Illinois Republicans focus on growing their numbers across the state in November election

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois Republicans have been all in for former president Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who officially became the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees, respectively, at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee last month. Illinois Republicans reiterated that support Thursday when they took over the fairgrounds.

“People’s eyes are open and they want change,” Kathy Salvi, the state party’s chairwoman, said speaking to reporters after the Republican Day event at the fair. “The change that we will deliver is Trump-Vance and it will restore our economy, secure our border, cut down on the rampant crime and tamp down on the out of control inflation and all the mistakes of the Democrat supermajority here in Illinois are on account of bad policies.”

Republicans are focused on changing the Democrats’ supermajorities in November by growing their numbers across the state.

“Our base is fired up and enthusiastic, but it’s really broadening our tent and our reach, and the more and more the Democratic policies in this state are pushing people out,” Senate Minority Leader John Curran said. “We have to make sure we’re pulling them in and we’re not also pushing them away.”

During Governor’s Day at the fair Wednesday, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch celebrated the Democrats’ historic supermajorities in both chambers.

Democrats point to the new direction for the Republican Party under Trump as part of the reason for their success. Trump has lost Illinois by around 15 points in each of the last two elections.

But House Republican Leader Tony McCombie wasn’t buying it. She doesn’t think having Trump at the top of the ticket will hurt Republicans chances.

“It is because of Speaker Welch’s mismanagement of the crafting of a map,” McCombie said. “That has certainly nothing to do with President Trump.”

Curran agreed, criticizing Democrats’ economic policies.

“Voters are also going to think back to the robust economy under the Trump-Pence administration as compared to the out of control high cost of living that’s going on under the Biden-Harris administration coupled with the additional tax increases that Governor Pritzker and his democratic allies have forced on Illinois voters to pay for his migrant crisis, to pay for all these non-citizen welfare programs they put in place,” Curran said.

While all eyes are on the presidential race this November, Republicans already started building hype for the next governor’s race in 2026, when they hope to unseat Governor JB Pritzker.

“If we can show that we have a great turnout, we are going to get a great Republican candidate,” McCombie said. “We will turn the state around. I promise you that. It might not happen this year, but it is going to start happening because people are tired of what is going on here.”

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