 While this tendency has helped Illinois GOP candidates in the suburbs, it has alienated many conservative voters downstate.Other than a brief majority from 1995-1997 as a result of the Republican Revolution, the Republicans have been in the minority in the state House of Representatives since 1982.In 2002, while the Republicans did well in 2002 midterm elections nationwide, the Illinois Republicans lost their majority when a Democrat became Illinois governor for the first time in 26 years and Democrats gained control of the Illinois Senate, putting the party in the minority for the first time in state history.