Dan Proft joined the Prairie State Wire Podcast to discuss the Cook County State’s Attorney race and the Madigan corruption trial.Proft is the host of “Chicago’s Morning Answer” weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on AM 560 Chicago. A former Republican candidate for Illinois Governor, Proft attended Northwestern University and received his J.D. from Loyola University-Chicago.

Former Illinois State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R) joined the Prairie State Wire Podcast to discuss the reasons we must be willing to challenge the experts and why America is still the greatest nation on earth.

This episode can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Ives is the founder of Breakthrough Ideas and host of "The Real Story" on AM 560 in Chicago. She also is a member of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee, representing the Third District.

Illinois State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), the Senate Republican Whip, joined the Prairie State Wire Podcast.

Tracy was elected to represent Illinois’ 50th Senate District in November 2022, running unopposed in both the Republican Primary and General Election.

She previously represented the the 47th Senate District from 2017 to 2023, and represented District 94 in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2006 to 2015.

Following is a summary of this episode:

• Background and Political Involvement: Tracy discussed her background, including her education in law, her family life, and her initial involvement in politics. She highlighted her concerns about public education, economic development, and the impact of governance on rural Illinois.

• Experience in Illinois Politics: Tracy discussed her experience in the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate, including what she said are the challenges of redistricting and the impact of political control on legislative processes.

• State Budget Concerns: Tracy said she has concerns about the growth of the Illinois budget under Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.). She said the budget's reliance on increased taxes and its allocation towards making Illinois a sanctuary state has contributed to a financial crisis in the state.

• Impact on Business and Taxation: Tracy said the state's fiscal policies and budget proposals have negatively impacted businesses and residents, saying high taxes and the state’s unfriendly business environment have driven people out of Illinois.

• Challenges with Federal Funding and Budget Allocation: Tracy discussed the use of federal COVID-19 relief funds, the state's pension liability, and Medicaid costs. She said the allocation of funds to illegal aliensand asylum seekers diverts resources from other critical areas like healthcare for vulnerable populations.

A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Tracy practiced law in a private practice in the Mount Sterling, Ill. area from 1980 to 1997, and in that role was the attorney for the City of Mt. Sterling. She was appointed in 1997 by Attorney General Jim Ryan (R-Ill.) as an Illinois Assistant Attorney General and director of the West Central Regional Office, a role in which she continued to work under former Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D-Ill.)

Tracy currently resident of Quincy, Ill. with her husband, Jim. They have four grown children and nine grandchildren.

Illinois’ 50th State Senate District covers the western edge of Illinois from Jerseyville in the south to Quincy in the north.