DU QUOIN - While their national Democratic counterparts are hogging headlines at their quadrennial convention bash in Denver, Illinois Republicans say they are expecting big things this fall.

That was the message Tuesday as a noisy crowd of about 250 gathered under a tent for Republican Day at the Du Quoin State Fair.

Regional Republican figures like State Sen. John O. Jones of Mount Vernon and John Cavaletto, a Sesser native who is running for the State's 107th Representative District for the third time, were on hand for the event.

Cavaletto immediately struck an optimistic tone.

"We lost by 98 votes last time," he said to the crowd, many of whom were munching on the complimentary barbecue. "Out of 6,000 votes cast we thought that (a margin of 98 votes) was pretty good so we decided to give it another shot."

Republican speakers struck a familiar refrain by rooting their optimism firmly in the idea that Illinoisans have had enough of the state's Democrats.

In addition to holding each of the statewide offices, Democrats hold majorities in both the Senate and the House.

While addressing the crowd, a pumped-up Jones said the state's Democrats are failing Illinois voters. Jones took aim at outgoing Senate President Emil Jones and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, calling the former's retirement "great news" and saying the latter had little wisdom.

"I think we are in for a much better year than people think," he said, before noting that failings by the state's Democrats could leak into the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama of Chicago and John McCain of Arizona. "I still think we can pull this out for John McCain in this state but it's going to take a lot of work."

Using this season's biggest political buzzword, Republican political director Curt Conrad said the people of Illinois want change.

"I think that's what people are looking for," he said. "I think that a lot of people see what Democratic leadership has done to Illinois."

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

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