On Monday’s St. Louis on the Air, we heard from Amanda Vinicky, Illinois Public Radio statehouse bureau chief, and Joseph Bustos, a reporter for the Belleville News-Democrat, about election issues in Illinois.
Illinois is trending Democratic statewide, carried by a Democratic majority in Chicago, but southern Illinois is trending Republican, said Bustos. That’s not enough to sway the electoral vote, however.
The marquee political race in Illinois appears to be that of the U.S. Senate contest that pits incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk against Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth.
Vinicky said that Kirk will likely be out-maneuvered by Duckworth, though he has apologized for past remarks against her family and has tried to show he has completely overcome the stroke that kept him out of his Senate seat during 2012. On Sunday, he completed a stair climb of Willis Tower in Chicago.
Also of interest is the influence of Governor Bruce Rauner and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on races throughout the state. They are spending a ton of money on political ads for other state elections in a sort of “proxy war,” said Bustos.
Listen as Bustos and Vinicky discuss other races and candidates ahead of tomorrow’s election:
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Kelly Moffitt give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
