Rep. Robin Kelly supports the Green New Deal and strong gun control in IPM interview
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Rep. Robin Kelly supports the Green New Deal and strong gun control in IPM interview

URBANA — Congresswoman Robin Kelly is up for re-election in Illinois’ 2nd congressional district. She’s running against Republican challenger Thomas Lynch. Illinois Newsroom’s Harrison Malkin spoke with Kelly about ways to curb gun violence, the Green New Deal, and a range of other policy issues. Malkin: First, I wanted to ask you a little bit…

WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: Democrats have wide leads over Republicans for statewide offices
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WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: Democrats have wide leads over Republicans for statewide offices

CHICAGO — Democrats appear in little danger of losing control of statewide offices three weeks from now, with the party’s candidates for Illinois secretary of state, attorney general, comptroller and treasurer all holding sizable leads over their Republican rivals in a new WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll. In two of those races, Democrats hold double-digit advantages over…

Democrats are counting on Duckworth to help them keep control of the U.S. Senate
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Democrats are counting on Duckworth to help them keep control of the U.S. Senate

NORTHBROOK — On a Saturday a few weeks before next month’s election, almost all of the biggest names in Illinois politics went to a hotel ballroom in Northbrook for a luncheon organized by the Northfield Township Democrats. Among the top-of-the-ticket candidates at that event in the northern suburbs of Chicago were Cook County Board President…

WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: Gov. JB Pritzker has a double-digit lead over Darren Bailey
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WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: Gov. JB Pritzker has a double-digit lead over Darren Bailey

CHICAGO — Democratic incumbents Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth are leading their opponents by double digits, with the governor also faring better than Republican candidate Darren Bailey on his own turf in downstate Illinois, a WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times poll found. The findings ahead of the Nov. 8 election — and less than a…

The election for Illinois’ attorney general comes at a dramatic legal moment
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The election for Illinois’ attorney general comes at a dramatic legal moment

CHICAGO — The attorney general’s race rarely grabs front-page headlines — but experts and advocates across the political spectrum say the position is one of the most essential in the state. In addition to the hot-button issues of crime and criminal justice reform, Illinois’ next attorney general could play a key role in everything from…

Tired of long wait times at the DMV? Candidates for secretary of state pitch how they would cut lines
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Tired of long wait times at the DMV? Candidates for secretary of state pitch how they would cut lines

SPRINGFIELD — For the first time in a quarter century, Illinois voters won’t be seeing the name Jesse White on the ballot for secretary of state this November. Instead, voters will choose from Chicago Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and Libertarian Jon Stewart from Deerfield. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s402/audio/2022/10/ipr-sos-feature-mi.wav Listen to this story here.  Despite…

Republican candidate Thomas Lynch critical of big government in IPM interview
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Republican candidate Thomas Lynch critical of big government in IPM interview

URBANA — Congresswoman Robin Kelly is up for re-election in Illinois’ newly redrawn 2nd congressional district, which stretches from the Danville area to Chicago’s South Side. Kelly will face Republican challenger Thomas Lynch, a member of the Iroquois County Board, in the November midterm election. Lynch spoke with Illinois Newsroom’s Harrison Malkin about his life…

Abortion and COVID-19 are among the many dividing lines for 13th Congressional candidates
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Abortion and COVID-19 are among the many dividing lines for 13th Congressional candidates

URBANA — The two women running for Congress to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District differ in their approaches to abortion, the COVID-19 pandemic and more.  Republican candidate Regan Deering and Democratic candidate Nikki Budzinski highlighted their differences on Thursday night during a debate hosted by Illinois Public Media, WAND News and the League of Women…

Truth Test: Does gun control not work?
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Truth Test: Does gun control not work?

CHAMPAIGN — In an exclusive interview with Illinois Public Media, Republican Regan Deering, the 13th congressional district candidate, made this claim: “I do think that unfortunately, a lot of the communities that are experiencing gun violence across the country do have very strict gun laws on the books.” “Correlation is not causation,” Dr. John Jackson,…

Democratic candidate Nikki Budzinski backs natural gas production, supports lowering prescription drug prices in IPM interview
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Democratic candidate Nikki Budzinski backs natural gas production, supports lowering prescription drug prices in IPM interview

URBANA — Two first-time candidates, Democrat Nikki Budzinski and Republican Regan Deering, are facing off in the newly redrawn 13th congressional district in central Illinois. The winner will help determine which party controls Congress in January. Springfield resident Nikki Budzinski spoke with Illinois Newsroom’s Harrison Malkin. Malkin: Nikki (Budzinski) is running against Regan Deering, a…

Governor Forum: Pritzker considering SAFE-T Act changes; Bailey urges full repeal
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Governor Forum: Pritzker considering SAFE-T Act changes; Bailey urges full repeal

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker is considering changes to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform to clarify provisions related to the end of cash bail in Illinois, while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, continues to push for a full repeal. The candidates shared their thoughts Friday on those and other issues during a…

Truth Test: Will the Workers’ Rights Amendment benefit workers?
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Truth Test: Will the Workers’ Rights Amendment benefit workers?

This election season, voters in Illinois will decide on a proposed amendment to the state constitution, dubbed “Amendment 1” or the “Workers’ Rights Amendment.” Voting “yes” on the amendment would establish a state constitutional right for employees to organize and collectively bargain. Frank Manzo IV, Executive Director of the pro-labor Illinois Economic Policy Institute, said…

The national wave of unfounded election-fraud accusations does not spare Illinois
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The national wave of unfounded election-fraud accusations does not spare Illinois

Conspiracy theorists inundate election officials across the state with form letters demanding voter records and threatening lawsuits. CHICAGO — No Republican nominee for president has won Illinois since 1988, with Joe Biden beating Donald Trump by more than 1 million votes in the last election two years ago. As a reliably blue state, Illinois has…

Republican candidate Regan Deering hopes to represent all Illinoisans, favors voter ID laws in IPM interview
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Republican candidate Regan Deering hopes to represent all Illinoisans, favors voter ID laws in IPM interview

URBANA — The November midterm election is less than two months away. In the newly redrawn 13th congressional district, Democratic candidate Nikki Budzinski will face Republican Regan Deering. Deering spoke with Illinois Newsroom’s Harrison Malkin about her background, what compelled her to join this important race, and some of her policy proposals. Malkin: I’m sitting…

Champaign Police Cars
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Truth Test: Will ending cash bail in Illinois cause a rise in crime?

Governor JB Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act into law in 2021. On January 1, 2023, the Act will end cash bail in Illinois. In a cash bail system, the ability to pay bail determines if a person is released or remains in jail after an arrest. Illinois Republicans are warning that New York’s bail reform,…