Illinois Republicans celebrate President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory in the 2024 election; Democrats promise to continue the work

CHICAGO (WLS) – Illinois Republicans are celebrating President-elect Donald Trump’s historic political comeback that led to his victory, which became a reality in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

There was cautious optimism among Republicans early in the evening of Election Day, but excitement and confidence continued to grow as the results came in, peaking as he passed the magic Electoral College number of 270.

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“We will help heal our country,” Trump said during an early morning news conference.

Trump said he wanted to bring the country together again after voters across the country rallied for him on Tuesday.

“This is truly an epic moment in history that we have just witnessed. This is a comeback unlike any other in American history, in my opinion,” said Richard Porter, a former member of the Republican National Committee.

Porter was at the celebration in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday night to get a front-row seat to the story.

“I think this is both a political and personal victory for Donald Trump; his politics were simply better. He was a better president than Joe Biden,” Porter said. “I think it’s the economy, stupid. I mean, that’s what James Carville said in 1992. Joe Biden embraced the far left of his party. They pushed through huge spending bills without any bipartisan support. And these massive spending bills caused inflation.”

A protest rally was held at Federal Plaza on Wednesday evening, bringing together people seeking an outlet for their anger and disappointment following the election.

“It definitely feels like a betrayal in some way. Many people who live in this country and the government in this country are not too happy,” said one protester.

But the coalition of activist groups that marched at the Democratic National Convention this summer said Trump’s victory should not be a surprise. They said Democrats had not listened to calls to stop funding the Israeli government.

Trump lost Illinois by just 8 percentage points after losing the previous two campaigns by 17 points.

That emboldened Republicans in Illinois.

His campaign promoted early voting for the first time, what Republicans called “Bank the Vote.”

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“We didn’t campaign for a single day. We pushed for early voting and mail-in voting, and that meant improving the odds,” said Kathy Salvi, chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. “A lot of people said we’re going to be in the red this election cycle. I said, ‘Let’s keep our promises and deliver more.’ And I think President Trump’s single-digit numbers show that we’re moving in the right direction here in the Illinois Republican Party, and I’m thrilled.”

Rhonda Belford is a Republican national committeewoman from deep-red southern Illinois.

“And of course our Chicagoland area is primarily very blue, but this time they’ve increased their numbers, which is very encouraging for the next round of elections,” Belford said.

Republicans also noted that those efforts failed despite Illinois Democrats’ extensive efforts to campaign for Kamala Harris in swing states.

“Governor Pritzker has been talking about the Blue Wall, how they’ve been sending groups of people to Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania for weeks, and that’s a pure rejection of the Democrats’ policies in Illinois,” Salvi said.

Pritzker was a Harris surrogate on the campaign trail and a frequent Trump critic.

But it’s not just the destruction of the Blue Wall that surprised so many political observers, it was also Trump’s ability to likely win the popular vote. It is the first time since 2004 that a Republican presidential candidate has run.

Some see the election as a vote for change.

“This election was a rejection of the chaos that the Biden-Harris administration has wrought in this country,” Salvi said.

So what happened to all the momentum Harris seemed to have leading up to the election?

“It’s not so much about what went wrong in her campaign. It was about fighting an unpopular president,” said Suzanne Chod, a political science professor at North Central College in Naperville. “And people remember when Trump was president, before COVID, and thought, ‘Oh, I had more money in my pocket. We weren’t in wars.’ So, that refrain he keeps saying: “Things were better because we forgot that things got so much worse toward the end of his presidency.”

Ultimately, it appears to be an election that signaled that voters recognized the direction this country was headed and that they wanted change on things like the economy and immigration.

And Trump was able to successfully capitalize on it.

Salvi said in a statement: “This morning marks a brighter future for our nation and our state. President Trump’s administration brought us prosperity four years ago and will do so again by securing our border, lowering the cost of living for families, and protecting our individual freedoms. Illinois did it.” Big progress last night, reflecting the foundation we’re building to attract new voters and compete with the billionaire governor and his cronies in Springfield. It’s time to get back on our horse and get back to work – there are 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 now clear that nationwide a majority of those who went to the polls chose a different path, namely President-elect Trump and Vice President.” Vance-elect won the election. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Tim Walz, their team, and the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who poured their hearts into the campaign.

“This morning, our most vulnerable communities woke up with new uncertainty about their future, fearful that their rights will no longer be protected, and unsure whether this nation still stands with them. For women whose health care is at even greater risk, for our Black, Brown and AAPI communities, our LGBTQ friends and their families, immigrants and first-generation Americans, our most vulnerable Americans and people with disabilities, to everyone Those who have been made to feel unsafe and unwelcome by the Trump campaign and its allies – know that Illinois is yours, ally. You are always welcome here.

“In 2017, I sought public office largely because of the threat Donald Trump and his allies posed to Illinois, and as governor, I helped enshrine protections in state law that uphold our shared values ​​in Illinois . This work will continue, and so will I. I will always strive to do what is best for the people of Illinois. If that means working with the next presidential administration, and if that means I have to fight back against that, then I think that’s where my success is clear.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement: “Last night, the American people made their voices heard through our democratic process. Although Chicago overwhelmingly voted for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, we recognize the results of this election and encourage the official peaceful transfer of power.”

“As we enter an era in American politics in which our president-elect has made direct threats against the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society, we promise that I and our entire administration will fight every attack from Trump every day.”

“At this moment, Chicagoans can rest assured that they have a mayor who will not bend or break when it comes to protecting our city, our values ​​and our neighbors. When it comes to defending ourselves against all hate, we will not flinch.

“We will work tirelessly 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 kowtow to dark forces that want to turn back time in our country.” That Chicago remains the world-class city we all know and love.

“To anyone in our city who views these results with dismay, concern or sadness, I promise that I will never fail 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, and we will do so while remaining true to our values.

“In the coming weeks, my administration will ensure Chicago strengthens and expands the best possible local protections for our residents. Our city will continue to serve as a beacon for equity and equality, as well as racial, reproductive, LGBTQ+, environmental and environmental issues. Immigrant justice has been a partner with our city in many ways and we will seek to continue this collaboration whenever possible . However, the people of Chicago deserve the same consideration and representation from their government. Defend our city and our people from unwelcome political interference.

“Now we look to the work ahead of us to strengthen our city for the well-being of its residents. We will work with everyone who shares this mission, regardless of party affiliation, to build a stronger Chicago and a stronger America for all. Like us. “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.”