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* Tribune editorial board…
Two years ago, when voters nationwide delivered a stinging rebuke to a Democratic president and his party, the state of Illinois was a deep blue outlier: Not even the lingering scent of the Rod Blagojevich scandal could cost Democrats the governorship or either chamber in the General Assembly.
That left House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to parlay their clout into new district maps intended to solidify their majorities.
* Sun-Times…
Tuesday’s election results represented what one GOP strategist late Tuesday soberly called “a bloodbath for Illinois Republicans” at the Statehouse.
With the defeat of four House Republican incumbents and a net gain of seven seats, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) secured a 71-47 veto-proof majority in the Illinois House.
The results were similar — and more historic — in the Senate for Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago), who picked up a net gain of five seats, giving him a 40-19 veto-proof majority.
Those stunning gains also figure to weaken Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who no longer will have the capability of singlehandedly blocking legislation with his veto pen.
“The map the Democrats drew performed as they designed,” said Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont).
The effect of the Democratic-friendly legislative maps coupled with President Barack Obama’s huge numbers mean DuPage County will be represented by a Democrat in the state Senate for the first time in Illinois history.
As I told subscribers this morning, it wasn’t just the map.
I mean, c’mon, Bill Foster defeated Judy Biggert by 15 points. She lost DuPage County. Mitt Romney lost DuPage County. Skip Saviano lost DuPage County. Tammy Duckworth won DuPage.
This goes well beyond the map. Bobby Schilling was beaten by almost 7 points. Brad Schneider edged by Bob Dold. And David Gill hasn’t yet conceded because the race is still pretty close.
The map definitely put those districts into play. But Schilling did just about everything right for the past two years. Dold fit his district’s profile. Gill was considered unelectable just a few months ago.
And it wasn’t all about Obama, either. Yes, he most certainly helped in these districts, particularly with Cheri Bustos. But Obama received a lower percentage this time than he’s ever received running statewide.
On top of the map, on top of Obama, there’s a real Republican brand problem here this year. The party constantly foams at the mouth and eagerly parrots the Tribune’s more inane goofiness, but doesn’t offer solutions. Their leaders stand by in mute silence while high-profile candidates like Joe Walsh spew utter nonsense about women. And they continually nominate unelectable and very unattractive candidates in their primaries.
But, even then, even with all that, this is still an historic and incredibly unusual across-the-board drubbing.
What do you think happened?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:11 am
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Madigan-trained and Axelrod-led staffers across the state.
Better candidate recruitment. Better timing of messages. Better ground game, and much better GOTV.
Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:17 am
good post. i would add that many D’s weren’t even opposed in the general. so they had already won, even before election day.
Comment by b Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:19 am
Field work. you don’t poll with in 1 and win by 15 without being able to get your plusses out. GOP doesn’t know what GOTV is. Nice work guys.
Comment by Dizzy Cow Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:20 am
I think this is spot on:
>> The party constantly foams at the mouth and eagerly parrots the Tribune’s more inane goofiness, but doesn’t offer solutions. Their leaders stand by in mute silence while high-profile candidates like Joe Walsh spew utter nonsense about women. And they continually nominate unelectable and very unattractive candidates in their primaries.
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:20 am
Statewide, the demographics changed quicker than anyone thought, and the dems saw the trend years earlier and took advantage. Now, can the state GOP improve itself? 2014 will be the OBama lame duck election, and Quinn may be at the top of the ticket, and if we (I am a republican) can’t win then, God help us.
Comment by Cuban Pilot Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:21 am
Mike Madigan. getting better and better.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:22 am
Simply put. The republican party’s platform has little in common with the values of the majority of this state’s population. Abortion, Gay rights, and government programming are the concerns of this state’s majority. Republicans do not promise those things. Republicans lose.
Comment by John A Logan Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:22 am
So Madigan ad Cullerton now have veto proof majorities. If a Governor pounds on a table and shouts “I am the Governor!” but no one is around to hear it, does he actually make a sound?
Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:22 am
Illinois GOP needs new leadership. This bloodbath was guaranteed back in the 2010 primary when the GOP couldn’t narrow the field enough to nominate an electable Gov candidate. Handing the election to Quinn ment the Dems had complete control of the re map. The only loss that is surprising is Dold. The GOP needs to move away from the social conservative bs and concentrate on presenting sound fiscal policies and promoting younger leaders with fresh faces. The losses by Plummer and Walsh are long term positives for the GOP. Hopefully this brings back the blue dog Dems into positions to shape policy.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:22 am
Brand Brand Brand
Even with Madigan’s wizardry and a great map there is no way that the GOP should lose seats in a state where most voters think the current leadership has screwed everything up. Yet those educated and younger voters in the burbs and exburbs go into the polls on election day and see Walsh ranting in their heads, they see a party that doesnt seem to embrace intelligence and one that cant wait to get rid of its moderate elements. I’m a Republican but I find myself rolling my eyes at candidates from my own party more than the other guys.
Brand Brand Brand
Comment by Bakersfield Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:25 am
Absent a message the ILGOP is saddled with all the negatives of the national party. Democrats have become the party of modern life while the GOP so bogged down by 19th Century views on social issues it’s hard to listen to them on anything else.
Comment by In 630 Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:26 am
Brad Schneider is good proof of this - Madigan didn’t do him any favors with the map, and yet he pulled off a victory anyway.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:27 am
You’re right about the state GOP. They need to realize that the only Republicans Illinois voters tend to support are the moderate types. Tea party firebrands “don’t belong here” to quote my second favorite Schneider ad. They have destroyed what was once a good brand in Illinois, Republican moderates.
