Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

Joan is joined by Robert Weiner, director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. 

Weiner discussed the challenges of voting rights, including Congress's failure to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court's 2013 decision striking down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. He highlighted voter suppression efforts, citing laws in North Carolina and Texas as examples, and emphasized the importance of voter education and turnout, noting that other countries have higher voter participation due to easier access. He also criticized the Trump administration's attempts to undermine confidence in the electoral system.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan is joined by Dr. Kevin King, radiation oncologist at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago, answering questions related to former President Joe Biden's recent prostate cancer diagnosis. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan is joined by Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL).

He discussed his exchange, hours earlier, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, highlighting Rubio's shift from supporting diversity and inclusion to aligning with Trump's anti-diversity stance. Jackson also criticized President Donald Trump's acceptance of a Qatari luxury jet and its potential impact on U.S. foreign policy. 

Closer to home, Jackson addressed the recently announced Department of Justice investigation into city of Chicago hiring practices, attributing it to political retaliation. He also expressed concern over federal Medicaid and Medicare cuts, noting the Congressional Budget Office's estimate of about $500 billion in Medicare cuts due to the so-called PAYGO, or pay-as-you-go, budget rule.  

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan is joined by Patrick Hanley, head of the New Trier Democrats and Democratic candidate for the 9th Illinois State Senate seat (currently held by Laura Fine). 

In the interview, Hanley, who announced his candidacy on May 8, said he sees his "role in this as a community organizer, as a civic leader [and] as somebody who cares deeply about our people and about our democracy." He highlighted his commitment to "good public services that are accessible to everybody" and the "need to achieve the green energy transition" in Illinois, "and do it while growing the state." As a candidate Hanley said he plans to host events, town halls and community service activities, and maintain a strong social media presence.  

Four months into the second Trump administration, Hanley believes Illinois "is going to become more and more important as the federal government is trapped in gridlock, or worse. And so I see this as a moment for Democrats to redefine our party and reimagine what we expect and what we hope for from the state of Illinois."

He continued: "People should be able to point to us and say, look, they can fight the climate crisis while building data centers and bringing great new jobs, while delivering super high-quality services to people that need them. We need that focus and ambition so that we can draw a clear contrast with states like Florida, where ideologues have taken over the education system, where insurance costs are rising because they haven't dealt with climate change and with the environmental devastation. So we need that to be a clear contrast, so that Democrats can tell a story about what happens when we lead."

Hanley has one challenger, so far, in the 2026 Democratic primary, Rachel O’Konis Ruttenberg, who currently serves as deputy Cook County chief of staff for policy.  

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan is joined by Mark Turcotte, Illinois Poet Laureate and distinguished writer in residence at DePaul University.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan is joined by Lisa Graves, founder and executive director of True North Research, "a national investigative watchdog group that works with journalists and other researchers to shine a bright light on the dark money fueling regressive agendas targeting vital institutions in our republic." 

They discussed the Supreme Court's just-issued decision blocking Trump's deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. Graves criticized the Trump administration's unilateral actions, highlighting the fundamental due process rights enshrined in the Constitution. She also addressed the Supreme Court's controversial 2024 decision that said the president is entitled to immunity from prosecution for official acts, which she argued undermines the rule of law. Additionally, Graves discussed Trump's defiance of court orders, particularly in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the constitutionality of Trump's executive order challenging birthright citizenship, and the Supreme Court's consideration of nationwide court injunctions.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan talks to Laura Fine, Illinois state senator and Democratic candidate for Congress in the 9th District of Illinois.

On May 6 Fine announced her candidacy for the congressional seat being vacated by Jan Schakowsky, who is retiring at the end of her current term. Fine, who has served in the state legislature since 2013, said that she "started from scratch" in campaign fundraising "because federal and state are two different animals. State money can be used for state and federal fundraising is very different. So I have started from the very beginning, from zero at the federal side, and we are building, building, building. And it's really exciting, because we're gaining a lot of momentum. And so with this momentum, it tells me that there is an incredible group out there that supports me and wants to see me get this race past the finish line."

Fine highlighted her record on health care legislation, pointing in particular to her work on insurance reform. "If you look at how health care and insurance was tilted toward industry when I first came in and my history of legislation and now see how it is all consumer-focused in Illinois, that's a fighter who's willing to stand up to the bullies and win," she told WCPT. 

In the Illinois House, Fine chaired the Insurance Committee and now serves as vice chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, a focus she said resulted from a terrible automobile accident her husband had which left the couple with $600,000 in bills "that literally almost bankrupted us when I had two young children." 

"So it was daunting," Fine continued. "People who know me know that I'm a pretty calm person, but don't get me angry. So I got angry. And I went back and I actually got licensed in insurance so I could learn more about insurance law. And then it was the perfect storm, where my state senator decided he was going to retire and said, hey, you've been working on these issues; why don't you run for office? And I did. And one of the first committees I sat on was the Insurance Committee, and I realized how strong and powerful the insurance lobby was and made it my mission to make sure that the consumer would come first." She added: "I don't want any other family to experience what my family went through, and I think we can make sure that that does not happen."  

Fine's opponents in the 2026 Democratic primary will include social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who preceded Fine in representing both the House and Senate seats she has held.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Jessica Craven, author of the “Chop Wood, Carry Water” newsletter. She discussed her approach to political activism and voter engagement and shared a story about educating a non-voter, emphasizing the importance of explaining government basics without judgment. Craven also addresses the ongoing battle over Trump's tax cuts, which could add $4.5 trillion to the deficit and cause 8.6 million people to lose their Medicaid coverage, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate. Craven advocates for informed political action, providing scripts and resources to help citizens engage effectively.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, Turi Ryder talks to Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune contributing columnist and ABC7 Chicago political analyst. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck and co-host Phil Barker talk to Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.