Sorry—don’t have an answer for you. I live in eastern Missouri, a couple of miles from Illinois. We are definitely freer and cheaper to live in than ILL!
Missouri politics are interesting. The two urban areas, StL and KC don’t have enough population between them to overwhelm the rest of the state politically—in contrast to Illinois where Chicago basically runs the state.
I was born in southern IL. My family is from that area. That means, of course, that I am a rabid St. Louis Cardinals fan! :-)