In this episode of the Prairie State Wire podcast, host Bryan Hyde speaks with journalist and policy expert Diana Rickert, a former vice president at the Liberty Justice Center and Illinois Policy Institute.

Rickert discusses Governor J.B. Pritzker's political ambitions and what his record in Illinois reveals about his leadership. She highlights three key issues—Illinois' crushing tax burden, the economic and social fallout of extended COVID lockdowns, and the decline of public education—and argues that Pritzker's policies have harmed working families while failing to deliver results.

Rickert warns that the rest of the country should take note if Pritzker seeks national office, describing Illinois as a cautionary tale of high taxes, poor accountability, and shrinking educational opportunity