November 8, 2018 Update
We wanted to give you a brief update as to what happened on election day. As I am sure you are aware, some races are still very close and could result in re-counts. All constitutional offices, including the Governor, were up for election on November 6, as well as all 118 House seats, 39 of 59 Senate seats, and all 18 Congressional seats. Illinois’ Democrats rode a blue wave to victory in Tuesday’s mid-term elections sweeping all six constitutional offices. Democrats expanded their super majority hold in the Illinois Senate and picked up a super majority vote in the Illinois House. Democrats also defeated two incumbent suburban Republican congressmen to turn the Illinois Congressional delegation to a 13-5 Democrat majority. It is being reported that democratic candidates in Illinois benefited from voters angry with President Trump and the unpopular first-term Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, increased voter turnout and a large vote by mail program.
Governor:
As expected, Democrat candidate JB Pritzker overwhelming defeated first-term Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and third-party candidates State Senator Sam McCann and Kash Jackson. Pritzker, who broke national campaign records for a self-funded cammpaign in US history, stayed on message emphasizing the Governor’s failures in office, especially with the budget crisis and benefited from the powerful endorsement of labor unions and trial attorneys.
- Attorney General
State Senator Kwame Raoul defeated Republican attorney and former Miss America Erika Harold. Like Pritzker, Raoul gained important union endorsements and benefited from riding the “blue wave” of a considerably higher turnout of Democrat voters than in 2016. The sitting Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, chose not to run for a fifth term.
- Secretary of State
Secretary of State Jesse White (D) easily won his six term in office defeating Republican Jason Helland.
- Comptroller
Comptroller Susan Mendoza (D) easily defeated former State Representative, Congressional candidate, and member of Governor Rauner’s administration Darlene Senger. Mendoza may consider a run for Chicago Mayor in 2019.
- Treasurer
Treasurer Michael Frerichs (D) easily defeats Republican challenger Jim Dodge for another term.
Below is a detailed break down of Congressional, State Senate and State House races. Winners are highlighted in yellow.
- Congressional Races:
All 18 Congressional seats were up for re-election. Heading into election day, the Democrats controlled 11 of the state’s 18 Congressional Seats. There was one open Congressional seat being vacated by Congressman Luis Gutiérrez who is retiring. Two Suburban Republican Congressman lost their elections: Randy Hultgren and Peter Roskam.
| 2018 Congressional Candidates | ||
| District | Democrat | Republican |
| 1 | Bobby Rush (I) | Jimmy Lee Tillman, II |
| 2 | Robin Kelly (I) | David Merkle |
| 3 | Dan Lipinksi (I) | Arthur Jones |
| 4 | Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (I) | Mark Lorch |
| 5 | Mike Quigley (I) | Tom Hanson |
| 6 | Sean Casten | Peter Roskam (I) |
| 7 | Danny Davis (I) | Craig Cameron |
| 8* | Raja Krishnamoorthi | Jitendra “JD” Diganvker |
| 9 | Jan Schakowsky (I) | John Elleson |
| 10 | Brad Schneider (I) | Douglas Bennett |
| 11 | Bill Foster (I) | Nick Stella |
| 12 | Brendan Kelly | Mike Bost (I) |
| 13 | Betsy Londrigan | Rodney Davis (I) |
| 14 | Lauren Underwood | Randy Hultgren (I) |
| 15 | Kevin Gaither | John Shimkus (I) |
| 16 | Sara Dady | Adam Kinzinger (I) |
| 17 | Cheri Bustos (I) | Bill Fawell |
| 18 | Junius Rodriguez | Darin LaHood(I) |
| Notes | An (I) denotes an incumbent.* Denotes an Open Seat |
- State Senate Races:
In the Senate, out of its 59 seats (21 of 37 Democrats and 18 of 22 Republicans) were up for election in November. Of the 39 Senate seats up for election November 6th, only 18 were contested races. Even without contested seats, there will be at least 11 new Senators on Inauguration Day in 2019 who weren’t in office in January of 2017. Five current Senators were not seeking re-election: Three Democrats – Dan Biss (9th District); Bill Haine (56th District); James Clayborne (57th District); and two Republicans: Tim Bivins (45th District) and Kyle McCarter (54th District). Three appointed Republican Senators were in contested races seeking election to their first full term in office: Craig Wilcox (32nd District); Donald DeWitte (33rd District) and John Curran (41st District).
