We'll take a closer look at th political landscape in Illinois this election year.

And bringing the bawdy back to the wickedest city in The Cities.

[lively music] [music ends] At the turn of the last century, Davenport, because of the red light district known as Bucktown, was called the wickedest city in America.

Well, a burlesque festival is embracing that this month, and we'll talk about that in a moment.

But first, political theater as the Illinois legislature pushes its way towards the las six weeks of the 2026 session, we take a closer look at the politics of the state as candidates start to pivot no toward the November elections.

Western Illinois University political scientist Doctor Keith Boeckelman is a student of Illinois government.

And I talked with him from his offices in McComb.

You know, the big buzzwor for 2026 has been affordability.

Democrats really started this last fall.

Republicans are using it as well.

Is that the huge campaign them that you're expecting in 2026?

Well, I d think that Governor Pritzker is clearly going to try to run, at least in part, on this.

He's adopte a lot of the national Democratic Party ideas around affordability, particularly related to housing, and his own initiatives for the spring legislative session.

And I think this will be something that he will emphasize in his campaign as well.

And so a lot of the affordability, ideas focus on the notion that many traditional Democratic policies, such as environmental review and so forth, make it hard to build housing.

And so, Governor Pritzker has this, build initiativ where he's going to try to limit some of these regulations, also provide, funding for first generation home buyers, try to reduce some, parking regulations that limit the ability to build housing, some other things.

So he's adopting a lot of these national democratic policies and trying to implement them in Illinois.

And I'm sure he will run on these as well.

Yeah, definitely.

National policies as well, because, I mean the whole issue of affordability now comes into question with, you know, higher prices for virtually everything, consumer goods, either because of the war in Iran or the higher tariffs.

I mean, it's really hitting, and gas prices, as well, as you well know, is really hitting American pocketbooks.

The question is whether th the hurt that we're seeing now will last into November.

Yeah.

Well, so I think part of this depends on how the war in Iran plays out.

But I think by most accounts, gas prices are still likely to be higher, and to, by, into November.

And they're gonn probably last for quite a while.

I think it's interesting to see how state level politicians are kind of processing this.

So Tony McCombie, the, Illinois House minority leader, is emphasizing some of the Republican ideas about affordability, like property tax cuts, no tax on tariffs, which is the actual level policy of President Trump.

While, the House speaker in Illinois, Chris Welch, is trying to say that some of the things that Democrats are doing, like crime for mass transit in Chicago, is affordability.

So to some degree, you can also see it as being kind of dovetaile with the party's existing agenda and using affordabilit as a buzzword to try to justify what they're already doing o what they're already advocating.

Well there's always that philosophy that you go back to James Carville during the Clinton, race for the presidency where, It's the economy, stupid.

I mean, that holds as true today, I guess, as it did, wow, I can't believe that's what, some 30 years ago.

It is hard to believe that.

But, yeah, I think both the state and the national level, the economy is almost alway the number one issue for voters.

And so, you know, i the economy is not looking good, I think that creates problems, at least for President Trump and the Republicans.

Now, of course, it plays out a little bi differently at the state level, where you had a Democrats in charge.

But you can also see them making efforts to try to say that the economic problems are President Trump's fault.

Well, and let's b honest, I mean, the rural voter, the farm vote is so strongly conservative and so strongly Republican and in many ways very much backs, President Trump.

But yet they're getting hit the hardes by the tariffs as well as the, war and the higher, prices for a fertilizers and gas.

Is that a, is that a voting bloc, rural Illinois that could swing more Democratic?

I think it's possible, but I kind of doubt it.

Honestly.

I mean, first off, I think that the number of actual farmers, even in rural Illinois, is still outweighed by people living in town and smaller cities and so forth.

But I also think that whil some farm groups are criticizing the tariffs and raising concerns about the high price of, fertilizer and so forth, I do think that rural voters are really very distrustful of Democrats.

And so I don't see this changing over one election cycle, maybe in the longer term perhaps, but I don't really see that happening in 2026 elections.

The legislation, legislatures a session is, of course, winding down in a couple of weeks.

And also the budge is also always almost the last may well, is the last major issue, but sometimes the last issue period of the legislative session, the, the governo proposing a $56 billion budget, the Illinois policy, it's a conservative group, says the state can expect $21 billion deficit over the next five years.

It seems it seems like Illinois is always facing some kind of a budget crisis right now.

Well and I think part of this stems from the unfunded pensio liabilities that Illinois has.

Illinois has the least well funded pension system of any state in the country.

We're spending a lot of money to pay off previous pension debts, that's previous underfunding of pensions.

And so essentially, while the governor in his State of the State address is touting a balanced budget, there are structural factors that make it difficult to balance the budget over this longer time frame, particularly the pension situation.

And we dont, you mentioned the economy earlier.

We don't know what's going to happen with the economy, but if the economy does go into recession, that obviously harms tax revenues.

The Illinois tax structure is very, very heavily dependent on income taxes, particularly.

And, and sales taxes on goods.

So particularly the income tax portion can be very sensitive to going into recession.

And that, kind of compounds the problem in future years.

So again, the governor's touting a balanced budget this year, but there are a lot of headwinds of challenges.

