2008 United States presidential election in Illinois members of the Electoral College from the state. All 21 were pledged to Barack Obama and Joe Biden: 2008 United States presidential election in Illinois The 2008 United States presidential election in Illinois took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 21 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Barack Obama won the race in his home state with a 25.1 percent margin of victory. Prior to the election, every major news organization considered this a state Obama would win, or otherwise considered
Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama congressman Abner Mikva suggesting that Mikva recommend Obama to Emil Jones, Jr., the powerful Democratic leader of the state Senate. "Say, our friend Barack Obama has a chance to push this campaign finance bill through," Simon said in a telephone conversation, as recounted by Mikva in a 2008 interview, "Why don’t you call your friend Emil Jones and tell him how good he is." With Jones' support, Obama helped shepherd through a sweeping law that banned most gifts from lobbyists and personal use of campaign funds by state legislators. During his first years as a state senator, Obama was a