Trump's win doesn't help Illinois Republicans' numbers in Springfield — but GOP touts 'massive strides'
The national red wave that sent former President Donald Trump back to the White House didn’t help Illinois Republicans gain significant ground — if any — in Democratic-controlled Springfield on election night.
But a day after the polls closed, state GOP leaders on Wednesday celebrated “major strides” illustrated by Trump’s stronger showing in Illinois, which they say portends a turn of fortune for a party still relegated to superminority status in the General Assembly.
“We’re building our party back,” Illinois Republican Party chairwoman Kathy Salvi said, with Trump trailing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris by eight percentage points in the reliably blue state, compared to his 17-point losses in 2016 and ‘20.
“We cut that margin in half, and we’re not considered a swing state. It shows the policies and common-sense solutions of the Republican Party resonate,” Salvi said. “The working men and women of Illinois are now squarely in the Republican camp.”
That camp hasn’t made it to the state Capitol. With several races still too close to call as of Wednesday afternoon, Democrats had already locked up 76 state House seats, according to Associated Press projections, well beyond the 71 needed for a veto-proof supermajority in the 118-member chamber.
Mail ballots were expected to determine winners in six downstate and suburban matchups over the next two weeks, but Republicans appeared primed to at least maintain the current 78-40 House split — or potentially claw a seat to their side of the aisle.
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, declared that “a victory” in itself.
“Holding our caucus together is a testament to our grassroots operation — the heart of our team, undeterred by the most partisan gerrymandered map in the nation and exponential spending against us,” McCombie said in a statement. “Illinois voters are exhausted by decades of one-party control. House Republicans remain committed to delivering economic growth, ending corruption and putting Illinois families first.”
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside — who had eyed flipping up to five House seats from GOP incumbents — asserted his caucus could still end up growing after all ballots are counted.
“In a national environment we knew would be challenging, the gains Republicans saw across the country did not come to Illinois,” Welch said in a statement. “Every incumbent member of the House Democratic Caucus won, and three vulnerable Republican incumbents face races that are too close to call.”
“Our victory Tuesday is why we will be able to continue to defend Illinois’ values from Donald Trump and his extremist allies, and why we are poised to continue to defend and expand our majority in 2026 and beyond,” Welch said.
Democrats were in line to maintain their supermajority in the state Senate as well, after Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, cruised to reelection Tuesday in the only competitive race for the chamber, where Democrats will likely maintain a 40-19 advantage.
While Democratic Party of Illinois leaders said they were “reflecting on and processing the results of the presidential election,” they touted the “tremendous organizing and collaboration we’ve achieved across our state.”
“As Illinois Democrats begin to turn our focus in the coming weeks to upcoming municipal races, we understand the critical need to counter renewed efforts from the extreme, Trump-aligned factions of the IL GOP,” a party statement read. “Alongside [Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon] and Speaker Welch, [party chair Lisa Hernandez] and our Party remain resolute in our mission, ready to meet these challenges head-on, defend our values in every corner of the state, and continue building upon our progress.”
It was an expensive election cycle for Democrats to potentially maintain Springfield’s status quo.
Among dozens of races where they flexed bigger financial muscles, House Democrats poured more than $1.2 million into challenger Maria Peterson’s bid to unseat state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, in the northwest suburban 52nd District — about 13 times more than the incumbent raised.
McLaughlin held a razor-thin lead as of Wednesday afternoon with mail ballots still arriving.
“Our candidates were outspent 10-, 20-, sometimes 30-to-one, and they held their own admirably,” Salvi said. “Illinois made massive strides last night, reflecting the foundation we are building to bring in new voters and compete with the billionaire governor and his band of cronies in Springfield.”
The other close races that will help determine the final balance of House power include the west suburban 47th District contest between state Rep. Amy Grant, R-Wheaton, and Democrat Jackie Williamson; and the open, downstate 76th District contest between Democrat Amy Briel and Republican Liz Bishop.