Question about DuPage County, Illinois

[bluestateguy]

In the process of some dissertation related data collection I noticed that DuPage County has not voted Democratic for president since at least 1920. This is a major suburban county in the Chicago area. Does anybody either know when the last time DuPage voted Democratic for president or where I might find such information? By the way, there is some evidence that the Democrats may carry this county someday:

1996

Dole 51%
Clinton 40%

2000

Bush 55%
Gore 42%

[GOPisEvil]

1. When I think DuPage County, I think "Republican".

Evidence of change? Well...Orange County in California elected Loretta Sanchez (or part of it did). Anything is possible.

[Elad]

2. I live in DuPage county

It's one of the wealthiest areas in the country, it's where all the white yuppies from the city moved to (and still do) in a massive "White Flight" scenario.

It's not likely to go solidly Democratic anytime in the near future, however, I think it will go MORE Democratic than it did in 2000 this time 'round. Many people around here are out of work, losing their fancy townhomes, having to move farther out away from the city to get lower prices, etc.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Apologies to elad re my comment asking ...

...if there are Democrats in DuPage County. I know there are some.

:hi:

[Elad]

8. You'd be surprised - my bumper stickers are well received

in general around here. It's a conservative stronghold, to be sure, but there's a growing progressive movement afoot.

But I still hate it and plan to move as soon as I can. :)

[bluestateguy]

7. That would be a victory

I noticed that Senator Durbin got 44% in DuPage in 2002. The Cook County suburbs are already pretty Democratic. I think the Illinois Republican Party is in big trouble.

[chiburb]

15. Hey! I resemble that remark!

And it had nothing to do with 'white flight'. I was a Lincoln Parker (precurser to Yuppies), active in the community (politically and otherwise), and had no choice but to move when it was time for my daughters to go to school. I couldn't afford Francis Parker or Latin School, and the public schools were total crap (early '80s).

As for your assessment of DuPage, you're right on... it's getting more Democratic every year!

;)

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. There are Democrats in DuPage County?

Yikes!

Here is an analysis I did about a year ago of Illinois' congressional delegation. This shows what Illinois looks like politically. Basically, the City of Chicago is liberal, the suburbs are conservative, and the rest of the state is conservative with a few exceptions.

Here is a breakdown of Illinois’ congressional representation:

Bobby Rush (D) – Chicago
Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D) – Chicago
William Lipinski (DINO, votes with Republicans a lot) – near southwest suburbs
Luis Gutierrez (D) – Chicago
Rahm Emanuel (D) – Chicago
Henry Hyde (R) – northwest/west suburbs – need I say more? A friend who lives in his district calls him “Hateful Hyde”.
Danny Davis (D) – Chicago
Phil Crane (R) – northwest suburbs
Jan Schakowsky (D) – Chicago and some suburbs, also my rep
Mark Kirk (R) – North Shore suburbs to Wisconsin state line
Jerry Weller (R) – southwest suburbs
Jerry Costello (D) – area near St. Louis, has lots of typical urban problems
Judy Biggert (R) – western suburbs
Dennis Hastert (R) – far western suburbs and need I say more?
Thomas Ewing (R) – Central Illinois, including Champaign/Urbana where the U of I is located
Donald Manzullo (R) – northwestern Illinois
Lane Evans (D) – Quad Cities area
Ray LaHood (R) – central Illinois
David Phelps (D) – far southern Illinois
John Shimkus (R) – Springfield area; central Illinois

Outside of Chicago, Illinois has 10 Republican congressman and just three Democrats. The areas with significant minority populations tend to elect Democrats here, while the whitebread counties go Republican.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

10. Isn't Illinois trending Democratic? Bushler is polling very poorly...

in Il! Also, doesn't the southern part of the state vote Democrat.

[Elad]

11. Illinois has become a solid D state, yes

I suspect we'll send a Democrat to replace Fitzgerald in the Senate this year, as well as easily be colored blue in November.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. I Agree With Your Assessment Elad

Been saying the exact same thing. Put a "D" in the Senate column. It's close to a slamdunk.
The Professor

[Walt Starr]

4. I live a stone's throw away from DuPage county

This here's Republican country. I live very close to a four county convergence of Will, Dupage, Kendall, and Kane counties. I'm actually in Will.

Lots of people are moving here from the city so I expect the area to become more Democratic. Judy Biggert is my representative in the Illinois 13th congrssional district and I'm certain she considers her seat safe since she refuses to ever answer an email, phone call, or letter from me.

[TXDemGal]

5. I grew up in DuPage

and both my retired parents still live there. Anecdotally, my mother (who has lately has been attending DuPage dem meetings) says that the percentage of folks voting D in DuPage has been increasing. Here's the DuPage Dem website if you want to browse:

http://www.lakedemocrats.org/dupage/

One more tidbit about DuPage County: this is where, during the campaign for the 2000 election, Smirk uttered his infamous "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times" remark to Reanimator, who then replied, "Big time." Of course, they believed they were off mike, but as we know, they were not.

[Chef]

9. Du Page County

I used to live there. Oftentimes called the most Republican county in America. There probably a few others now that can make that claim. As you point out Roosevelt couldn't even carry it. Maybe Stephen Douglas.

[ajacobson]

12. Northern Illinois

Not that long ago, there really wasn't a Democratic Party organization outside the urban centers. In McHenry County and environs west all the way to Rockford, the Republican Party was it and so you had the phenomonon of liberal(or if not liberal then moderate) Republicans who would fight with conservative Republicans in the primaries and that would be the deciding fight.

I would guess this not as true today was it was 25 years ago because more people from Cook County have moved out in the boonies. I grew up in Northern Illinois so this is my recollection.

[adadem]

14. Formerly Elmhurst and Naperville

when I lived there it was pretty solidly Republican but I agree that as Chicagoans move out west the Dem base in DuPage should be growing.

Now I'm in West Michigan but that's even worse than Naperville was.