Short answer : no. It’s not that it’s his home state (although that does help him in Chicagoland)—it’s just too Democrat a state right now. President Bush got only 44.5% in 2004 (while he was getting 50.7% nationally), and Kerry’s victory margin in IL was higher than in WA, NJ, HI, ME, DE or even CA.
“it’s just too Democrat a state right now.”
Why does the word “corrupt” suddenly pop into my head?