Illinois Democrats in charge; Republicans in wilderness

Election Day results again demonstrated continued one-party control of state government.

Expectations of the traditional Democratic blue wave arrived on schedule on Nov. 8 in Illinois. Actually, it was not even a wave, it was just the way the political waters flow here.

Continuing a trend that began in 2002, when Gov. Rod Blagojevich was first elected, Democrats won all statewide offices plus supermajorities in the state House and Senate and an expanded majority on the Illinois Supreme Court.

As thrilling as that lopsided victory may be to Democrats, it was just an extension of what is and will remain the political status quo.

Republicans may elect a few state legislators here and there, but a superminority they are and will remain.

Why? The answer is simple.

A substantial majority of Illinois voters prefer Democrats. That political reality, combined with ruthless legislative and judicial district gerrymandering, guaranteed the sweep.

That presents significant challenges.

How will Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative Democrats deal with success? How will Republicans handle failure?

With power comes responsibility, and Illinois Democrats have a monopoly on both. But a political party is composed of competing factions that will have to work out their public-policy differences.

With no power, Springfield Republicans should endeavor to offer policy alternatives and use their limited public platform to draw public attention. But when not insulted, they’ll be ignored. They are the political equivalent of the Washington Generals, a team destined always to lose to the Harlem Globetrotters.

Governing – even in a dominant one-party setting – is difficult, especially in a state facing as many long-term financial problems as Illinois does.

So far, Pritzker and Democratic legislators have been able to paper over the state’s short-term financial woes with massive infusions of federal coronavirus relief aid and revenue generated by a growing post-lockdown economy.

But federal aid is coming to an end, and there are concerns of a coming recession.

Democrats also are holding a hot potato in the form of the SAFE-T Act, which abolishes the cash-bail system Jan. 1. The problem means nothing to them post-election, but it’s important to a public concerned about violent crime.

Pritzker has promised changes. But he’ll face some opposition within his own party – how much remains to be seen.

There will be other important issues – some known and others driven by events. Democratic legislators are bursting with ideas that will test the limits of budget realities.

As for Republicans, even a long look in the mirror might be futile. But they could start with a cessation of their internal arguments about who is most ideologically pure, work to build the party from the ground up and search for quality candidates.

But here’s their problem in a nutshell: GOP candidates for governor and attorney general never had a chance this year because they were perceived as too extreme.

At the same time, outstanding GOP candidates such as Tom Demmer (treasurer) and Dan Brady (secretary of state) never had a chance either, because they are Republicans running in a Democratic state.

The ball is – and will remain – in the Democrats’ corner.

Champaign News Gazette