The Democrats already held a 37-22 super-majority, the party increased its majority to 39-20 (or 40-19, depending on final ballot counts). At this time, one Senate races remain too close to call. Republican Senator Michael Connelly leads his opponent, Laura Ellman, by 12 votes. Incumbent Republican Senators Chris Nybo and Tom Rooney lost their races to Democratic challengers.
| 2018 State Senate Candidates | ||
| District | Democrat | Republican |
| 9* | Laura Fine | Joan McCarthy Lasonde |
| 21 | Laura Ellman | Michael Connelly (I) – Too close to call |
| 23 | Thomas Cullerton (I) | Seth Lewis |
| 24 | Suzy Glowiak | Chris Nybo (I) |
| 26 | Tom Georges | Dan McConchie (I) |
| 27 | Ann Gillespie | Tom Rooney (I) |
| 29 | Julie Morrison (I) | Barrett Davie |
| 30 | Terry Link (I) | Soojae Lee |
| 32 | Mary Mahady | Craig Wilcox (I) |
| 33 | Nacy Zettler | Donald DeWitte (I) |
| 36 | Gregg Johnson | Neil Anderson (I) |
| 38 | Heidi Henry | Sue Rezin (I) |
| 41 | Bridget Fitzgerald | John Curran (I) |
| 45* | David Simpson | Brian Stewart |
| 48 | Andy Manar (I) | Seth McMillan |
| 54* | Brian Stout | Jason Plummer |
| 56* | Rachelle Aud Crowe | Hal Patton – Downstate United Candidate |
| 57* | Christopher Belt | Tanya Hildenbrand |
| 59 | Steve Webb | Dale Folwer (I) |
| Notes | An (I) denotes an incumbent.* Denotes an Open Seat |
- State House Races:
Of the 118 House seats up for election, 64 were contested. There are 13 Representatives not seeking re-election: three Democrats – Laura Fine (17thDistrict); Scott Drury (58th District); and Carol Sente (59th District) and nine Republicans: Jeanne Ives (42nd District); David Harris (53rd District); Mike Fortner (49th District), Barb Wheeler (64th District); Steve Andersson (65thDistrict); Brian Stewart (89th District); Sara Wojcki Jimenz (99th District); Bill Mitchell (101st District); John Cavaletto (107th District); and David Reis (109thDistrict). Seven newly appointed Representatives were in contested races seeking election to their first term of office: Deanne Mazzachi (47th District); Helene Miller Walsh (51st District); Jeff Keicher (70th District); Mike Marron (104th District); Chris Miller (110th District); Monica Bristow (111th District); and Natalie Phelps Finne (118th District). Prior to the election, 30 of the 118 members who took the oath of office to begin the 100th General Assembly will not be returning for the 101st, which is roughly a 25% turnover before the ballots are even counted.
There are 20 sitting House members not on the ballot, as some were retiring or seeking different offices, while others lost primary battles: nine Democrats – Dan Burke (1st District); Cynthia Soto (4th District); Julianna Stratton (5th District); Laura Fine (17th District); Barbara Flynn Currie (25th District); Al Riley (38th District); Scott Drury (58th District); Carol Sente (59th District); Litesa Wallace (67th District), and eleven Republicans: Jeanne Ives (42ndDistrict); David Harris (53rd District); Mike Fortner (49th District); Barb Wheeler (64th District); Steve Andersson (65th District); Brian Stewart (89th District); Sara Wojcki Jimenz (99th District); Bill Mitchell (101st District); John Cavaletto (107thDistrict); David Reis (109th District), and Reggie Phillips (110th District). Six newly-appointed Representatives were in contested races seeking election to their first term of office: Deanne Mazzachi (R – 47th District – Bellock); Helene Miller Walsh (R – 51st District – Sauer); Jeff Keicher (R – 70th District – Pritchard); Mike Marron (R – 104th District – Hays); Monica Bristow (D- 111thDistrict – Beiser); and Natalie Phelps Finnie (D – 118th District – Phelps).
The Illinois House is currently composed of 67 Democrats and 51 Republicans. Democrats will hold a supermajority vote in the 101st General Assembly following Tuesday’s election. As of Wednesday morning, House Democrats have the potential for a net +6/+7 increase. Republican losses include: Peter Breen, Christine Winger, Jerry Long, Sheri Jesiel, David Olsen, the David Harris open seat, and the Mike Fortner open seat. Helen Miller-Walsh, who was recently appointed to replace Nick Sauer was winning by one vote at midnight. Incumbent Democrat Natalie Phelps Finnie lost her election bid.
