The chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party says voters "rejected the politics of negativity, personal destruction and blame" in Tuesday's election.
House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago says Democrats' victories answered a "call for a new day in Illinois."
Democrat J.B. Pritzker defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Rauner harshly criticized Madigan as corrupt as they locked horns repeatedly during a record-long budget stalemate that resulted in billions of dollars of overspending.
Democrats swept all six statewide offices and expected to retain control of both houses of the General Assembly.
Madigan is the longest-serving speaker of a state House in American history. He says Democratic victories Tuesday "were achieved not by trying to divide us, but by looking to what unites us."