Biggert is the exception. I considered her a likable moderate, but her campaign was awful and lackluster. She was done from the beginning. Foster isn’t big with the personality, for him to destroy her like that - I just think she was washed up.
Comment by siriusly Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:28 am
What happened…
We are getting killed on social issues.
It appears that trying to get people angry at Madigan makes good inside baseball it is totally wasted on the average voter.
We did a poor job getting voters to understand the problems of this state.
We did an even worse job of offering solutions to the problems of this state.
Between when I was roughly 6 until my 30s we had Republican governors in this state, none of which could likely win a primary today. We need to look back and learn from that.
Women… We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to women.
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:30 am
In way too many cases the candidates are poor (can Plummer please go away forever now?). In most cases, I think simply, Democrat talking points are easier sells in 30 and 60 second sound bites.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:30 am
RTB — disagree re: Schneider. Madigan gave Schneider a +8% Dem. district, but he won by only 1/2%! Schneider might be the only Dem. who UNDERPERFORMED.
Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:31 am
I think the GOP would be best served if it went more conservative next time. Make sure the women and the poors know their place. That’s the ticket.
Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:36 am
The DOW is down over 300 points today based on the re-election. why is that if this was supposed to be good news
Comment by jericho Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:36 am
I think that because of the lack of any statewide election, there was the perfect vacuum that was filled by Obama’s victory in Il as the favorite son, and that his coattails were much stronger than they would have been in a year with a Senate race also on the ballot.
Where I live in the 6th CD, people who voted for Obama faced a non-competitive Congressional Election without much media coverage and then dropped to legislative and local elections that also weren’t well covered in the media. I believe that people who voted for Obama just kept marking off the Dem candidates down the ballot in the races that they had little information about.
For Cullerton in DuPage, Obama’s coattails were magnified by the Walsh-Duckworth race which kept people voting Dem for a second race after Obama and then kept a larger portion of those same electors voting D in the following races that didn’t have as much media attention.
Just my theory for what it is worth.
train111
Comment by train111 Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:37 am
In discussions with colleagues and friends, many of whom are GOP’ers, it has been my contention that the Tea Party will be far more destructive to the Republican Party than it would ever be to Democrat’s. I thought it would take another election cycle or two to bear this out, but after yesterday’s results I think it’s obvious that the GOP must distance themselves from the radical Tea Party groups. If they don’t, the swiftly moving demographics and offensive Tea Party message will keep them in a perpetual minority.
Comment by Ubecha Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:38 am
The Tea Party anti-Obamacare Schtick worked well for the IL GOP when they picked up seats during the Obama mid-term. They thought it would work again, and got caught being run over like a deer in the headlights.
Comment by Flat-footed Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:39 am
It isn’t enough for “leaders” like Cross and Radogno to just say no and blame Madigan for everything. At some point, you need to sack up and propose a solution. As another commenter noted, getting behind Fortner’s pension proposal and explaining it to the public woulda been a good start.
Comment by Fire Anita Alvarez Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:41 am
Folks MJM could care less about congressional districts. He lets the Ill congressional D’s pretty much draw their own maps thats why Shimkus is allowed a free ride bc of Costello. When MJM and Cullerton are in the map room their only focus is on the Ill. legislature.
Comment by Eilean left Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:42 am
On a national level, one thing that should trouble conservatives the most is that the alternate reality they’ve created resulted in an information disadvantage. Today they’ve found epistemic closure and it must feel worse for them than my hangover feels for me on this beautiful morning.
This is a good read:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/how-conservative-media-lost-to-the-msm-and-failed-the-rank-and-file/264855/
If the Tribune and the Illinois GOP don’t wake up soon, they will be a permanent minority party.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:42 am
“But Schilling did just about everything right for the past two years.”
Gotta disagree Rich. His opposition to Amtrak right at the beginning of his term hurt him a lot. He also voted primarily for Boehner’s bills while in a lean democratic district. The Ryan budget vote was not his brightest moment.
Comment by UISer Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:42 am
And the anti-Madigan campaign by GOP Chair Pat Brady turned out to be what Arnold Schwarzenegger might dub a “Girlie Boy” strategy.
Comment by Flat-footed Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:43 am
The idea that they thought they could make up for a poor slate by running against Speaker Madigan, who is on 0.85% of the ballots says it all.
I think the Tea Party Republicans hurt the more reasonable ones by being so out front and obnoxious. It does not help when folks like Joe Walsh and Todd Akin and Richard Murdock are all over the news hurting the brand.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:43 am
I moved my company from CA to IL in 2000 because the business environment in CA was terrible and everything was too expensive there in the dot.com bubble.
I’m now going to leave IL.
There are a lot of people on this blog that believe more government and more taxes are almost always good. There is a cost, however. You can’t pay those future pensions and additional “good” government without higher taxes.
I can’t even tell you how difficult it has been dealing with the city of Chicago on a variety of issues. The writing is clearly on the wall - it is going to get harder and harder to run a business in Illinois.
Goodbye (yes, I am really moving), and good luck figuring out how to pay for everything.
Comment by GoodBye Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:44 am
train
There were no coat tails in Madison county. Romney won by 2000 votes yet every Dem. county office holder won by 55 to 60%. Go figure.
Comment by Eilean left Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:45 am
Pat Brady should have already resigned this morning. And that’s for starters.
Clearly Brady doesn’t care about the GOP.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:46 am
==The DOW is down over 300 points today based on the re-election. why is that if this was supposed to be good news==
I’m guessing because an Obama win means another debt ceiling showdown. The last one roiled the markets, remember? Investors don’t like uncertainty and instability.
