Democrats in Lake County are on a mission to turn a once solid red county into a blue one.
"Today, we are going to get out there knock on doors, make phone calls get our voters out to win, right?" said Gov. JB Pritzker.
Pritzker rallied the troops in Highwood on Sunday, focusing on some of Lake County's tightest races. Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart is trying to hang on to the seat he won four years ago, making him the first Democrat to win it in 40 years.
"We are winning our jury trials. We are winning our murder trials, and homicides are the lowest in seven or eight years because of what we are doing," Rinehart said.
Trying to convince voters Rinehart is soft on crime, Republicans say opponent Mary Cole is the perfect kind of Republican to beat him.
"We have excellent state's attorney candidate in Mary Cole, who is a more moderate independent Republican," said Shields Township GOP Chair Dan Rogers.
Rogers says the key to Republicans taking back the county is moving away from former President Donald Trump and running more moderates who support gun control and abortion rights.
"We are concerned with our down-ballot candidates who are much more independent and forward thinking to represent people and not so much focused on the party," Rogers said.
But Pritzker says whether it is down-ballot local races or the presidential race, Democrats have the edge when it comes to ginning up enthusiasm, knocking on doors and making phone calls.
"If we get voters out to vote, we will win. That is what Democrats do best. Republicans do not have an organization like the Democrats across battleground states and here in Illinois," Pritzker said.
Sunday's push to get out the vote comes a day before early voting in Lake County expands to 18 locations, including at the Highwood library, where polls open Monday at 9 a.m.