* Former state Rep. and current Illinois Republican Party’s state central committeeperson Jeanne Ives was on Dan Proft’s radio show this morning talking about yesterday’s Republican losses. Excerpts…
Ives: In most of these races, we were completely wiped out. Republicans lost.
I mean, in Milton Township, we used to have every single position. Lost every single one of them to the Democrats. In some cases, like the Democrat supervisor, she’s never been to an actual board meeting, ever, you know? So she won. Our long-term highway Commissioner, who’s great, ran against a business agent of local 150 and he lost. He’s been in that position for a good 20 years. Does great work. You can expect now that they will unionize that workforce and raise your taxes. So I mean complete loss there.
Even our Dennis Reboletti. He’s been a long-time name in politics. He’s losing right now as Addison supervisor. Winfield used to be controlled by Republicans. They lost. York used to be controlled by Republicans. They lost. These are the township races. It’s just, West Chicago Mayor Ruben Pineda. He lost. Complete wipeout.
Proft: So why?
Ives: Well, I do think that they didn’t have clear messaging. In many cases, you just have to hit people between the eyes. I also do think that when it comes to anything that deals with education or mental health, people, unfortunately, are just willing to spend whatever it takes, and that’s not the answer, and they just for what they just do. They just vote for these people who vote for, oh, it’s for education, it’s for mental health. But really overarching, overarching, it’s no clear message. Republicans just went on spring break and didn’t vote early. And part of that is maybe we didn’t reach enough people to tell them, although there was a big effort to make sure people try to early vote. But the other thing is, I just think the unions are extremely strong in the suburbs, and they have built in ability to turn out their people behind every teacher. You can at least get five more people, and all you need to do is send an email from the union to tell people who to vote for. And I just they, you know, they their salaries on the line, and their control is on the line, so they show up. […]
Mayor Pekau’s loss in Orland Park. I mean, honestly, I think Keith is the best mayor in the entire state, and he’s done so much good for that. And he got wiped out because of mixed messaging from RINO Republicans about who was the Republican in the race, because Trump won that race, 57-43, but that got really, such a nasty race. […]
Proft: Well, what do you think? Where do we go from here? […]
Ives: Well, I think, you know, in 2026 we just really need a candidate who’s got, like a Trumpian type of voice that is unafraid to say what needs to be said and tell people the truth and does it. And the media can’t ignore that message when it’s a sort of a governor’s race or a senatorial race or something like they can’t necessarily ignore it. Maybe people will hear it, and, you know, a big voice will help connect the dots. Because I do think that people pay attention to, maybe more the national situation going on, some of the state but I mean, just the idea that Pritzker got a pass after giving Gotion, the Chinese Communist Party backed Gotion, a half a billion dollars. Rivian, who’s never made a one red cent of profit, nearly a billion dollars in tax incentives. This is, this is insane, and the people wonder where their money is going. You’re wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on these nonprofits that do nothing, that should not be government funded. I mean, maybe that would help if, in 2026 somebody with a big voice and a lot of money behind that voice, because that’s what Pritzker has got, what $350 million behind this campaign? And by the way, Pritzker played in these local races, you know. You know, and his lessers too, like Chris Welch, came out to walk in Wheaton with the Democratic township candidates and the IEA endorsed candidates. Sick. It’s just sick.
* Proft also talked about the RINOs…
These, these RINOs, doesn’t even begin to describe these people, the enemies inside the [garbled]. That’s another rolling problem. But that’s the problem you have when you have no party, no party leadership. It’s just a warlordocracy. And it’s been that way for, I mean, really, in the Republican Party, if we’re being honest, in Illinois, it’s been that way ever since George Ryan went away. It really has. Warlordocracy, not a good way to organize. Warlordocracy, not a good way to run a party.
* More Tuesday react from the self-proclaimed “RINO hunter” Tom DeVore…
They will never understand. The Trump backers who are not Republican supporters are the actual RINOs.
…Adding… Wheaton’s school district…
Oops…
Jeanne had a really bad day.
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* We’ve already discussed how the Democratic Party of Illinois was involved in a bunch of local races during the consolidated elections. Gov. JB Pritzker updated reporters today on how the party did…
The Democratic Party of Illinois focused on about 270 races and and won almost 80 percent of those races. And those were the critical ones.
