Cook County is very blue but the rest of the state is red. Too bad so many people live in Cook County.
Chicago is one of the world's greatest transportation hubs by land and water -- just look at the rail pattern going into Chicago, and consider it having the natural waterway link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Highways and air transportation in Chicagoland reflects the reality of a well-situated giant city. Figure that huge amounts of bulk cargo -- grain, coal, iron ore, limestone -- go through greater Chicago. Giant industry grows where the bulk cargo is easily concentrated and easily transshipped.
