Former Gov. Pat Quinn holds a news conference in Springfield. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]  

Illinois voters approved three advisory referendum questions on Tuesday night by a wide margin, including one that a former governor hopes will lead to changing the state constitution.  

Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Three Republican state representatives hold a narrow lead in their races as most ballots have been counted from Tuesday’s election and signal positive news for Illinois Republicans.  

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) speaks at a campaign event Tuesday night. [Eric Sorensen/Facebook] 

The race in the only congressional district in Illinois viewed as a swing district wasn’t close, with incumbent U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, a Democrat from Moline, pulling of a key victory in the battle to control Congress.  

Candidates for the Illinois House this fall. 

No seats in the General Assembly had changed hands as of 11 p.m. Tuesday night as many races remained too close to call while others had limited results available.  

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, a Democrat from Moline.   

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, a Democrat from Moline, led late Tuesday in his race to win a second term in Congress as Democrats seek to gain control of Congress beginning in January.  

Gov. JB Pritzker signs the Fiscal Year 2025 budget in June. [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook]   

The budget challenge ahead of state lawmakers this coming spring became clearer this week as the governor’s office released its latest budget forecast for the coming years.  

Polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Illinois. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Illinois voters — who haven’t already cast an early or mail-in ballot — head to the polls on Tuesday with the presidential race at the top of their minds. But with Illinois expected send its electoral votes to Vice President Kamala Harris — as it has done for every Democratic presidential candidate since 1992 — eyes will be looking further down the ballot to see how General Assembly races shake out.  

Former Speaker Mike Madigan leaves the federal courthouse in Chicago following opening statements in his criminal trial. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Six months had passed since former Speaker Mike Madigan’s office was embarrassed by sexual harassment allegations made public by a political staff member in February 2018. Kevin Quinn, a former 13th Ward political operative for Madigan, had been out of a job since Madigan fired him over the allegations. Another close Madigan operative, lobbyist Mike McClain, thought Quinn needed some financial help. 

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday. [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook]   

Illinois is launching a new resource for victims of hate crimes to report incidents and access help.  

The program’s launch comes days after a Jewish man was shot in Chicago and the city’s mayor faces new controversy over his response to the incident as well as past remarks by one of his appointments.  

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin speaks at a committee meeting in Chicago on Tuesday. [U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee]

It’s not just an Illinois House committee interested in making significant reforms to pharmacy benefit managers (PBM). Sen. Dick Durbin held a field hearing for his influential U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in Chicago Tuesday to discuss problems in the pharmaceutical industry and he expressed his desire to target PBMs.