And I just point especially to DuPage County, where, before Juliana Stratton and I ran for governor in 2018, DuPage County was a reliable Republican county. It produced the most number of Republican votes. And in last night’s election, as has steadily happened in every election since we’ve been on the ballot and since 2018 - last night’s election was a route. Republicans lost almost everywhere. As I understand it, 48 out of 49 races the Democratic Party of Illinois was involved with were victorious for the Democrats. And I think in the 49th race, they’re still counting the votes, it’s that close.
And then, just to talk about the mayor’s races, look, I think people rejected those who were, you know, who were acolytes of Donald Trump. And look at Keith Pekau in Orland Park. Look at Richard Irvin, who, when he ran for governor, he tried to distance himself from Donald Trump, but then he threw a fundraiser, an event for Donald Trump in 2024. So I think there was a broad rejection of what Donald Trump and the Republican Party stands for, and Illinois Democrats had perhaps one of the best nights we’ve ever had.
Barack Obama narrowly won DuPage in 2012. Hillary Clinton won it by a mile in 2016. The trend started moving down-ballot and picked up steam in the past six years. Yesterday was a blowout in that county which reminded me of the way Democrats were stomped in 1994 almost everywhere.
Also, I’ve been trying to get a list of those 270 races to see how many were actually competitive.
* From DPI last night…
The Party’s mail and digital advertising investment reached hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters in target regions across Illinois, and highlighted the Trump–aligned conservatives on the ballot, as well as supported the credible, commonsense community advocates that DPI recommends. As part of the program, DPI launched https://votelocalillinois.com/, a candidate lookup tool to help voters find and support endorsed Democrats in their communities. In addition to supporting candidates already on the ballot, DPI and Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association (IDCCA)’s candidate recruitment program helped ensure that strong Democrats step up to run for local office in future cycles.
* Back to the governor, who was asked if last night’s results were about party organization or the current national mood…
I attribute it to both. I don’t mean to avoid picking, but honestly, the Democratic Party of Illinois has been organizing, recruiting candidates, doing the things that state parties do all across the country, but that the Democratic Party of Illinois had not done for decades. And it showed last night that that recruiting candidates, good candidates, matters. And that having an organization, or supporting local organizations from the state level and picking the races that are most important matters. So the organization and strength of the Democratic Party that we’ve built over the last two years or so is making a big difference.
There is a national mood. I mean, I felt that going around Illinois. There’s a, it’s felt everywhere. As you know, I had some gatherings of farmers, of people who are affected by the Medicaid cuts, for example, have met with people on Social Security cuts. And I can tell you, people are angry. And when I say people, it’s not just Democrats, it’s Republicans. People are mad. Veterans are not able to get the services they deserve in the timely fashion that they should be able to get them. People are seeing Social Security offices closed, and those offices for some people, are vital for being able to access, to talk to anybody. Going online is hard sometimes for someone, a senior citizen, if they don’t know how to navigate the Social Security website, or perhaps don’t even have high speed internet or their own computer. So people are feeling the effects of what Donald Trump is trying to do.
And let’s be clear what he’s trying to do, and what people are reacting to. He’s doing all these things, they call, they say it’s about government efficiency, but then in the next breath, they tell you about the $5 trillion tax cut that they’re attempting to pay for by making these cuts. So the anger is felt in Illinois, as it is across the entire country. And that did play a role, there’s no doubt, in turnout and in the actual results.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… DuPage Dems…
Statement on Election Results from the Chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, Reid McCollum:
“Democratic values prevailed across Illinois last night, especially in DuPage County. When all the votes are counted, we will likely win 49 of 49 (100%) of the contested partisan township races – 38 of these are outright flips, and 20 against GOP incumbents.
In both partisan and nonpartisan races, candidates prevailed who understand that local government plays a critical role in our community. From public schools to filling potholes and from mental health to economic development, voters trust Democrats and see the GOP as the party of division, extremism and corruption.
Last night’s unprecedented victories were the result of the hard work of countless people over decades. Our township Democratic organizations and their leaders worked unbelievably hard to recruit and support great candidates. The volunteers who knocked doors, made phone calls, and mailed postcards helped make sure voters knew about the election and who was on the ballot.
The Democratic Party of Illinois invested in important “air support” with mail, digital and text messages.
As the DuPage Dems, we recruited volunteers to mail 80,000 get out the vote postcards, sent over 400,000 text messages and generated 75,000 digital impressions – our first ever significant investments in consolidated elections.
DuPage County is officially a Democratic stronghold. We intend to keep it that way through good governance, hard work, and a continued belief in facts, sound policy and supporting the whole community rather than conspiracy theories, blaming others and benefiting only the ultra wealthy.”
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