| 2018 State House Candidates | ||
| District | Democrat | Republican |
| 15 | John D’Amico (I) | Amanda Biela |
| 17* | Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz | Peter Lee |
| 18 | Robyn Gabel (I) | Julie Cho |
| 19 | Robert Martwick (I) | Ammie Kessem |
| 35 | Fran Hurley | Herbert Hebein |
| 37 | Matthew Hunt | Margo McDermed |
| 41 | Val Montgomery | Grant Wehril |
| 42* | Kathleen Carrier | Amy Grant |
| 43 | Anna Moeller | Andrew Cuming |
| 44 | Fred Crespo | Katy Dolan Baumer |
| 45* | Diane Pappas | Christine Winger |
| 46 | Deb Conroy (I) | Jay Kinzler |
| 47 | Jim Caffrey | Deanne Mazzochi (I) |
| 48 | Terra Howard | Peter Breen (I) |
| 49* | Karina Villa | Tonia Khouri |
| 50 | James Leslie | Keith Wheeler (I) |
| 51* | Mary Allen | Helene Miller Walsh |
| 53* | Mark Walker | Eddie Corrigan |
| 54 | Maggie Trevor | Tom Morrison (I) |
| 55 | Martin Moylan (I) | Marilyn Smolenski |
| 56 | Michelle Mussman (I) | Jillian Bernas |
| 58* | Bob Morgan | Rick Lesser |
| 59* | Dan Didech | Karen Feldman |
| 61 | Joyce Mason | Sheri Jesiel |
| 62 | Sam Yingling (I) | Ken Idstein |
| 64* | Trisha Zubert | Tom Weber |
| 65* | Richard Johnson | Dan Ugaste |
| 68 | Jake Castanza | John Cabello |
| 69 | Angie Bodine | Joe Sosnowski |
| 70* | Paul Stoddard | Jeff Keicher |
| 71 | Joan Padilla | Tony McCombie (I) |
| 72 | Mike Halpin (I) | Glen Evans Sr. |
| 76 | Lance Yednock | Jerry Long (I) |
| 77 | Kathleen Willis (I) | Anthony Airdo |
| 79 | Lisa Dugan | Lindsay Parkhurst (I) |
| 81 | Anne Stava-Murray | David Olsen (I) |
| 82 | Tom Chlystek | Jim Durkin (I) |
| 84 | Stephanie Kifowit (I) | Patty Smith |
| 86 | Larry Walsh Jr. (I) | Rick Laib |
| 88 | Jill Blair | Keith Sommer (I) |
| 89* | Nicholas Hyde | Andrew Chesney |
| 90 | Amy Davis | Tom Demmer (I) |
| 91 | Carolyn Blodgett | Mike Unes (I) |
| 93 | John Curtis | Norine Hammond (I) |
| 94 | Richard Cramsey | Randy Frese (I) |
| 95 | Dillon Clark | Avery Bourne (I) |
| 96 | Sue Scherer (I) | Herman Senor |
| 97 | Mica Freeman | Mark Batinick (I) |
| 98 | Natalie Manley (I) | Alyssia Benford |
| 99* | Marc Bell | Mike Murphy |
| 101* | Jennifer McMillin | Dan Caulkins |
| 104 | Cynthia Cunningham | Mike Marron |
| 105 | Benjamin Webb | Dan Brady (I) |
| 107* | David Seiler | Blaine Wilhour |
| 109* | Cynthia Given | Daren Bailey |
| 110* | Shirley Bell | Chris Miller |
| 111 | Monic Bristow (I) | Mike Babcock |
| 112 | Katie Stuart (I) | Dwight Kay |
| 113 | Jay Hoffman (I) | Doug Jameson |
| 114 | LaToya Greenwood (I) | Jason Madlock |
| 115 | Marsha Griffin | Terri Bryant (I) |
| 116 | Jerry Costello (I) | David Friess |
| 117 | Jason Woodlard | Dave Severin |
| 118 | Natalie Phelps Finnie (I) | Patrick Windhorst |
| Notes | An (I) denotes an incumbent.* Denotes an Open Seat |
The election of Mr. Pritzker as Governor means that Democrats are guaranteed control of at least one of the three influencers (governor, house, senate) for redistricting in 2021. With a simple majority needed to pass a redistricted map, and the odds of the Democrats in either chamber falling from a super-majority to a minority in the 2020 election very slim, Democratic control of the legislature, if not the state, is likely well into future.
The lame-duck 100th General Assembly will reconvene November 13th through 15th and November 27th through 29th for the Fall Veto Session. The General Assembly has 75 vetoes pending for consideration (47 total vetoes and 28 amendatory vetoes). Typically, the General Assembly convenes again for a lame-duck session in January although no January dates are scheduled at this time. Given the outcome of yesterday’s election, it is possible that the Democratic Leaders in the General Assembly may forgo meeting in January and wait to tackle any remaining or outstanding issues during the Spring Session. As a reminder, any legislation passed prior to December 31st that contains an immediate effective date will require passage with a 3/5 vote in each chamber (36 votes in the Senate/72 votes in the House). After January 1st, legislation with an immediate effective date requires passage by only a simple majority vote in each chamber.
Per the Illinois Constitution, the newly elected members of the 101st General Assembly will be sworn into office on Wednesday, January 9th at noon and all Constitutional Officers will take office Monday, January 14th. Schedules and deadlines for the 2019 Legislative Session should be distributed at the end of the month.