Patti Vasquez is joined by Dr. Kristin Lyerly, OB/GYN, 2024 candidate for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District, plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s pre-Civil War abortion law, and host of “The Kristin Lyerly Show” on Civic Media. 

Dr. Lyerly discussed the importance of routine preventive care, including screenings for cervical cancer and other health issues. She highlighted new developments in home screening for cervical cancer using a Q-tip. She also addressed the impact of the GOP's recently enacted Medicaid cuts on patients, particularly those in rural areas and with disabilities. She emphasized the need for better support for survivors of sexual violence, noting that "up to 50,000 girls and children every year are victims of sex trafficking, and fewer than a half of 1 percent report it because of the psychological manipulation, the shame, the threats that they'll be punished. They are literally stuck in these disgusting, terrible situations, and they don't have any way out."

Dr. Lyerly shared her commitment to community involvement and advocacy, encouraging survivors to seek help and support.

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Patti is joined by Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL).

Sorensen discussed his transition from meteorology to politics, emphasizing the importance of trust and communication. He highlighted his efforts to address the climate crisis and improve weather warning systems, including working on bipartisan legislation with GOP Reps. Nathaniel Moran of Texas and Mike Flood of Nebraska. (About the latter, Sorensen joked: "His last name is Flood. Let's be honest. If the weatherman in Congress needs somebody on the other side, I'm probably going to go to Mike Flood.")

The second-term Democrat criticized recently enacted budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service. (Sorensen voted with all House Democrats against the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act.) 

"When it comes to the National Weather Service," he told WCPT, "we need to make sure that they're funded because I'll tell you, I talked with folks at AccuWeather and the Weather Channel. They don't want to be in the data collection. They just want to be able to sell the communication of it. It's the same thing that commercial television and radio stations do. They don't want to be in the business of collecting the data. But also, what we're seeing now with this administration, the Trump administration wants to take away the funding for NOAA to do their research. In Donald Trump's brain, he seems to think that if he legislates climate change to go away, that it won't exist anymore. . . . And I think it's a great place for Democrats to be, because now we can say, no, we're going to put America first. We want America to win here. We want America to innovate and lead when it comes to science, and not push back against science, not cut the funding for the Department of Education. I mean, those are things that put America last."

He added: "We can't just push back against Donald Trump. We have to show the country what Democrats are for. We are for health care. We want to make sure we're connecting people, especially vulnerable groups, to health care. We want to make sure that kids are not going to sleep tonight without having a meal in their bellies today. I mean, those are the things that we're fighting for, and we need to continue building this list as we go forward, because that's how we're going to bring people to our side."

Sorensen also addressed the Epstein files controversy, calling for transparency and accountability. 

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Patti Vasquez talks to Paul Nolley, candidate for Congress in the 16th District, at the McLean County Democrats' 2025 BBQ & Bags County Board Fundraiser. It took place on July 12 at IBEW Local 197. (The interview aired on "Driving It Home" July 18.)

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti Vasquez talks to Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, at the McLean County Democrats' 2025 BBQ & Bags County Board Fundraiser. It took place on July 12 at IBEW Local 197. (The interview aired on "Driving It Home" July 18.)

Stratton discussed her campaign for Senate, emphasizing her extensive travel across Illinois and the enthusiasm she encounters.

"People are engaged," she told Vasquez. "They are looking for real change. They want to see a fighter. And when I can look them in the eye and say, I'm going to be that fighter for them, it just builds that energy to say, we are going to make it through these really dark times, and we're going to come out fighting for the people of Illinois."

She highlighted the impact of recent federal policies, such as the "big, ugly bill" that threatens health care and food assistance, and contrasted it with Illinois's record of seven consecutive balanced budgets and nine credit rating upgrades. Stratton stressed the importance of affordability, access to health care, and education, and criticized the federal government's lack of action on minimum wage and gun safety. 

"Yes, there's a lot of fear," Stratton said. "There's a lot of uncertainty. And I think we just have to dig deep and recognize there's power in community, and the power is people like this here in McLean County coming together to say we're not going to sit on the sidelines. We're going to fight back." 

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Jen Golbeck, professor, computer scientist, psychologist, “expert in the far-right, online extremism, AI, and bad things on the internet,” and author of the MAGAReport on Substack. She talks about her recent articles on Jeffrey Epstein and MAGA.

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti and guest co-host Dan Schaefer are joined by Alex Hackworth, regional organizing director for Unite New York. He talks about ranked choice voting and the recent New York City mayoral primary election. 

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti Vasquez and guest co-hosts Jess Piper, the Dirt Road Dem and executive director of Blue Missouri.

In the conversation, Piper discussed Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe's repeal of paid sick leave in Missouri, which was supported by 58 percent of voters, including many Republicans. She highlighted the broader issue of voter overrides in red states and the challenges faced by progressives. The discussion also touched on the impact of ICE raids on farm labor and America's historic failure to punish Civil War Confederates. Piper emphasized the need for long-term commitment and relentless activism, particularly in red states, to address these issues.

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti and guest co-host Soli Santos are joined in studio by Will Clinger (“Willie B Famous”), Darren Stephens (“Darren 2B Famous”) and Rick Vamos (“Ricky Famous”) of The Famous Brothers. The group offers classic bluegrass harmony with an original comic twist. 

Wednesday, July 23rd at 8:00 p.m. FitzGerald’s presents what is very likely their last performance on American soil. Get tickets at www.famousbrothers.com/show-info.html.

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti Vasquez is joined by state Sen. Laura Fine (D-IL), who discussed her campaign for the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, emphasizing her vision to address wealth inequality, health care challenges, and climate change. She highlighted the upcoming "Good Trouble Lives On" rally July 17 in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to honor the late civil rights icon John Lewis. 

Asked what her vision is for redressing the harm being done by the Trump administration, Fine, a member of the state legislature since 2013, answered: "turning it around and getting it done. We did that here in Illinois. It's a little bit PTSD, but after Bruce Rauner was governor, our state was in shambles. We saw our human service providers were folding. Our universities were crumbling. People could not get access to the things they needed. Violence went up because we did not fund violence prevention on the street. But look where we are now. We were able to take the bull by the horns and turn it around, and that's exactly what we're going to do in Washington. We are going to make sure that the voices of the people are heard again. Human dignity is not up for debate. We're going to take the [U.S.] House back in 2026 to make sure we turn this around, because people -- I you know it sounds flippant when you're hearing it, but people are going to die. These are not just policies. It's cruelty . . . creating suffering that is a result of greed. And we cannot stand for this. And that's why rallies like the one we're going to have on Thursday are so important, because our leaders in D.C. have to see that the people back home will not take this any longer."

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

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Patti Vasquez is joined by Stephen E. Kravit, Milwaukee attorney and former federal prosecutor.  He has an update on Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who was arrested by the FBI in April.

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

And find the "Driving It Home (Full Episodes)" podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

 

 

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