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Sen. Connelly concedes

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Illinois

* From Sen. Mike Connelly’s Facebook page…

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported my campaign. While Election night ended with us hopeful, we soon learned in the 3 days that followed that 14,000 absentee ballots arrived at the DuPage Election Commission that still needed to be counted. Unfortunately, with those votes now counted, we are going to come up short. I congratulate my opponent and her supporters. I am proud of the campaign we’ve run, and I am forever grateful for the honor to represent the 21st Senate District. Thank you again, and may each and every one of you have a Happy Thanksgiving holiday.

Connelly (R-Lisle) lost to Laura Ellman (D-Naperville).

The Senate Democrats picked up three seats. They now have a 40-19 advantage.

And to be clear about how big this Connelly pickup is, the two House members in his district are Jeanne Ives and Grant Wehrli.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:11 pm

Comments

I’ve been waiting for this to happen. Would love for this to be Wehrli next time.

Comment by Dome Gnome Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:24 pm
Connelley got caught by the Dems VBM. Thanks Bruce ugh

Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:25 pm
Bye Rauner enabler

Comment by Real Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:32 pm
Dont forget DT. Thanks DT.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:33 pm
Real, I think Connelly would’ve worked with Pritzker whenever he could. The SDems took out three relative moderates.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:34 pm
This sort of result gets the remaining to start screaming look look at the pension.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:35 pm
If I was Wehrli I would be sweating bullets, his opponent got kicked off the ballot and it was still kinda close. Now he’s going into a presidential year, with a Democrat Senator hovering over him, no Bruce Rauner money, and his opponent could get a lot of House/JB cash

Comment by HorseShoe Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:38 pm
US House is looking like 235 to 200 a 40 seat gain. Over 350 legislative seats. Caifornia will have only 7 GOP seats left…Illinois to follow. Well Trump has done some good things…the China tariffs and all these democratic gains. Thanks DT.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:38 pm
He will be one of the legislators I miss most who were defeated this cycle. He was fair and you always knew where you stood with him.

Comment by Les Nessman Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:46 pm
Always curious about conversation had with Connelly about pensions. He swore he’d never vote to diminish pensions, after all, his father was a retired teacher.

Something happened. He worked to diminish pensions. So much for dad.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:47 pm
–While Election night ended with us hopeful, we soon learned in the 3 days that followed that 14,000 absentee ballots arrived at the DuPage Election Commission that still needed to be counted. –

Fourteen percent of the total vote.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:47 pm
Well when Illinois goes with the national Democrat call for end to gerrymandering and JB signs the fair map perhaps the Republican Party might have a chance.

Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:50 pm
As a Naperville resident who has attended many of his town halls/coffees, Connelly is no moderate. He is more like a snake-oil salesman—talks out of both sides of his mouth, depending on the audience. He trots out his dad when it’s convenient and either complains about the god-awful pension or lauds him and says he’s pro-public education. He should not be proud of the campaign he ran—he tried to smear his opponent with half-truths whenever he could. He also has taken a lot of $$ over the years from business interests and even hosted an AFP town hall last spring. He has been heard to say that he wanted Illinois to be more like Tennessee—and he wasn’t referring to the scenery. He will not be missed. His biggest issue at a debate this fall was fighting TIF districts in Chicago. I could go on and on, but I will stop there. Wehrli is the next target—he barely won against someone who had suspended her campaign.

Comment by Teach Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:54 pm
That’s 19…

Whew.

Rauner has not left the party better than when he held it hostage…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:55 pm
Another Democrat pulled over the finish line by infrastructure and VBM.

Comment by Anon0091 Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:56 pm
@DuPage Saint

When Republicans lose districts drawn up as GOP vote sinks, gerrymandering is the least of your worries.

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 3:57 pm
Another Proft/Liberty PAC find, backed candidate. Connelly was one of the FIRST IOP Liberty PAC canidates. What exactly did Connelly get done for IL GOPers/conservatives, that Liberty PAC says they promote? Can someone name one of Connellys contribution to Turn IL Around? Other than bringing conservative Rauner and the complete fall of conservatism in IL GOP?

Comment by First IL Trumpster Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:01 pm
I liked Connelly on a personal level. I was sorry he enabled Rauner.
Unfortunately, this election took out many of the Republicans who might have been bridges to the other side. I heard Connelly speak highly of Kwame Raoul.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:05 pm
“the two House members in his district are Jeanne Ives and Grant Wehrli.”

I gasped. Crazy to think about.

Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:08 pm
Connelly, Breen, Rooney.

All brought to the dance by Proft, correct?

How in the world is it possible that Connelly was surprised by the number of absentee ballots? Seems far fetched, it is a matter of public record.

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:09 pm
Our children are being hunting by the tobacco industry to addict them to a harmful product the FDA and CDC say is as addictive as Heroin. Senator Connelly voted against our children regarding the vote to raise the tobacco sales age to 21 SB 2332. Good riddance.

Comment by Al Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:13 pm
No election is ever just a one issue situation, especially at the state and local level. But Rauner certainly poisoned the well. Yet, just continually amazing how Dems could spin all the problems on Rauner when Madigan and cronies have controlled the legislature for years and years.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:15 pm
It saddens me to see so much ire for some of these candidates. I’m no Republican, but as an environmentalist I can appreciate when people like rep. Wherli get a 100% from Mrs. Wallings IEC for environmental stewardship. Like Mr.Miller said earlier, some of these candidates like Connelly certainly had some moderate tendencies. Perhaps his stances haven’t evolved alongside the 21st, but I can’t see myself hating him.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 20, 18 @ 4:17 pm
I love all the Rauner blame here. Totally understand the hate on the blog. But Rauner outperformed Roskam in that district - much of which overlapped Connelly, Breen etc. Has anyone run numbers on Rauner vs Connelly or Breen? I’m guessing this was all the Don.

Comment by Ha Monday, Nov 26, 18 @ 8:10 am
===But Rauner outperformed Roskam in that district - much of which overlapped Connelly, Breen etc. Has anyone run numbers on Rauner vs Connelly or Breen?===

No one is stopping you… go for it.

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 26, 18 @ 8:23 am