Supermajority for Illinois Democrats

You weren't moving there, anyway

After yesterday's election, Democrats will have a supermajority in both the Illinois House and Senate after inauguration on Jan. 8, 2012. Senate Democrats picked up five seats and will have 40 seats in January – Senate Republicans will control only 19 seats.  

Illinois House Republicans lost seven seats yesterday, and House Speaker Michael Madigan will control a 71-seat veto-proof majority.  

There are many reasons for the huge loss of Republican seats in the Illinois General Assembly: Democrats drew a new district map, Republicans were overwhelmingly outspent in local races, Republicans showed a distinct lack of leadership and policy vision and races were dictated by a national wave driven by President Barack Obama.