Every poll across the state and country, both before and after the election, showed the high cost of living, mostly caused by post-pandemic inflation, was the top issue for voters. But in Illinois, candidates from both parties failed miserably in communicating a strategy for making the state more affordable to live in.

We’re updating our Top Ten Legislative Districts that Could Flip as conditions on the ground (and ad dollars in the air) change the landscape with two weeks to go until Election Day.

When Democrats redrew the legislative maps in 2021, good government advocates, observers, jamokes like me, and, of course, Republicans, complained the gerrymandered maps would reduce competition and provide worse representation for taxpayers in the General Assembly over the next decade.

Here’s a rundown of some of the things we’re hearing around the state as campaign season prepares to turn to October:

This will not look great for Republicans, as you may imagine, but not every GOP insider is shaking in their loafers.

Arrogance seems to be Governor JB Pritzker’s default position every time he’s posed a questions about the rights of legal gun owners in the state.

If Governor JB Pritzker joins the ticket as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate or would leave Illinois to join a potential Harris administration in the cabinet, it would set off a series of events that would potentially lead to chaos in Illinois government and politics.

You have to assume Governor JB Pritzker has been sitting down in his 20,000 square foot mansion the past few days doing what we all do when we have to make a big life decision: make a pros and cons list.

At some point, a convicted politician in this state is going to be made an example of, right?

There are some pretty terrible jobs out there. There are some pretty terrible jobs in politics. But Chair of the Illinois Republican Party may be the septic tank cleaner job of Illinois politics.