Comment by yinn Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:46 am
Veto proof majority in house and senate. Hmmm what’s that mean for the gambling bill, pensions, tax rates. Madigan will have made Quinn irrelevant by 2014.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:48 am
people pull together in times of extreme trouble. I for one am really glad that the election is over so we can get to helping all those folks without power and homes on the East coast. Maybe people saw that government can give answers and the Republicans don’t really believe that (except for bigger battleships) so they did not get votes.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:49 am
Goodbye,
You should probably grab Jimmy on your way out. He has been claiming to leave for about two years now.
Comment by UISer Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:50 am
Buy Jericho, Buy!!
Comment by Flat-footed Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:52 am
Add it all up nationally in a few days once the western states have finally counted all their mail-in ballots, and we’ll likely find that Democrats won the US Congressional popular vote despite Republicans coming out with what will probably be a 35 to 37 seat majority, down from 49 before election day. Message to Planet Trib; whatever gerrymandering shenanigans came from Madigan pale in comparison with what Republicans in other states did.
As for the markets, they want certainty. This could include
a) a Republican sweep
b) a Democratic sweep
c) what happened yesterday combined with Mitch McConnell getting off his hobby horse and suggesting there’s room for compromise.
None of the above happened. In fact McConnell is sounding as belligerent as ever. And even if the response to his intransigence is that filibuster reform passes when the rules are adopted, there’s still the question of how to deal with the Tea Party in the House, insulated from accountability for the next ten years in their gerrymandered districts.
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:52 am
Goodbye, don’t let the door hit you on your way out.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:52 am
Goodby
I heard that the tax rates and wages are pretty low in China,enjoy the trip.
Comment by Eilean left Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:55 am
With all the aforementioned being true, there was not the movement nationally that we had in Illinois. I mean there was a move left nationally like we had here, especially in DuPage.
Something distinguished Democratic performance here. The US house GOP did not lose the chamber, but Illinois Republicans were routed last night. Is the Illinois GOP chock full of nuts? Sure. But more so than Missouri? They didn’t lose 4 house seats. Something distinguishes this performance more than say…Michigan.
Comment by Madison Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:00 am
A bit off topic, but can I say how awesome it is that Obama won the Catholic vote dispite the Bishops very outright opposition. -Signed, a liberal Catholic.
Comment by UISer Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:00 am
–On top of the map, on top of Obama, there’s a real Republican brand problem here this year. The party constantly foams at the mouth and eagerly parrots the Tribune’s more inane goofiness, but doesn’t offer solutions. Their leaders stand by in mute silence while high-profile candidates like Joe Walsh spew utter nonsense about women. And they continually nominate unelectable and very unattractive candidates in their primaries.–
You got that right.
Even an angry old white man like me has had it with today’s GOP brand of tearing down the country, the state, the city and the people.
They sell chronic victimization. Really? You’re a victim living in the United States in 2012? Give me a break.
A goofball commenter above complains that California wasn’t good enough for him, and now Illinois isn’t good enough for him, so he’s going to bounce.
Good. Where are you going, pal? Because if you can’t make it in Cally or Illinois, my guess is that you can’t make it anywhere.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:03 am
So now the Republicans serving in the state legislature go from not much responsibility to even less responsibility. Why would the leaders leave these cushy jobs. They can sit back, collect their nice paychecks, and hoot from the spectator seats occasionally.
Comment by cassandra Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:03 am
Raise taxes 67%? Add seats? This premise runs against conventional political wisdom. And in Spades. pension related voters? But MJM drafted the con amendment.
Comment by Madison Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:08 am
Cross just reserved tee times for 36 holes of golf every day for the next two years …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:11 am
UISer, you never want to encourage business to leave Illinois. They just might take you up on that.
The real problem is that new businesses won’t form here. And you’ll never even realize it, because you won’t ever see it. It just happens elsewhere.
As to the election - social issues did Republicans in. But now that Madigan and Cullerton have super majorities, it’s 100% up to them to govern. And that’s going to be mostly all about ‘economics’. Republicans here in IL are on the sidelines for at least the next 2 years - no reason for them to do anything.
Congratulations to the Democrats for an awesome set of victories here in IL. Now, as an old boss told me a while back, “Take 15 minutes to celebrate the victory, then get your sorry ‘rear tailbone’ back to work because all you did was earn yourself an opportunity to work even harder”.
He was so right.
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:12 am
A goofball commenter above complains that California wasn’t good enough for him, and now ==Illinois isn’t good enough for him, so he’s going to bounce.
Good. Where are you going, pal? Because if you can’t make it in Cally or Illinois, my guess is that you can’t make it anywhere.==
Perhaps he speaks Mandarin Chinese?
Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:13 am
The fact is that the Republicans were embarrassed in Illinois last night. Illinois Republicans (and national Republicans) need to kick the Tea Party to the curb and encourage strong moderate leadership…. otherwise they’ll keep losing seats.
Comment by Tipsy Diane Sawyer Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:17 am
I agree with the commenters about the state of the ILGOP. What a mess. Serious plans need to be made on the political sided (structure, leadership) and on the policy side (pro-growth, low spending, taking care of our most disadvantaged people and less emphasis on pie-in-the-sky new programs.
One more note, the IL Dems were genius with the remap, and succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. There is no reason to blame Republicans on any policy issues from this point forward, since you cannot call Republicans obstructionists, since we can’t obstruct anything. Dems own it now, lock, stock and barrel. The Republicans have been completely marginalized (self-imposed to a large degree). Yours to fix now Quinn/Madigan/Cullerton since you will never seriously consider any Republican proposals (little that they are) in the future. I’m sure the only small olive branches that will be offered is to provide the Dems political cover, and will be nothing but a ruse that many here will take up as a meme of Republican obstruction.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:19 am
For me, it was such a great election. It was a repudiation of fiscal and social extremism. We rejected that, here in Illinois and all over America. Women and liberals had a great night last night, with the two Tammys (Duckworth and Baldwin), Claire McCaskill and Elizabeth Warren winning. The “rape” guys, Mourdock and Akin, were defeated. Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:21 am
I can’t speak for the Dem ground game up there, but I don’t see it being the major factor in the DuPage County results. As everyone has mentioned, the map was a problem but not the full explanation for the “bloodbath.”
