1.Kansas unpopularity of Sam Brownback.
I think this also is the best explanation for the Democratic Presidential decline in Connecticut and Rhode Island (there was no similar decline in those states in the aggregate Congressional vote) with the unpopularity of Governors Dan Malloy and Gina Raimondo. I think the extreme unpopularity of Dan Malloy has been well covered, but on Gina Raimondo:
http://www.golocalprov.com/politics/fecteau-raimondo-deserves-a-credible-primary-opponent"Mrs. Raimondo’s approval rating barely ekes above 40% for a reason — making her one of the least popular governors throughout the country. Some of it has to do with her inability to connect working and middle-income families she represents (she is an asocial introvert), but much of it has to do with the fact she is so inundated with controversy, makes poor decisions, and has a track record that doesn’t correspond with her campaign promises. "
and
Morning Consult's latest survey of the nation's governors shows that Gina Raimondo's approval/disapproval track has slipped slightly, to 38 percent/55 percent. The poll of registered voters has a six percentage point margin of error.
Probably not coincidently about one month before the first article, somebody at the Wall Street Journal wrote an opinion editorial praising Raimondo:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/an-island-of-rationality-in-blue-state-new-england-1479513092As to Illinois. I'm not sure what the OP is referring to. Both Obama and Hillary Clinton won by about 17% and Obama received around 2% more of the share of the vote than Hillary Clinton did. I suppose in the 2 candidate preferred, Hillary Clinton won by more than Barack Obama in Illinois.
