With convention over, Illinois Republicans look to November

With convention over, Illinois Republicans look to November
The view from the Illinois GOP delegation after Mitt Romney's acceptance speech Thursday night. Alex Keefe
With convention over, Illinois Republicans look to November
The view from the Illinois GOP delegation after Mitt Romney's acceptance speech Thursday night. Alex Keefe

With convention over, Illinois Republicans look to November

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Illinois Republicans hope their national convention gives them a boost in some legislative races this November, but they’re tamping down expectations about how well GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will do in Illinois.

Even the reddest Illinois Republicans seem to acknowledge it’d be pretty surprising if President Barack Obama did not carry his home state.

“Well, I mean, I - let’s face it, if, uh, Mitt Romney’d win Illinois, he’d win by a Biblical landslide, uh, nationwide,” said former Gov. Jim Edgar, an elder statesman among Illinois Repubilcans.

But Republicans say, even if the president wins Illinois, they can still make him fight for it.

Meanwhile, state GOP Chairman Pat Brady says the party’s focusing its energies on a handful of congressional campaigns, and on gaining seats in the General Assembly.

“We’re puttin’ a lotta time and money and effort into those races, and we’re working in a coordinated fashion in the House and Senate…work on their campaigns,” Brady said.

Some of the state’s tightest congressional  races  are in Chicago’s suburbs.