Welcome to the September 2025 edition of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. Our power pollers have packed some big thinking into their responses to five new questions. Thom will analyze the results with veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery This month's special guest is Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

This month, we asked our Power Pollers to answer these questions:

• How would you rate Mayor Brandon Johnson's handling of Chicago's fiscal crisis?

• Do you support potential federal deployment of National Guard troops to aid ICE operations in Chicago?

• Should the Democratic Party prioritize including a downstate native on future tickets to appeal to rural voters?

• Do you believe Governor J.B. Pritzker's approach with the Trump administration serves Illinois' interests?

• What is your view on the impact of scooters and eBikes on Chicago's streets?

Thom, Mike, and Susana will share our Power Poll results and get into their analysis of the answers here on this month's episode.