I’m convinced that the Dem theme of voting GOP hurts the middle class resonated with the folks. This idea was reinforced by extremists from the Tea Party, a young rich kid running with daddy’s money and a presidential candidate who could be viewed as the poster child for the 1% elite.
The social issues were a consideration, but it’s still about the money. Republican message was geared to what the upper class wanted to hear, not the middle class.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:22 am
The many comments on the Republican brand seem right on. This is where having Kirk (mostly) sidelined is such a huge problem for the GOP - he’s the one who could reassure moderates that the Illinois GOP isn’t only for the Akin/Walsh wing of the party.
Comment by Century Club Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:29 am
Madigan, Cullerton, Money, Map, Obama, better candidates and a republican party with no vision and no message lead by a guy more interested in pedaling anti-Madigan coffee mugs and tea shirts.
Comment by Abe Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:39 am
Every district gerrymandered to elect a democrat won at every level of government except for David Gill. David may be the nicest man in America but I hope he takes a hint and allow democrats to elect someone who can win in 2 years.
Comment by Anon from Champaign County Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:41 am
DEMs have been building in DuPage for years, that the GOP didn’t see it coming or do anything to shore up their numbers reflects their lack of organizing skills. They should take a look at where the DEMs are going now or they’ll lose more “strongholds” in the future.
Comment by Justbabs Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:43 am
– Republicans here in IL are on the sidelines for at least the next 2 years - no reason for them to do anything.–
Just how they like it. Today’s Illinois GOP is pretty good at doing nothing. The checks are in the mail.
C’mon man, get in the ballgame. It wasn’t always like this. The GOP was born in Illinois.
But yesterday, the GOP got pounded in DuPage and Lake, for crying out loud.
Rejection!
Today’s Illinois GOP spins a nasty fantasy of victimization that states the majority of the folks are the enemy of “real Americans.” And that Cook County, one of the planet’s economic powerhouses, is some sort of welfare-scarred penal colony.
Got no game, dude. Reflect and recalibrate.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:50 am
Madigan & Company not only redistricted the state, they revised the Election Code. Ballot access is more difficult now in terms of higher petition signature requirements for prospective candidates.
Additionally, the process of filling vacancies on the ballot (when no candidate filed for the primary) was made more difficult. In the past, moribund Republican committeemen were able to simply name candidates. Now that is no longer the case. Dozens of Chicago districts saw Democrats without any opponents, credible, nominal or sacrificial. Madigan was able to send troops into districts where local Republicans were winning solely due to inertia and pick off opponents.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:53 am
–There is no reason to blame Republicans on any policy issues from this point forward, since you cannot call Republicans obstructionists, since we can’t obstruct anything. Dems own it now, lock, stock and barrel.–
The silver lining in the dark cloud of rejection.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 11:55 am
Anonymous -
The bill to make it difficult to get on the ballot after the primary was a Republican bill. Mike Fortner’s I believe.
Comment by Flat-footed Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:02 pm
Extremism far left or far right eventually catches you simply by being that far off the accepted norm. Most people are fairly moderate and understand that things change over time, but also hold onto a basic premise of ‘good behavior’. The Republicans simple had too many candidates that stick out of the crowd for the wrong reason. Get enough ranting Akins/Walshes and the rest of the crowd gets painted with them. Get some moderates who are smart, understand the issues, and do not speak Tea Party and they could do well. Those moderates people are not stepping up in any significant numbers. Why should they? To get caught in the meatgrinder of Grover Norquist behavioral contracts of no compromise commitment and have it held against you if you slightly vary? It’s like reading the screeds that used to be in the Chicago Seed from the late 60’s. You’re either with us or aginst us. Fun for awhile then real life catches up. The Dems may have an edge right now, but they better do something positive for jobs, services, and basic security or they will be whacked.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:08 pm
Word,
The silver lining is not having to hear Dems complain about Republican obstructionism. Another will be watching the Dems failure to govern…
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:11 pm
wordslinger,
You are speaking great truths today…
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:12 pm
Just hit me that the Bishop who basically said a vote for Democrats is a vote against God must be having a tough day of prayer.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:12 pm
@ Jericho - turn off Fix Nooz and walk away for a moment.
“The DOW is down over 300 points today based on the re-election. why is that if this was supposed to be good news”
Everyone else in the financial industry is pointing to Europe, not DC, as the cause behind the Dow going down.
That said, the Dow is still quite a bit higher now than 4 years ago.
Maybe you ought to be blaming European-style austerity instead of Obama.
Take away people’s incomes by cutting their earned benefits after the fact AND start charging them more for basic services and gee whiz they have less ability to buy basics let alone nice to haves.
And the GOP wants to enforce European-style austerity here… Why?!
Comment by Hello Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:15 pm
– Republicans here in IL are on the sidelines for at least the next 2 years - no reason for them to do anything.–
Did they do anything the past four? If so, I missed it…
Comment by Joe Bidenopoulous Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:15 pm
–The silver lining is not having to hear Dems complain about Republican obstructionism. Another will be watching the Dems failure to govern…–
Dude, I just don’t understand where you come from.
Why would you take pleasure in governmental dysfunction?
