Pundit calls Madison County 'lost cause' to Democratic Party following election

Illinois political pundit Rich Miller wrote in Capitol Fax this week that Madison County is "just about a lost cause to the Democratic Party now."

Miller pointed out that Secretary of State Jesse White was the only statewide candidate to win in Madison County with 54 percent, over underfunded Republican Michael Webster at 42 percent and Libertarian Christopher Michel at 4 percent.

"Madison County...was once considered a Democratic bastion, but it has been trending Republican for at least the past six years," Miller wrote.

"This time around, local Democrats and unions were determined to take the county back and spent a king's ransom on an early voting program."

Democrats, however, took a thumping in Madison County. For instance:

- Former Madison County chief judge Ann Callis, who moved to Edwardsville for purposes of residency within the 12th Congressional District (though not required), lost her home county to Republican incumbent Rodney Davis of Taylorville by 5,321 votes.

-Dairy owner Jim Oberweis beat incumbent U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin by 4,558 votes.

-Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner beat Pat Quinn by 17,602 votes.

-Incumbent State Rep. Dwight Kay beat Cullen Cullen in a race that Democrats poured a lot of money into by 4,784 votes.

-Incumbent Treasurer Kurt Prenzler beat challenger Marleen Suarez by 11,298 votes.

-St. Jacob attorney John Barberis, who spent just $5,000 of his own money in a race for the seat vacated by Callis, defeated sitting Associate Judge Clarence Harrison, who raised more than $100,000, by 6,609 votes.