Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

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.

Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck and co-host Phil Barker talk to Ross Harrison, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

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 talks to Gal Beckerman, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of The Quiet Before: On the Unexpected Origins of Radical Ideas.

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 Kevin Schultz, professor of history at UIC and author of “Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History.”

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.

Illinois Congressman Jonathan Jackson joins Mike Nellis, filling in for Joan Esposito.

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 Emily Chertoff, associate law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, who discussed the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to justify sweeping deportation powers. The act, originally intended for wartime, is now being applied to individuals the Trump administration asserts are gang members. Lower courts have challenged these actions, and the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked some deportations. Chertoff highlighted the administration's disregard for due process, citing cases of sick children being deported, and emphasized the importance of political activism and legal efforts to protect civil liberties.

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 Rob Majdecki, senior vice president and chief investment officer at Amalgamated Bank of Chicago (ABOC). 

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.