Ross DeVol, President and CEO of Heartland Forward, a new ‘think and do’ think tank devoted to improving economic performance in the middle of the country, talks about how former factory towns and rural areas can revitalize their economies. He also discusses how to promote small business retention and growth, entrepreneurialism, globalization and tech.

Josh Kraushaar, political reporter for the National Journal and host of the Against the Grain podcast, talks about the 2020 election, Trump’s legacy, realignment, polling, white working class voters and the role of the news media.

Dante Chinni, a political writer for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News contributor, analyzes the 2020 election results including the differences among American suburbs and Latino voters as well as challenges facing both parties moving forward. Chinni also directs the American Communities Project at George Washington University.

Amanda Vinicky, WTTW Chicago Tonight correspondent and former political reporter for NPR Illinois and the Illinois public radio network, talks about the 2020 election results in Illinois and the impact on state government in 2021. She provides analysis on the Fair Tax Amendment, Justice Kilbride retention, the role of Speaker Madigan and much more.

Erin Murphy, Des Moines Bureau Chief for Lee Enterprises, talks about the election results in Iowa from the presidential race down to the state legislature. He His analysis includes a discussion of polls, strategy, demographic trends and whether Iowa remains a battleground state or is more firmly red (Republican).

Miles Coleman, writer and editor with the Crystal Ball produced by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, talks about the Center's predictions for the presidential race and control of the US Senate and US House. He also suggests some key early indicators to watch for how the election will go, including for Iowa.

Kathie Obradovich, editor of the Iowa Capital Dispatch, provides an overview and analysis of all the key races in Iowa, from the presidency to the state legislature. Obradovich has 30+ years experience reporting on politics and government in Iowa including as a political reporter for the Quad City Times and political columnist and opinion editor for the Des Moines Register.

Jon Shields, co-author of Trump’s Democrats (along with Stephanie Muravchik), talks about his book’s focus on white, working class voters who switched from voting for Barack Obama to Donald Trump. He provides insights into their reasons, why they are still vital for the Democratic coalition and whether they will come back to Biden.

Former Illinois Governor George Ryan talks about his recent book, Until I Could Be Sure: How I Stopped The Death Penalty in Illinois, and the journey that led him from being a pro-capital punishment conservative to leading the charge to stop the death penalty in Illinois and across the nation.

Tim Alberta, chief political correspondent for Politico Magazine, discusses his book American Carnage: On The Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump, the 2020 election and the political landscape moving forward. He shows how Trump “is not the creator of this era of national disruption....but, rather is its most manifest consequence.”