DPI Top Talkers 1/13/26
Illinois Democrats,
Throughout 2025, the Democratic Party of Illinois has shone a light on the ILGOP’s betrayal of working families, especially U.S. Representatives Mary Miller (IL-15), Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Mike Bost (IL-12) undying loyalty to extreme right-wing policies.
From their celebration of Donald Trump’s proclaimed “Golden Age of America,” while Illinoisans lose their jobs to a disgusting press conference outside of the late Emma Shafer’s home, below are talking points and graphics on the many failures of Illinois Republicans last year.
Please share this information with your networks.
Illinois Democrats,
Throughout 2025, the Democratic Party of Illinois has shone a light on the ILGOP’s betrayal of working families, especially U.S. Representatives Mary Miller (IL-15), Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Mike Bost (IL-12) undying loyalty to extreme right-wing policies.
From their celebration of Donald Trump’s proclaimed “Golden Age of America,” while Illinoisans lose their jobs to a disgusting press conference outside of the late Emma Shafer’s home, below are talking points and graphics on the many failures of Illinois Republicans last year.
Please share this information with your networks.
How To Talk About Trump 2.0
In no way, shape or form has Donald Trump 2.0 made Illinois or America greater.
Things Trump has done instead of lowering costs:
VIEW 2025 ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE
In no way, shape or form has Donald Trump 2.0 made Illinois or America greater.
Things Trump has done instead of lowering costs:
- Demolished the East Wing
- Flipped off an autoworker in Michigan
- Defunded Planned Parenthood
- Attacked birthright citizenship
- Dismantled Department of Education
- Erected a 12-foot golden statue of himself holding a Bitcoin in D.C.
- Cut childhood cancer research
- Cut public safety programs
- Gave Argentina a $20 billion bailout and undercut Illinois farmers
- Caused a government shutdown
- Paused SNAP
- Cut health care
- Laid off federal Illinois workers via DOGE
- Key idea: Immigrants are not the people taking away your health care, making costs rise, or preventing you from getting the help you need. Republicans are. Also, crime is declining in Illinois.
- Key idea: He’s done worse than nothing. His trade wars are putting farmers through the ringer.
- Key idea: Trump campaigned on being the peace president. Now, he’s too busy leading costly military missions, invading Latin America without congressional approval, and threatening war on Chicago to keep his campaign promise of being a “peacemaker and unifier.”
- Key idea: Trump declared war on American cities, wasted millions of dollars on deploying the National Guard, and defunded public safety programs.
- Key idea: Trump lied about “lowering costs on Day One.” Inflation is still squeezing Illinoisans and lowering costs is not a priority for this administration.
- Key idea: This past year, Democrats from Illinois to Washington DC remained committed to uplifting working families and moving our state and nation forward. Despite a vindictive and destructive White House, Illinois Democrats have made one thing clear at every level of government: we will always fight for all of the progress we’ve made.
VIEW 2025 ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez Statement on One Year of Trump’s Second Term
Springfield, IL — Today marks the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s swearing-in and in response to a year marked by unconstitutional actions, a violent administration and threats to democracy, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez reminds Illinoisans that our state remains a Democratic stronghold that will fight against every far-right attempt to dismantle our fundamental rights and progress:
“For 12 months, Donald Trump and his administration have abused this country. The list is long: tariffs have left our state’s corn and soybean farmers struggling to make ends meet. MAGA health care policies threaten working families’ ability to visit the doctor. This White House targets the LGBTQ+ community, and has no qualms about terrorizing immigrants, as well as US citizens they assume to be immigrants. They withhold funding for violence prevention efforts and most recently, child care. This is, in no way, a better America.”
She continued: “However, what Illinoisans in every corner of our state need to know is that Democrats are not sitting by idly. From the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker to Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to our Congressional delegation and local county chairs and organizers, Illinois Democrats are passing legislation to safeguard the dignity of immigrants, lower daily expenses, protect our environment, and defend reproductive freedom. We are holding the GOP accountable, recruiting candidates, supporting our neighbors when we’re attacked, and protesting against wrongdoing. We are working to improve the quality of life for every Illinoisan.”
Springfield, IL — Today marks the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s swearing-in and in response to a year marked by unconstitutional actions, a violent administration and threats to democracy, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez reminds Illinoisans that our state remains a Democratic stronghold that will fight against every far-right attempt to dismantle our fundamental rights and progress:
“For 12 months, Donald Trump and his administration have abused this country. The list is long: tariffs have left our state’s corn and soybean farmers struggling to make ends meet. MAGA health care policies threaten working families’ ability to visit the doctor. This White House targets the LGBTQ+ community, and has no qualms about terrorizing immigrants, as well as US citizens they assume to be immigrants. They withhold funding for violence prevention efforts and most recently, child care. This is, in no way, a better America.”
She continued: “However, what Illinoisans in every corner of our state need to know is that Democrats are not sitting by idly. From the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker to Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to our Congressional delegation and local county chairs and organizers, Illinois Democrats are passing legislation to safeguard the dignity of immigrants, lower daily expenses, protect our environment, and defend reproductive freedom. We are holding the GOP accountable, recruiting candidates, supporting our neighbors when we’re attacked, and protesting against wrongdoing. We are working to improve the quality of life for every Illinoisan.”