Isn’t the whole point of the exercise to get the job done and make things better? Like, say, in our one-and-only lifetimes?
What hold does a contraption like a political party have on you that you would wish ill on the people for its alleged benefit?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:19 pm
I hated being right …
Cross AND Radogno get Veto-Proofed!
Congratualtions, your Irrelevency is now complete.
If there is ANY sense of Justice, there will be some “collars” to be worn. But Who?
Who forced Rosemary Mulligan out? How did that seat go?
Who recruted the MBA/Lawyer Gradu … um …whatever her background was?
Where o’ where are those 4.5 million contacts?
“Call me, ….Maybe?
Who do you blame for Bill Brady … Staff? Lack of Commitment by others in the GOP? Measuring drapes with no GOTV activity?
No snark, I hate being right about the Veto-Proof GA … Cross and Radogno need to resign … to start. But who do you get to take their place? In the Senate you only 18 to choose from (pathetic, by the way), And who is left after Cross leaves leadership … Who do you think could and WOULD do it, at least for 2 cycles?
I don’t even want to go into the Congress races …
That is my “start”, I will post more to this later …
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:23 pm
Having run the “Fire Madigan” slogan in two elections (this time more emphatically than last time) and having precious little to show for it, think Pat Brady and his band of incompetents will finally realize it doesn’t work? The vast majority of voters care about the individual legislative race in front of them, not in terms of which party will control the majority … and the few voters who actually care about that are so party-aware that they were going to vote the way they voted without the reminder from Patty Boy.
Yes, the map helped, but the GOP is run by people of very ordinary intelligence. And Speaker Madigan is brilliant. And more disciplined. He outworked and out-strategized the GOP.
Comment by View from the Cheap Seats Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:25 pm
It’s George’s fault, Ryan or Bush pick your favorite whipping boy.
Comment by OurMagician Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:29 pm
If we had to lose Republican seats, why couldn’t Oberweis be one of them?
Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:40 pm
“Cook County, one of the planet’s economic powerhouses, is some sort of welfare-scarred penal colony.”
It’s not where we are today, it’s all about tomorrow.
Was out West a couple of weeks ago, involved in some tech meetings with a bunch of ‘no names’ today, but who could likely become players in the near future. Being from the Chicago area, I found out we are considered such a ‘backwater’ - the only company they think of is groupon, and not even as a tech company.
Two comments were made that stuck with me:
First, that Champaign-Urbana/UofI area is viewed as being more tech savy than Cook County;
Second; that the State of IL in terms of business development has absolutely no presence in the developing tech marketplaces. None. There is some little bit of light regarding Google - Motorola Mobility, but it’s just about all there is.
“Got no game, dude. Reflect and recalibrate.”
That’s just what they were saying about the State of Illinois….
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:43 pm
The GOP failed. You can’t even state why because the reasons are so many. The concept of blaming Madigan is good, but they did not tie it up. They needed to connect each democrat to a yes vote for Madigan/Cullerton and how it will kill what is important to the voter. For instance, voting for John Bradley is a vote against conceal and carry. While he says he is for conceal and carry, he will vote for Madigan as Speaker which means we will never get an up or down vote on conceal and carry.
What I really want to know is how Madigan will blame the republicans now. Well Mr. Speaker not only did you create this mess, you have the authority to fix it without interference from anyone else, what say ye?
Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 12:49 pm
Judgement Day,
There are more Microsoft engineers from U of I than any other university. Yet we have allowed the U of I to be some sort of political playground and are losing our edge in all but a few fields of study. U of I needs to be cleaned up, and then some sort of official cooperation needs to exist between Chicago and Champaign that leverages both their strengths.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:06 pm
–Was out West a couple of weeks ago, involved in some tech meetings with a bunch of ‘no names’ today, but who could likely become players in the near future. Being from the Chicago area, I found out we are considered such a ‘backwater’ - the only company they think of is groupon, and not even as a tech company.–
Wow, out “West.” I’m impressed.
Yeah, we’re just a poor little backwater. With a GDP that would rank 17 among the nations of the world.
And little schoolhouses like the University of Chicago, Northwestern, U of I, Loyola, UIC, etc.
And 32 Fortune 500 hq.
And farmers that feed the world.
I’m sure the “tech-savvy” guys “out West” are familiar with the Mosaic project, a crazy little stunt some folks in Champaign pulled that created the Internet.
You never know what us backwater folks will come up with.
Seriously, do you get pleasure in peddling that nonsense?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:09 pm
Zaiotchi, here on the Bishop’s home turf, I’ve heard at least one talk radio caller assert that he made the difference in the Davis-Gill race.
This was a strange election. I agree with most of what has been posted about Madigan & Co’s superior performance, bad GOP candidates, and the “Circular Firing Squad” of the ILGOP. It’s interesting to note that farther down the ballot over in Champaign County, no GOP stronghold, 3 young, well organized and articulate GOP candidates all won countywide offices against strong Democrat opponents. Here in Sangamon, the GOP held all but one county spots, also bringing some fresh faces (Way to go Catie!) to the ballot.
My point is that the brand may be tarnished, but not ruined, and what we saw statewide was better execution of a better strategy on a favorable map against a party already weakened by candidate bloopers and the like.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:12 pm
@Cincy:
Your attitude is exactly why the Republicans will continue to be worthless in this state.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:31 pm
Cincinnatus,
We’re (State of IL) is missing out on an enormous opportunity in the tech marketplace, because the entire ongoing CA fiscal situation is wearing on the folks in the Valley. Just because the last tech boom was out in CA doesn’t mean the next one will be.
But our State political leadership (such as it is) has to get serious if they are going to be players in the tech marketplace. And there’s just little, if any evidence that it’s going to occur.
