The last time IL went GOP was 1988
Sorry, but IL needs a good hard financial crisis and insolvency. Its a one-party state, with that one party controlling the vast bureaucracy and its spending to keep itself in power. Like the Soviet Union, only financial collapse will change its politics.
Being from Michigan next door, Ford was almost a native son in Illinois.
If he had carried Ohio (which he almost did) and Wisconsin, he would have beaten Carter.
No Republican has ever been elected without winning Ohio.