Episode 176 : Special Midwest Edition - Land of Lincoln and the Windy City

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago are going through periods of profound political change. Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot, both first-time officeholders, are dealing with a number of political and fiscal challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Michael Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in American history, faces an unprecedented challenge to his decades-long career as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. How will the leadership standoff play out and who will ultimately be in charge in Springfield? How will the pandemic impact the business of the state legislature and city council? And how do Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot respond to the multitude of challenges they face in the coming year? Public Strategies’ Patrick Martin, Matt Glavin, Darren Collier, John Dunn, and Pat Carey reflect on the political battles of 2020, the road to recovery in 2021 and beyond, and what the future may hold for some of the biggest names in Illinois and Chicago politics.