Some top city and state officials responded to Tuesday’s election results and Republican nominee Donald Trump’s surprising victory in the presidential race.
During a press conference Wednesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel addressed Trump's election, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Emanuel said he doesn't fear retribution from Trump, despite his support for Hillary Clinton and the City Council's recent vote to remove an honorary street sign bearing the president-elect's name, according to the Tribune.
"I'm not worried about Donald Trump trying to somehow penalize Chicago," Emanuel told reporters.
“I’m not sure President-elect Trump will listen to me, but I would say that you’re president for all of America, and that includes your third-largest city in the country,” he added.
Sen. Dick Durbin also commented on the presidential race, congratulating Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“I now know the range of human emotions — in six days to go from the heights of the Cubs’ victory in the World Series to last night’s election,” Durbin said in a statement Wednesday. “But the bedrock principle of America is that we select our leaders and then come together as a country to find common ground and move forward.”
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“While the administration will change in January, our core values never will, and I will work with all of my strength each day in the Senate to look out for the most vulnerable among us, and to ensure liberty and equality for every person in America,” he added.
Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, of the Archdiocese of Chicago, offered prayers and pushed for a commitment to common American values.
“The American people have spoken,” Cupich said in a statement Wednesday. "I pledge my prayers for those elected and I ask the Lord to enlighten and sustain them in their service to all the people of our country. I also pray for those who held opposing positions, that they continue to participate in our democracy as we strive to work together in respectful harmony for the common good.”
“We are all keepers of the America ideals of justice for all, equality and brotherhood and peace among nations. We must never tire of living out tradition of service to the needy, to those at society’s margins. Our common goal must be to demonstrate our commitment to those ideals, to recover our solidarity as a nation and to stand as a beacon of hope and compassion a world sorely in need of both,” he added.
Illinois’ party leaders, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker, responded to Tuesday’s election, striking very different tones.
With millions in backing from Rauner and his allies, Illinois Republicans were able to chip away at the Democrats’ House super-majority, picking up four seats Tuesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. This mean the House Democrats can no longer override Rauner’s vetoes.
On Wednesday, the governor pushed for unity after the “long, grueling campaign cycle.”
“Let’s come together and focus on the future and improving the quality of life for every family in our state,” Rauner said in a statement. "The people of Illinois deserve prompt, bi-partisan action to solve problems and get good things done — to make Illinois more competitive so we can be more compassionate — to enact truly balanced budgets along with reforms that grow more jobs and protect taxpayers.”
“Now is the time to move forward together,” he added.
On the other side, Madigan viewed the election as a sign that Illinoisans still support a Democratic House majority, as well as “a strong check on Bruce Rauner and his anti-middle class agenda.” However, the veteran House Speaker also conceded that some Democrats faced an uphill battle in Tuesday’s election.
“Republicans’ millions spent, coupled with the Trump headwind in downstate Illinois, created a difficult environment for many Democratic candidates,” Madigan said in a statement Tuesday. “Rauner and his billionaire allies spent unprecedented millions — outspending Democratic candidates by wide margins — to push their agenda of increasing profits for big corporations at the expense of middle-class families.”
Madigan went on to claim that Illinoisans want good schools, funding for domestic violence shelters and veterans’ homes and a strong middle class with good wages.
“I hope Republicans will finally join us to protect these priorities and help deliver the services families are counting on,” he added.
Nevertheless, Madigan was able to tally one key victory Tuesday. Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, who served under Madigan in the Illinois House for ten years, beat out incumbent Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger, who was appointed by Rauner in 2015.
Republicans also gained two seats in the Illinois Senate, the Sun-Times reports.
