last count).
In the Illinois House, Republicans picked up four seats – Steve Reick in Woodstock, Tony McCombie in Savannah, Lindsay Parkhurst in Kankakee and Jerry Long in LaSalle, Illinois. Incumbent State Rep. Dwight Kay lost to Democrat Katie Stuart in the Metro East area. The net gain of three seats broke House Speaker Mike Madigan's 1-seat super majority and could soften budget negotiations when lawmakers return to the Capirol.
All in all, Republicans walked away with a mixed bag of wins and losses in Illinois while the majority of the nation's political scene is a bit rosier.
