By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – On just her third day as chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party, Kathy Salvi sees only good things for Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump in Sunday’s announcement that President Biden will not continue his re-election campaign.

“There is a very angry vote that will be coming and will be protesting the last 3 ½ years of failed policies, and those voters will be voting Republican,” Salvi said Sunday afternoon. “Many people who may not have considered voting for him – take (Trump running mate) J.D. Vance himself – they have opened up their eyes and are saying he is a more measured and statesmanlike candidate while not diluting the principles upon which he ran,”

Some Republicans believe Biden has not gone far enough; that he should have resigned the presidency.

A top Illinois Democrat, though, remains optimistic.

“We’ve got 107 days” until the election, Bill Houlihan said Sunday. “I feel that that’s more than enough time. We’ve got a convention that’s going to be on national television for four straight nights” in August.

Houlihan is a Democratic state central committeeman and the party chairman in Sangamon County.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].