SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – “In Illinois, if you liked the 2024 election and the 2022 election, etc., etc., you’ll probably like the outcome from Tuesday,” says veteran political watcher Kent Redfield (pictured). He says Tuesday night should be a Democratic celebration in Illinois – again.

Redfield is professor emeritus of political science at University of Illinois Springfield.

Democrats hold all statewide offices, including both U.S. Senate seats. They also hold fourteen of the seventeen U.S. House seats and supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate. Redfield does not foresee that changing after Tuesday night.

“Certainly, people are saying the Democrats are more enthused than the Republicans in general,” said Redfield. “If you’re kind of a not-enthusiastic Republican, it mayt be kind of, ‘why bother,’ unless there is a local race you like.”

Gov. JB Pritzker is widely believed to be preparing for a presidential run in 2028, and the fact that he is seeking a third term indicates he intends to serve as governor while making that run. Noting that it’s too early to handicap the 2028 race, Redfield notes, “As a citizen of the state of Illinois, I would like Pritzker to figure out pretty quickly that maybe he’s not going to be President and then devote three solid years to fixing all the problems we have in this state.”