Suburban GOP looks to reset after disastrous municipal elections
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Last week, residents of several suburbs and townships voted in their municipal elections and one thing was clear: Republicans have some work to do.
The big picture: When longtime GOP mayors like Aurora's Richard Irvin and Orland Park's Keith Pekau lost their reelection bids, it became clear that the party did not build upon their success in the November election when the suburban counties, including Cook, showed GOP gains.
State of play: The Illinois Democratic Party says their candidates won 80% of their statewide elections, including in Republican strongholds like Addison and York Townships and bigger cities like Naperville and Lisle.
- "There was a broad rejection of what Donald Trump and the Republican Party stands for, and Illinois Democrats had perhaps one of the best nights we've ever had," Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said in a recent press conference.
Reality check: The chaotic start to Trump's term, including economic uncertainty, likely influenced voters' decisions.
What they're saying: "The Pritzker-led Democrats have put together an outstanding political operation," former Illinois GOP chair Pat Brady tells Axios. "And the face of the GOP is playing golf while his policies destroy the economy."
- "You don't need a Ph.D to figure out who comes ahead in that scenario."
Between the lines: The local elections are technically nonpartisan — candidates do not declare a party on the ballot — but that doesn't mean candidates don't have party affiliations.
The latest: After the surprise shellacking, Cook County GOP chair Sean Morrison resigned.
- "The future of our party depends on fresh, motivated, and hardworking members to step up and carry the baton forward," Morrison said in a statement. "I am confident that the next generation of Republican leaders is ready to answer the call."
The intrigue: One of the only elected Republicans left standing in suburban Cook County is Palatine Highway Commissioner Aaron Del Mar. He was roasted by his party for negotiating with local Democrats to give them a seat on the township board in exchange for keeping the GOP majority, a move that looks shrewd today.
The vibe: Del Mar believes that Illinois Republicans have to work across the aisle and work harder and stop ignoring smaller municipal races.
- "Democrats are gonna fight us at every level," Del Mar said on a recent podcast episode of the "Smoke-Filled Room."
- "We are going to need high-level Republican elected officials to start getting involved in these races. These used to be nonpartisan elections. Now that's out the window."
What we're watching: The GOP losses could be a harbinger for the 2026 midterms, which will feature elections for governor and U.S. Senate.
- Yes, but: The party is rebooting. Kathy Salvi is less than a year in as the new state party chair.
The bottom line: Local GOP momentum from Trump's 2024 victory may have stalled, but the local party could bounce back if the federal policies bear economic fruit.