Toplines on Democratic Party of Illinois Accomplishments
THE BIG UGLY BILL
THE BIG UGLY BILL
- Illinois Republicans stood behind the Big, Ugly Bill—legislation that is a war on poverty.
- Roughly 470,000 Illinoisans will lose their Medicaid coverage because of Trump’s Big Ugly Bill—with many of these families living in Bost, Miller, and LaHood’s districts.
- Last year, Illinois Republicans Mary Miller, Mike Bost and Darin LaHood voted on a bill that does nothing to address the skyrocketing cost of health care premiums, rather than voting to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.
- Last week, when given a second chance to right their wrong, they stood against every House Democrat and 17 of their own GOP colleagues to again vote against expanding ACA subsidies for their constituents.
- They supported the skyrocketing of roughly 500,000 Illinoisans’ health care premiums.
- Republicans were responsible for a massive health care crisis for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans—jeopardizing the livelihoods of 45,000 federal workers in Illinois.
- Throughout the year, DPI Chair Hernandez has continuously used her voice to call out inhumane immigration tactics and xenophobia—particularly asking MAGA Republicans “what happened to the ‘worst of the worst’?”
- From tariffs wrecking small businesses to rising inflation, Donald Trump’s failed economic policies have been a complete disaster for Illinois families.
- November’s jobs report reveals the economy lost a whopping 105,000 jobs in October — the worst month for job losses since COVID.
- The unemployment rate is now the highest since September 2021 and has risen for four consecutive readings for the first time since June 2009. Illinois Republicans are either silent or pretend that Trump 2.0 is the “Golden Age of America.”
- By voting for the Big, Ugly Budget and supporting DOGE cuts last year, Illinois Republicans Mary Miller, Mike Bost, and Darin LaHood have aided Donald Trump in defunding the work being done by Chicago organizations to reduce crime and save lives.
- Illinois Republicans either cheer or remain silent as Trump threatens war on American cities (while wasting taxpayers’ dollars on National Guard deployments).
- If the ILGOP truly cared about the safety of families in Chicago’s neighborhoods, they wouldn’t have worked eagerly to dismantle anti-violence efforts.
- The Illinois Republican Party continued to fall apart in 2025, saddled with infighting and election losses.
- With no filings for Illinois State Treasurer, the ILGOP marked the first time in nearly a century that a major party lacked a statewide candidate for a primary.
- With Party support, John Laesch ousted Donald Trump-aligned Republican Richard Irvin in the closely-watched mayoral race in Illinois’ 2nd largest city, Aurora.
- Resigned ILGOP Chair Don Tracy continued his support of Donald Trump and the MAGA cult, even after Trump has betrayed Illinois small businesses, farmers, and working families.
- In November, Knox County Republicans seemingly acted in bad faith to get on voters’ ballots for the 2026 General Primary Election.
- In May, members of the DOGE-wannabe Illinois Freedom Caucus proposed a doomed plan to cut billions in state funding for education, health care, and pensions.
- Last summer, House Republicans Mary Miller, Darin LaHood, and Mike Bost fled the Capitol to begin the August recess early to avoid the release of the Epstein files.
- Illinois is the largest soybean producer in the country and soybeans are the state’s largest agricultural export, with many of these farmers living in Mike Bost, Darin LaHood and Mary Miller’s regions.
- Last year, Illinois soybean farmers lost $100 to $200 per acre because Trump’s tariffs have kept the market’s biggest buyer–China–from buying soybeans.
- In the first half of 2025, farm bankruptcies climbed nearly 60% compared to 2024 — and farm sector debt is expected to increase 5% and reach nearly $600 billion this year.
- In Illinois, there were more farm bankruptcies in the first three months of 2025 than all of 2024.
- Due to federal cuts to clean energy programs in blue states, downstate manufacturers Caterpillar and Komatsu are losing millions of dollars in business–including in LaHood’s district.
- Last April, in spite of his plunging approval ratings and destructive economic policies, Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi defended Donald Trump wholeheartedly in an interview.
- The ILGOP was silent when Donald Trump led the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
- In the first half of 2025, farm bankruptcies climbed nearly 60% compared to 2024 — and farm sector debt is expected to increase 5% and reach nearly $600 billion this year.
- In Illinois, there were more farm bankruptcies in the first three months of 2025 than all of 2024.
- Donald Trump’s failed economic policies have been a complete disaster for Illinois families.
- November’s jobs report revealed the economy lost a whopping 105,000 jobs in October — the worst month for job losses since December 2020.
- The unemployment rate is now the highest since September 2021 and has risen for four consecutive readings for the first time since June 2009.
- During holiday season 2025, Illinois families were paying 26% more than last year for some of the most popular holiday gifts.
- In an interview earlier this month, former ILGOP Chair Don Tracy tried to position himself and his Party as one of integrity while simultaneously supporting Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans, the people who have objectively made day to day living more violent, more expensive, and more divisive for Illinoisans.
- Republican gubernatorial primary frontrunner Darren Bailey continued to make it clear he is a right-wing extremist who bows to Donald Trump.
- Several Illinois Republicans threw their hats in the GOP primary for governor—so-called “economic conservatives” with bigoted views and cult-like loyalty to Donald Trump.
- There are several extremists in the GOP primary for governor–Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner, and James Mendrick–who have yet to condemn Donald’s Trump negative impact on Illinois–from business-killing tariffs to punishing Illinois by withholding federal funding to extreme ICE violence.