If the Republicans were smart (dubious with current leadership), this is where they would/should orient their efforts. Let the Democrats fight the pension wars.
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:36 pm
AA
Really?
Comment by Eilean left Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:38 pm
JD, I find it fascinating that you think cutting-edge tech entrepreneurs are influenced by state borders or political parties.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:50 pm
So, Demoralized, Republicans should just give up on having ANY principles and become Democrats, or at least dupes to whatever plans they make?
I am laying out core principles that I think not only represent what should be our principles, but recommending they be fleshed out to actual plans and presented to the voters in a thoughtful and cogent way. What I don’t get is what you are recommending. Puppets? Squirrels?
Judgement Day,
I don’t think we are very far apart, are we? One of early advantages of Silicon Valley was their ready access to Stanford and the California university system. We have Chicago and Champaign just two hours apart yet it seems two worlds away.
Government can indeed provide an infrastructure and environment to allow synergy. My fear is government picking winners and losers.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 1:53 pm
“JD, I find it fascinating that you think cutting-edge tech entrepreneurs are influenced by state borders or political parties.”
Word, come on man, pull your head out. Of course they are going to be an influence. Are they going to be a controlling influence? - unlikely (fortunately).
When Pat Quinn pushed through the ‘Amazon Tax’, you think that didn’t hit at some of those cutting-edge tech entrepreneurs? You can argue the points over it forever, but when you’ve got 15+ other states out there at the same time saying “Come here to our state and we’ll work something out”, there’s going to be some folks here in IL who are going to be interested. And stuff like that gets remembered, particularly when you see all the social media players trying to develop what used to be called “walled gardens”, and that happens to include shopping.
As far as political parties go, remember all our congresscritters on SOPA and PIPA?
Both our political parties seem to think of ‘high tech’ here in IL in terms of ‘metal bending’ and ‘regulations’.
You don’t have to like it - and I certainly don’t because it affects me directly - but Illinois is doing a great job of coming across as a tech backwater.
If I were in charge of the Republican party, that would be where I would be placing my emphasis (become high tech players). Course, that would mean that some Republican social policies would need to be drastically adjusted.
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:12 pm
As in many states, demography is not the Republican Party’s ally in Illinois. The next chair of the state party ought to look very hard at what happened in DuPage County, look at the 2010 Census of Population for the county, and see how to persuade larger blocs of the electorate.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:23 pm
Eilean, I couldn’t make up something that goofy. Almost drove into the back of an SMTD bus when I heard it.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:23 pm
===The DOW is down over 300 points today based on the re-election. why is that if this was supposed to be good news===
The falling Dow isn’t a reflection about Obama’s re-election. It’s about the impending knashing of teeth over the so-called fiscal cliff.
However, the price of a barrel of oil fell by $4 today….there’s your good news.
Comment by Deep South Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:39 pm
Correct, Deep South, and our inability to address the fiscal cliff.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:41 pm
Originally posted by Cincinnatus:
“We have Chicago and Champaign just two hours apart yet it seems two worlds away.
Government can indeed provide an infrastructure and environment to allow synergy. My fear is government picking winners and losers.”
I’ve thought for a long time that the best thing Illinois could do would be to fully extend METRA Rail all the way down to Champaign-Urbana. Not AMTRAK, but METRA Rail. Run like 5 per day, right into Union or Olgivie.
Crazy (and expensive) idea, but it also has the potential to help Southern Cook County. And if we’re going to do economic development here in IL, I’d rather spend the $$$ that way instead of giving the dollars to Sear’s to just keep flailing away.
Besides, the State of IL has a bad rep financially. If we’re going to compete on economic development, we can’t just do what everybody else is doing. We’ve got to get creative - say make the entire route a multi County Enterprise Zone and that’s how we fund it and deal with any (hopefully) development issues.
That’s the type of issue the Republicans should be pushing going forward.
Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:44 pm
I thought when we got rid of Kjellander we saved the party.
Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:48 pm
It’s all about the map. Anyone that can’t see that needs to reconsider their worth in this game. If the map is not then holy grail of politics then districts would be drawn with a bit more respect to common sense geography rather than a convoluted mess. It’s real simple math. Spread as many r’s or d’s as far as you can. So please save the it ain’t about the map banter for your appearance on Oprah.
Comment by CasualObserver Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:50 pm
The Senate Repubs are going to be very busy people with all the committe assignments (28 current committees not counting Redistricting and sub-committees)and only 19 of them to fill the minority slots.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:50 pm
Over the past decade, voters here have seen that there is a harsh economic winter outdoors. They decided to hide behind Democrats that promise to protect them over Republicans who promise to give them more opportunities by reducing governments. Voters are holding fast to their little promises a d Link cards until it looks safe again to venture outside.
The GOP can’t win here as long as voters are afraid.
As for the Tea Party, their candidates did as well yesterday as any other groups.
So, it ain’t just the map, ain’t just Obama, and ain’t just the Tea Party.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 2:53 pm
–They decided to hide behind Democrats that promise to protect them over Republicans who promise to give them more opportunities by reducing governments.–
What nonsense.
Please show me the Republicans who ever “reduced” government.
And “Link” cards, seriously? They all on welfare o’ sumpin?
Perhaps, VMan, a majority of voters are not impressed by the intellectual rigor of those who share your perspective.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 3:04 pm
Obama won DuPage!
Obama won DuPage!
Obama won DuPage!
I had to repeat it three times just to let it sink in. How in the “H” could the GOPers let that happen? I can’t wait to see a precinct by precinct, voting group by voting group, analysis of that vote.
Comment by anon sequitor Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 3:05 pm
Has anyone seen a county by county map on the presidential?
Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 3:41 pm
I posted this for the Caption Contest, but I thought with a few changes, it might explain my sadness.
Two DuPage Precinct Committeemen who lost their precincts for Saviano, Pankau, etc. ….
ALL WHISPERS BETWEEN THE TWO AS THEY WAIT IN LINE AT HEADQUARTERS TO HAND IN THEIR LOUSY TAPES
“Can we just sit hand in these tapes and pretend it didn’t happen?”
“So … kinda like we work our elected precincts … do nothing but stand around and pretend to work for our candidates …”
“A new day in DuPage …”
“It was the Map, we had no shot.”
“Did we do everything possible? Knock on every door, Get every voter we identified to the polls …”
“Wait, I was elected Precinct Committeeman, if i send a letter, or tell my few neighbors, that should be good enough …”
“Did you take off today, Election Day, and work the polling place?”
“You didn’t take today off either. Working a polling place is just a waste anyway. Working the polls on Election Day does nothing. Voters know who they want. Why press them?”
“Why …thats what the Dems did.”
“YOU want to be like the Dems?”
(pause) “I wish we were as good.”
(pause) “Me too.”
“Do we take the blame? I won my precenct Committeeman race. That was huge.”
“Do you think you did your job? That is the question.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“How many Absentees did you know were yours?”
“Maybe …8″
“You had 44 Absentees, I had 59 and I maybe knew … 7″
“What are you getting at?”
“Are we letting down the Party? Sure we win these Committeeman races, but is it our fault Cross and Radogno blew it?”
“They had no field operations, that is for sure.”
“Maybe Cross and Radogno counted on us … to do …some? …of the work?”
“That sounds like a lot of work. I want to be active, but I just want to go to fundraisers I get invited to, and golf outings … and the Christmas parties …”
“Then … do you think you should run again?”
“Look, maybe I could do more, but really, it is DuPage, we shouldn’t have to.”
“Didn’t we agree this is a …’new day in DuPage’?”
“…yeah …we did …”
“Shouldn’t we take part of the blame then?”
“Run someone in my precinct against ME and I show them …”
“That’s the point … we need to work as hard, if not harder for the party … as we work to get ourselves elected …right?”
(both pause)
“Right?”
“I just want hand in this tape and pretend it never happened.”
“Then we are no further … and we will be handing in tapes like this and everyone else in the state GOP will be handing in tapes like these and this state will never come back and have the ILGOP rise.”
“I’ll leave it up to Cross and Radogno to get things changed, then my precinct will come back… you watch.”
“We watched this election, and look where we are …”
(they both hand in their tapes, shrug at the Operative collecting them, and walk away.)
“Let’s get out of here …”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 3:51 pm
- anon sequitor -
As I recall, Obama won DuPage by a greater margin in 2008. But yes, a precinct by precinct, voting group by voting group, analysis of that vote will be fascinating.
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 4:09 pm
Rejoice! Obama won DuPage! Hell has Frozen Over!
Comment by Great Caesar's Ghost! Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 4:19 pm
@ steve schnorf
I think you can get county by county results here:
//www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results
If you click on a state, a county by county window opens up.
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 4:41 pm
Great Caesar’s Ghost! -@ 4:19 pm said “Rejoice! Obama won DuPage! Hell has Frozen Over!”
Now that hell has frozen over, I’m predicting the Cubs will win the World Series next year.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 4:56 pm
Its brand and if you look at a lot of red states they got redder as a lot of blue got bluer.
We are going to have to face it we are 2 very different countries
Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 5:33 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/11/07/lawmaker-considers-switching-could-give-house-gop-a-supermajority/
Georgia GOP nears Supermajority
Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 6:02 pm
Very insightful, Willy.
When the stuff hits the fan, always easy to find a couple “escapegoats”, as Archie Bunker used to say.
The “leaders” had to have been aware of the DPI ground game ramping up, but if the rank and file aren’t motivated, well, this is what happens.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 7:17 pm
This is what it feels like:
One day in the pavilion at Karakorum he [Genghis Kahn] asked an officer of the Mongol guard what, in all the world, could bring the greatest happiness.
“The open steppe, a clear day, and a swift horse under you,” responded the officer after a little thought, “and a falcon on your wrist to start up hares.”
“Nay,” responded the Kahn, “to crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet — to take their horses and goods and hear the lamentation of their women. That is best.”
Comment by Machinist Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 8:06 pm
Machinist, I’m pretty sure that was Arnold in “Conan the Barbarian,” not Genghis Khan.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 8:15 pm
thanks - AA -,
wordslinger, sorry I missed you as well. Maybe we should me rich at Jim & Pete’s and have few hours lost.
I have waited this long, because I nneded pause.
Like I posted earlier, my biggest fear happened, and with all the people saying I was crazy now wanting to lynch someone, I stopped.
I got off the train, got home and had a cup of coffee and paused.
I thought about Speaker Madigan going “fire Madigan” on Saviano. I paused.
I thought about Tom Cross and all the snark about Tom Cross golfing and not once did I hear a resonable rebuttle in favor of Tom Cross’ leadership. I paused.
I thought about Christine Radogno questioning everything, and having no plan but groceries on a table. I paused.
We all need to take a pause.
I gave Tom Cross and Christine Radogno the opportunity to do the RIGHT thing and take themselves out of consideration of Leadership of their ‘Veto-Proofed’ Caucuses. I gave them both the opportunity to THINK… I failed. It was never about the map, it was never about Obama, it was never about “Fire Madigan” (and we will get back to that shortly).
