Democrats Win Big In Illinois: Pritzker, Duckworth, Raoul Defeat GOP

ILLINOIS — Illinois cemented its status as a firmly blue state Tuesday night, with Democrats sweeping many key races, from the governor's office to attorney general, Secretary of State and most Congressional races.

The New York Times' election coverage gave "trifecta status" to Illinois, showing the governor's office, state senate and state house went firmly Democrat on Tuesday night.

Despite his fiery victory speech, in which he seemed to set the stage for a possible presidential run as he lashed out at "simpering" and "cowardly" GOP members, Gov. J.B. Pritzker cruised to an easy early victory over Republican State Sen. Darren Bailey.

"And don't claim that the Republican Party is being labeled unfairly because here we are two years into clearing up the wreckage of the Trump presidency, poised to watch this man announce his return to national politics within days. You know why? Because GOP politicians with the exception of only a few souls are too cowardly, too simpering to support the best interests of the nation, because they're afraid of being called insulting nicknames by a whiny bully. To the fake patriots and their enablers: you don't love the United States if you're not willing to defend it against a man who would destroy it. Donald Trump is the modern embodiment of tyranny that our founders feared the most. So don't lecture us about norms or typical practices. Against a party that nominates an endorses antisemites and racists and anti-immigrant zealots, appeasement and complacency do not work. I know, my family fled that kind of tyranny and I helped survivors build a Holocaust museum. You know what works? Winning works." - Pritzker in his victory speech

The Associated Press and New York Times also called the race early for U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient who defeated Lake County Attorney Kathy Salvi.

Former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias also won his race against Republican Dan Brady, keeping a Democrat in the Secretary of State's Office, and Democrat Attorney General Kwame Raoul won reelection over challenger and frequent Pritzker legal foe Thomas DeVore.

Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza and Treasurer Michael Frerichs, both Democrats, won reelection as well.

In Congressional races, Illinois Democrats also did well, with Congressman Sean Casten eking out a win in a close race with Republican and Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau.

Similarly, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood defeated Republican Kendall County Board member Scott Gryder in the 14th District, while Congressman Bill Foster declared victory over Republican Trump appointee Catalina Lauf in the 11th. Fellow Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jan Schakowsky also won reelection in the 8th and 9th Districts, respectively.

In the 1st District, fellow Democrat Jonathan Jackson was projected to win in his effort to replace the retiring Bobby Rush in the longtime Democratic stronghold.

Some Congressional victories were had by incumbent Republicans in other parts of Illinois, including Mike Bost in the 12th District, Mary Miller in the 12th District and Darin LaHood in the 16th District.

Sheriff's races were split in Illinois, with Democrats winning in Cook County, Kane County and Lake County, but Republicans winning in DuPage, Kendall and likely in Will County, where the Republican challenger held a slim lead over the Democrat incumbent.

The so-called Workers' Rights Amendment, codifying the right to unionize and to collective bargaining, also appeared to pass in Illinois on Tuesday night.

No Red Wave?

Nationally, the battle for Congress had yet to be decided, but some outlets called it a disappointing night for Republicans, with the much-touted "red wave" failing to materialize. Despite an early victory in Florida for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Democrats battled back in states like Pennsylvania, where Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman defeated Republican Mehmet Oz for U.S. Senate.

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“Fetterman’s win makes it next to impossible for the GOP to get a majority. Pennsylvania was the fire wall,” Mike Mikus, a Democratic operative based in Western Pennsylvania, told CNN.

Republicans in other states remained locked in neck-and-neck battles, including Georgia's Herschel Walker and Colorado's Lauren Boebert.

"The red wave did not happen," University of Illinois at Chicago political science Professor Emeritus Dick Simpson wrote in a commentary for Chicago Public Square.