IL GOP celebrates President-elect Trump's victory; Dems pledge to continue work, others just worry
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois Republicans are celebrating President-elect Donald Trump's historic political comeback that resulted in his victory that became a reality in the early morning hours Wednesday.
Republicans had a cautious sense of optimism early in the evening Election Day, but the excitement and confidence kept building as the results came in, hitting a crescendo when he crossed the magic electoral college number of 270.
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"We're going to help heal our country heal," Trump said during an early morning press conference.
Trump said he is looking to bring the country back together, after voters across the country came together for him Tuesday.
"This is truly an epic moment in history we've just lived through. This is a comeback unlike anything, I think, really, in American history," said Richard Porter, former Republican National committeeman.
Porter was at the Palm Beach, Florida celebration Tuesday night, for a front-row seat to history.
"I think this is both a policy and a personality victory for Donald Trump; his policies were just better. He was a better president than Joe Biden," Porter said. "I think, it's the economy, stupid. I mean, that's the line from James Carville in 1992. Joe Biden embraced the far left of his party. They rammed through massive spending bills without any bipartisan support. And those massive spending bills caused inflation."
A protest was held at Federal Plaza Wednesday night, a gathering for people looking for a post-election outlet for their anger and disappointment.
"It definitely feels like betrayal in some kind of way. not too happy with a lot of the people living in this country, the government in this country," said one protester.
But the coalition of activist groups that marched on the Democratic National Convention this summer said Trump's victory should be no surprise. They said Democrats didn't listen to demands to stop funding the Israeli government,
Trump only lost Illinois by 8 percentage points, after losing the two previous campaigns by 17 points.
That has Illinois Republicans encouraged.
His campaign for the first time encouraged early voting, in what Republicans called "bank the vote."
SEE ALSO: Wisconsin voters react to Donald Trump's win
"We did not campaign over a single day. We urged early voting and mail-in voting, and that meant that we bettered the odds," Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi said. "Many people said we're going to go red in this election cycle. I said, 'let's under promise, over deliver.' And I think bringing President Trump into single digits shows we're moving here in the Illinois Republican Party in the right direction, and I'm thrilled."
Rhonda Belford is a Republican National committeewoman from deep red southern Illinois.
"And, of course, our Chicagoland area, of course, primarily, is very blue, but this time they did increase their numbers, which is very encouraging for the next round of election processes," Belford said.
Republicans also noted that, despite the extensive effort by Illinois Democrats to campaign for Kamala Harris in swing states, those efforts failed.
"Gov. Pritzker talked about the Blue Wall, how for weeks they've been sending groups of people to Wisconsin and Michigan and Pennsylvania, and this is a pure repudiation of Democrat Illinois politics," Salvi said.
Pritzker was a campaign surrogate for Harris, and frequent Trump critic.
But it's not just the smashing of the Blue Wall that's surprised so many political observers, it was Trump's ability to likely win the popular vote. It's the first time for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004.
The election can be seen by some as a vote for change.
"This election was a repudiation of the mess the Biden-Harris administration has made of this country," Salvi said.
So, what happened to all the momentum Harris seemed to have leading up to the election?
"It's not as much about what went wrong with her campaign. It was fighting against an unpopular president," said Suzanne Chod, a political science professor at North Central College in Naperville. "And people reminiscing about when Trump was president, pre-COVID, thinking, 'Oh, I had more money in my pocket. We weren't in wars.' So, this refrain he's been saying, things were better because we forgot how things got so much worse towards the end of his presidency."
In the end, what this appears to be is an election that signaled that voters saw the direction this country was headed, and they wanted a change on things like the economy and immigration.
And Trump was able to successfully capitalize on that.
Salvi said in a statement, "This morning marks a brighter future for our nation and our state. President Trump's administration brought us prosperity 4 years ago and will do so again by securing our border, bringing down the cost of living for families, and protecting our individual liberties. 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. Time to get back on our horse and start working again - there's only 727 days until the 2026 midterms."
Pritzker said in a statement, "Today, I stand with the millions of Americans who voted for our Democratic values in this election. It is clear now that, nationally, a majority of those who came to the polls chose a different path, and President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance won the election. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Tim Walz, their team, and the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who put their heart and soul into the campaign.
"This morning, our most vulnerable communities woke up to new uncertainty about their future, scared that their rights will no longer be protected, and unsure whether this nation still stands with them. To women whose healthcare is under even greater threat, to our Black, Brown and AAPI communities, our LGBTQ friends and their families, immigrants and first-generation Americans, our most vulnerable Americans and those with disabilities, to all who have been made to feel unsafe and unwelcome by the Trump campaign and its allies - know that Illinois is your ally. You will always be welcome here.
"In 2017, I sought public office in large part because of the threat Donald Trump and his allies posed to Illinois, and as governor, I have helped enshrine into state law protections that uphold our common Illinois values. That work will continue, and it remains my north star. I will always strive to do what is best for the people of Illinois. When that means working with the next presidential administration that is what I will do, and when that means standing up to it, I believe my record is clear on where I'll be."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement, "Last night, the American people made their voices heard through our democratic process. Though Chicago voted overwhelmingly for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, we recognize the outcome of this election and encourage the official peaceful transfer of power.
"As we enter into an era of American politics where our president-elect has made direct threats against the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society, we promise that every day, myself and our entire administration will fight against any and all attacks from Trump.
"In this moment, Chicagoans can be assured that they have a mayor who will not bend, who will not break when it comes to protecting our city, our values, and our neighbors. When it comes to fighting back against any hate, we will not flinch.
"We will work relentlessly to ensure Chicago remains Chicago. That Chicago remains open and welcoming to all, and our city remains a place where we live our values and refuse to bend the knee to dark forces that want to turn back the clock on our country's progress. That Chicago remains the world class city we all know and love.
"To anyone in our city who is viewing these results with dismay, worry, or grief, I pledge to you that I will never back down in my duty to protect and advocate for the people of Chicago, especially those who have been marginalized or demonized. It is my responsibility and the responsibility of all elected officials to protect the rights and freedoms of our constituents and to lead with vision and conviction. Chicago will continue to move forward, and we will do so while staying true to our values.
"In the weeks to come, my administration will ensure that Chicago strengthens and expands the strongest possible local protections for our residents. Our city will continue to serve as a beacon for opportunity and equality, as well as racial, reproductive, LGBTQ+, environmental and immigrant justice. The federal government has been a partner to our city in multiple ways and we will look to continue that collaboration whenever possible. The people of Chicago deserve the same consideration and representation from their government as anyone else. We will, however, vigorously defend our city and our people from unwelcome political intrusion.
"Now, we look to the work ahead, to uplift our city for the wellbeing of its residents. We will work with anyone who shares that mission, regardless of party affiliation, to build a stronger Chicago and a stronger America for all. As we move forward, we will stand up for each other, we will protect our neighbors, and we will stay true to the beliefs we hold dear."