It was always about resources squandered. It was about doing everything WRONG to ensure your safety valve of a Republican governor slips through my party’s hands with utter incompetence. It was dumping Rosemary Mulligan. It was about trying to find candidates with the MBA/Law degree that was phony.
It was about Golfing on Election Day when the governor was being decided, and that governor could have saved a slaughter of the ILGOP.
This is also about “Call Me, Maybe.” This is about “Fire Madigan”. This is about 4.5 Million contacts, and those contacts equating to at least 5 Congressional seats lost, and both chambers here in Illinois becoming Republican-ly Irrelevent. It’s about coffee mugs and t-shirts.
It’s about time, Pat Brady walks away.
This is also about 118 and 59 Cookie-Cutter candidates, comservative on fiscal, moderate on schools, and socally conservative on ‘people issues” It’s about being so conservative, “No sane voter would vote for someone SO right.” It’s about Republicans being so moderate, “Any conservative worth their salt would never vote for this RINO”.
It should be about 60.
It Should be about 30.
It should be about Caucuses so diverse, that Dems fear the swing of members from the moderates in Lake County, to Conservatives downstate.
It should be about caucuses focusing on 80%. It should be about the Reagan Rule of Friendship.
It should be about a state party aparatus driven by the principals of the Geroge W. Bush Precinct Model, and embracing it so much, any thought of the DuPage Elected Precinct Committeeman dumping literature in the trunk to be driven to the nearest dumpster after pickup.
It should be about Election Day Kits.
It should be about not having 13th Ward Captains coming to Our Houses and Owning our Precincts.
It should be about looking at every precinct and analyzing every voter history, and within those histories find the combos like Madigan did in 1996 to Own the Southwest Suburbs and win back his chamber under a GOP map FOUR times in a row.
It should be about cleaning house, and no more staff cementing regardless of results.
It should be about find a way … to save a Saviano, even when the odds and the breaks and all that a Saviano could have put on himself, and as a caucus, … and as a party… do something special … when everyone tells you that you can’t pull it off.
That … that is what this post is about.
Stop looking for souls. Start looking for 60.
Stop looking for Idealogues, start looking for 30.
Stop recycling ideas, and embrace the Reagan Rule.
Start over. Start Fresh.
You missed your Wake-up calls. You missed all the signs. Now we, all of us, together need to decide do we want to alienate all that can be good so we eat each other further, or do we want 60? Do we want 30? Do we want the Mansion.
The rest .. is up to Us.
With Kindest …
You know, none of you deserve the “respect to be snarky”. you have let us down … Tom Cross,…Christine Radogno … Pat Brady.
Please just go. Leave the heavy lifting to the rest of us.
Oswego willy
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 8:47 pm
=Even an angry old white man like me has had it with today’s GOP brand of tearing down the country, the state, the city and the people.=
This is what’s happening. Priorities are changing based on internal triggers, and Republicans are re-evaluating many of their previous positions based on their shared “core” values.
I’m guessing that we’re seeing a one-step shift to the left, simply to “realign,” and later, there will be an even greater shift back to the right.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 9:34 pm
The Republicans being a super-minority has Pat Brady convinced it enhances their Hispanic appeal.
Since Republicans are truly unnecessary for two years, why do taxpayers have to keep paying them, and their staffs, and their office bills?
Comment by Sideliner Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:28 pm
Like some have mentioned earlier, I am interested in watching the IL Dems figure out how to fix the financial mess we have…solo.
It’s interesting how dems always like to have at least some republican idea fodder (not that there’s been much on offer in this state). It helps the more conservative dems keep the hard core Chicago left from taking the state where they really want to take it. The same dynamic was at play during the ACA bill construction at the national level. When it came down to just the dems amongst themselves, the blue bloods had to become quasi-republicans just to keep the liberals from fully nationalizing healthcare. I say lets try this same approach here.
Personally, I stood down as a lifetime IL republican voter in this election and actually voted dem across the board. I picked the most liberal dems and ballot question positions available. A bunch of folks I know from my side did the same. In my view there is no longer any sense in fighting a continuous holding action as a republican in this state, so I conceded and joined the liberals on the opposite side. We have basically a one party state anyway so lets quit pretending and go ALL the way. Lets try for a liberal dem statewide veto proof majority and see how it goes. With no opposition party interference things will most certainly get done. If the dems fix state government finances while keeping the state attractive to business and top earners, great. As a 46 year IL resident I truly hope they do. If they fail, the reckoning will be painful but at least it will come quickly.
Comment by TJ Jackson Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:35 pm
- TJ Jackson -,
You make no sense in your rationale to get the ILGOP back, and your idea to vote the most liberal, or however you are trying to … figure out thigs is difficult to see an ILGOP end game.
But, as a brain TEASER … Not helping with anything, mind you, just a confusing wordy bunch of jibberish, you get high marks. Kudos
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 7, 12 @ 10:43 pm
changing demographics will only further wither the clout of the GOP in IL and nationally…Madigan and Cullerton have amassed further power in IL and will give Quinn fits for the next two years…I hear Bill Daley is waiting in the wings to run for Guv…it won’t be boring for sure…
Comment by Anonymous 45 Thursday, Nov 8, 12 @ 6:53 am
Hey Rich,
Dupage went Democrat? That’s unfortunate news because I planned on moving there after I finished up at UIC.
THE ILGOP is in need of it’s original Moderate- Repub Leaders. Not the Jim Oberweis and Bill Brady type of guys. But the Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson type of leaders. JBT is a good moderate too.
I also think Repubs suffered because of Anti-Romney voters. In the land of Obama, voters made a point to vote against anyone who isn’t in his party. I’m not completely surprised by the results.
Comment by JakeCP Thursday, Nov 8, 12 @ 7:57 am