Good morning, Chicago.
Donald Trump shattered the “Blue Wall” of states that Democrats had counted upon to keep the White House as he declared victory early Wednesday on his way to becoming the 47th president of the United States.
Illinois remained an exception as the former Republican president defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, and held leads in both Michigan and Wisconsin as ballots continued to be counted in the early morning hours Wednesday.
The path for Harris to gain the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House had relied exclusively on the “Blue Wall” states. That path had become more narrow as she lost the two Sun Belt battleground states of Georgia and North Carolina that also were critical to President Joe Biden’s 2020 win over Trump.
Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the U.S. government.
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Donald Trump’s decisive victory in a deeply divided nation: 5 takeaways from the 2024 Election
The election results left Democrats facing an urgent and immediate reckoning, with no obvious leader to unite the anti-Trump coalition and no clear plan to rebuild as an emboldened Trump prepares to re-take Washington.
- Voter anxiety over the economy and a desire for change returns Donald Trump to the White House
- Marijuana legalization fails in Florida as numerous states approve citizen voting amendments
- Abortion rights advocates win in 4 states and clear way to overturn Missouri ban but lose in Florida
Republicans take Senate majority for first time in 4 years
Republicans seized control of the U.S. Senate after flipping Democratic held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years.
The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer brushed back a surprisingly strong challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn.
Turnout high in Chicago area for presidential election; long waits at some sites
Chicago-area voters turned out in the high numbers typical of a presidential election Tuesday — with waits at some polling places but few significant problems reported.
As of 9:50 p.m., the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners reported a turnout of about 63% of registered voters, with that percentage likely to rise over the coming days as additional mail-in ballots trickle in. Similar numbers were reported for suburban Cook County, according to the county clerk’s office.
With 17 races up for election, Illinois Democrats aim to keep a lock on majority of state’s congressional seats
Illinois Democrats’ effort to maintain their 14-3 dominance over Republicans in the state’s congressional district will come down to the results in two downstate districts where two freshmen incumbents were trying for second terms.
With The Associated Press calling all 12 Chicago-area races Tuesday for the Democratic incumbents, the most closely watched contest was in the 17th Congressional District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen faced Republican Joe McGraw.
Democrats poised to keep supermajorities intact in Illinois legislature
Democrats were poised to defend their supermajority in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday but Republicans appeared set to prevent the opposition party from expanding their control.
Eileen O’Neill Burke declares victory in Cook County state’s attorney race
Eight years after Kim Foxx rode a wave of voter outrage over the police murder of Laquan McDonald to take over the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, voters hewed closer to tradition, choosing a former prosecutor who’d worked in courtrooms for her entire career as Foxx’s successor.
Just before 9 p.m., Democrat Eileen O’Neill Burke declared victory over Republican candidate Bob Fioretti, shortly after The Associated Press called the race. She had 65% of the vote with 59% of votes counted, according to unofficial results.
School board election not faring well for Johnson and CTU
Chicago voters largely appeared to reject Mayor Brandon Johnson’s education agenda Tuesday as only a few candidates endorsed by the powerful teacher’s union held early leads in the city’s first school board election.
With the votes still being counted at 11 p.m., only four of 10 CTU-backed candidates held leads over their opponents.
Two Navy Pier workers shot and killed; ex-employee believed responsible, police say
Two men were fatally shot Tuesday afternoon at Navy Pier by a gunman who authorities believe was a recently terminated worker.
Speaking with reporters at the pier, Chicago police Chief of Patrol Jon Hein stressed that authorities did not believe the suspect posed a danger to the public, though the shooter remained at large as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Slain Chicago police officer shot on South Side ‘gave his life for this city’
As the country woke up on a historic Election Day with thousands heading out to vote, daylight also greeted many Chicagoans with a grim reminder of the seemingly intractable challenges in their home city: yet another fallen police officer, shot and killed during a traffic stop.
Just short of three years with the Chicago Police Department, 26-year-old Enrique Martínez succumbed to injuries suffered in an apparent burst of gunfire Monday night in the South Side’s East Chatham neighborhood, authorities said.
Chicago Bears Q&A: What will it take for Matt Eberflus to keep his job? Why wasn’t Shane Waldron demoted?
The optimism of a three-game winning streak is a distant memory for the Chicago Bears, who followed up a final-play meltdown against the Washington Commanders with a total demolition by the Arizona Cardinals.
Talk of a possible run at a playoff berth has turned into questions about coach Matt Eberflus’ future. The Tribune’s Brad Biggs addresses that first in his weekly Bears mailbag.
Mithai on Devon, cakes on Roosevelt: How Chicago and Lombard offer different takes on South Asian sweets
There was once a time when a stretch of Devon Avenue was the only place in Chicago to go for South Asian foods and groceries, from halal and vegetarian to chai and nihari. But as the immigrant communities grew and some residents left their initial landing area, the suburbs increasingly developed their own ecosystems — and their unique takes on desi desserts.
Now, a stretch of Roosevelt Road in the western suburb of Lombard has become a food nexus of its own.
