Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats who served as surrogates for Kamala Harris, waited until she gave her concession speech before issuing their own statements. Pritzker said “vulnerable communities” face “new uncertainty.” Statement here And Johnson vowed he will “not bend” to threats from Trump. Statement here By the numbers: Trump lost Illinois, but this Blue state still saw a shift toward him. The president-elect won 45.1 percent of the vote to Harris’ 53.5 percent— a single digit margin. That’s up from 2020, when Trump received 40.6 percent of the Illinois vote to President Joe Biden’s 57.5 percent, according to stats from the 270towin website. And it’s higher than in 2016, when Trump received 38.8 percent of the Illinois vote against Hillary Clinton’s 55.8 percent. Not since 1988 has a presidential contest in Illinois been as close as Tuesday’s race. That’s when Republican George H.W. Bush earned 50.7 percent of the Illinois vote over Democrat Michael Dukakis’ 48.6 percent. “The numbers suggest there’s a great future for the Illinois Republican Party” with Trump in the White House, said Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi .” We’re rebuilding. and I think that the results we got in the national election bear that out.” Republicans still have small numbers in the state Capitol — but they didn’t lose any state Senate seats, and they’re still waiting for results on a few House races. Salvi also praised McHenry County Board Chair Michael Buehler for a good county-wide ground game. “It was a great night for McHenry County, which is a solid Red county now,” she said. Trump is gaining popularity in Chicago, too. Trump won Ald. Anthony Napolitano’s 41st Ward by 54 percent, according to the Block Club. Ald. Nick Sposato’s 38th Ward also saw an increase in Trump support, according to the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan. And Ald. Marty Quinn’s 13th Ward, with its heavy Latino population, saw Harris get 50 percent of the vote to Trump’s 48 percent. Check out ward results here. More Stats: The Sun-Times has a ward breakdown. And the Block Club has a map. What it means : There’s a reckoning among Democrat leaders who are seeing rank-and-file voters move away from Democratic policies. In Chicago, as an example, immigration has divided communities that are concerned about existing residents being ignored to help newcomers. “We must work hard, together, to give the American people something to vote FOR, instead of just something to be AGAINST,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias posted on X. Not related to Trump: The results of the Chicago School Board of Education races are all local. In those races, voters were driven by individuals who were supported or not by the Chicago Teachers Union, which saw four of its 10 candidates win. The outcome could also indicate support for Mayor Brandon Johnson as he is closely aligned with the union. RELATED — Chicago could pay a price during Donald Trump's second term: “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has reason to be on edge. The CTA’s Red Line extension, the O’Hare Airport modernization and a mass deportation that would transform a sanctuary city that has welcomed migrants are among the items Trump could target, senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee said,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Congressmen Davis, Jackson on what Trump’s victory, red wave could mean for Illinois, by WTTW’s Brandis Friedman and Shelby Hawkins — With CTU ally Mayor Brandon Johnson in charge, voters reject several union-backed school board candidates, by the Tribune’s Alice Yin and Nell Salzman — The Obamas react: “This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for,” by Sun-Times’ Katie Anthony If you are Michael Buehler , Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
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