Illinois Democratic leaders pressured to do more to resist Trump

• One faction is taking a pragmatic approach that appeals to voters in the middle, while others want more action, such as protests and interruptions like U.S. Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) outburst at the president's joint address to Congress.

State of play: The restlessness is beginning to materialize in Chicago with recent protests on Michigan Avenue, in front of the federal buildings and at the Gold Coast Tesla dealership.

• Indivisible Chicago, a progressive grassroots political organization, has signed up thousands for "resistance training" since Trump took office in January.

What they're saying: "Yes, we want more!," community activist and Democratic analyst Marj Halperin tells Axios.

• "It still feels like Democratic leaders are treating this effort to crash our democracy as a variation on business as usual."

Zoom in: Illinois elected officials have taken some action, but it's not enough for some Democratic faithful.

• Attorney General Kwame Raoul has used his office to fight back against Trump administration policies, mostly by joining other states in lawsuits to challenge decisions in court.
• Gov. JB Pritzker has countered with reassurances about protections and has rung the alarm about what federal cuts, especially to Medicaid, could do to Illinoisans. He's spoken out through conferences, statements and even satire.

Between the lines: Illinois' federal lawmakers are being targeted as more Democratic voters storm virtual meetings and in-person appearances.

• At a recent meeting, Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-1st) told voters they need to express their frustrations elsewhere. "Don't call the Democrats. You can call a Republican senator from another state. We're all federal elected officials."
• "Our constituents have asked Democrats to stand up and do more to stop being the minority party and become the opposition party," Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-3rd) said in a statement. "Waiting for the Trump administration to continue harming our communities before we act fails our constituents and erodes trust in their elected officials."

The other side: Some Republicans are avoiding town halls at the instruction of party leaders because of the organized opposition to Trump.

What we're watching: More than just showing anger, Democrats want party leaders to project a vision for the future that will lure back voters and win elections.

• In his recent talk at the Executive Club of Chicago, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Democrats need to focus on kitchen-table issues, instead of identity politics.

Yes, but: Democrat voters are also worried about countering the current Trump administration's moves.

• "They want to maintain some decorum, some traditional process, but we want more urgency and we want it every single day," says Halperin.