We could potentially be facing in the out years.

Well, the governor governor's also creating kind of a boogeyman, in a way, with President Trump and, Republican lawmaker by saying that, the White House and a Trump administration is targeting blue states such as Illinoi and not funding certain things, only because they are Illinois.

Does that hold true politically, the that you make Trump your scapegoat, for any budget problems that are in Illinois?

Well, I don't know if, I mean, I think there's some trut to what the governor's saying.

I mean, recently, for example, the president cut off some food programs to Illinois because he didn't like the state' policies on DEI and immigration.

And so I think that, there's some truth to what the governor say now, will it work politically?

I, not sure if the ability t shift the blame is really there.

I think if people start feeling these cuts, they're not always sure, who's responsible for them and who to sign the blame to.

But I do think it's the governor's political interest to try to make the case that this is not his fault.

And he, you know, the budget and the way the economy's going is going to be an issue, of course, in the gubernatorial race.

But, Pritzker it's a rematch right now, with Darren Bailey.

So what does Bailey really have to do to improve his standin compared to the last election?

Well I think to win elections in all, you need to win two of the three regions basically.

So being Chicago, downstate in the suburbs and we know that downstate is going to go over there and like we know, Chicago is going to go for Pritzker.

So Bailey needs to mak some inroads into the suburbs.

And I think the way he does that is focusing on more economic issues, issues like property taxes, things like that.

So if he can, can, some of Illinois's economic struggles on the governor, that's really his path to victory.

Now, Bailey has a bran as a strong social conservative, focused on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights and things like that.

And so he's going to have to, and that doe not run as well at the suburbs.

And so he's going to have to distance himsel from his own brand a little bit.

And I think he's making efforts to do that.

I looked on his website and it does emphasize these issues like property taxes or even social issues.

But, you know, since he has run before, he does have this brand.

And that's going to be really its challenge to distance himself from that, to convince and not people in the suburbs that he's a more moderate kind of Republican.

And in some ways, he gave a little bit of a mea culpa about the last run.

And as you said, his brand.

But but you think that he may softe his campaign this time around, but does that really mean that he's softened his positions?

Yeah, I don't think he's softening positions, but he get he can try to soften his brand.

I mean, I think his brand is is a strong social conservative.

If you look him up on Wikipedia, for example, it says something like Darre Bailey is an extreme right wing Republican or something like that.

Which is not to say that Wikipedia is unbiased, but it is, I think, an indicatio of how Darren Bailey is viewed.

And so if he has any chance, I think he needs to, you know, he needs to rebrand himself again, a little bit.

Now, I will say tha sometimes running for the third term can be tricky for a sitting governor.

And that's where JB Pritzker is right now.

Jim Thompson, when he ran for his third term, had a very narro squeaker of election where you, I think, won by 7 or 8000 votes.

And so, you know, that there could be a little bit of that idea that Pritzker has been in long enough, but I think it's going to be very challenging.

You know, what's shaping up to be a Democratic year for, Daley to beat Pritzker.

The other big race, of course, for the US Senate with Dick Durbin retiring and, Juliana Stratton, the lieutenant governor, with the backing of, Pritzker.

Pritzker almost a kingmaker in this case.

Does Don Tracy really have much of a chance in this particular race?

Because, as you said, you know, midterm elections often swing against the administration.

So it could be a Democratic, wave.

Yeah, I mean, I think there's a lot of things working against Don Tracy.

I mean, he's not, in my part of the state he's somewhat well known, but he's not necessarily that well known statewide, even though he was the Republican Party chair.

Juliana Stratton while she was lieutenant governor, which is certainly not the sam name recognition as the governor she has been on the statewide ticket twice now.

So she has a little bit of name recognition for that.

And again, I think she ha the fact that she's a Democrat and to her advantage in this particular election, you know, in the primary, both she and, Trac each got about 40% of the vote.

But since so many more Democrats voted in the Democratic primary, she got about twice, over twic as many actuals votes as he did.

And so I think that's kind of an indicator that there's more energy on the Democratic side going into this election, than on the Republican side.

So he, like Darren Bailey, I think has an uphill battle.

I don't think he necessarily had he's in a better position to brand himself, than Darren Bailey is because he hasn't run for statewide office before.

But I think, again, another thing working agains him a little bit is some of the big Republican donors have kind of fled the scene.

Ken Griffin, who put a lot of money into Republica politics, has moved to Florida.

Richard Uihlein, another big donor seems to be sitting on the sideline a little bit more for this one.

So he's going to have to be able to raise a substantial money, whereas Stratton could sort o depend on Pritzger bankrolling her campaign.

One interesting Republican election from the primary was, Noreen Hammond losing, quite decisively, to, Josh Higgins.

Higgins getting 58% of the vote, Noreen Hammond, 33%.

She's the deputy Republican leader.

I mean, she was the establishment.

She survived when Rauner tried to get rid of her, a few primaries ago.

What do you read int the fact that she lost so badly to, a conservative, perhaps more conservative Republican?

Well, I do thin there was an effort to turnout the more MAGA Republicans, which she is not really seen as in this primary.

There were efforts in Republican primaries across the state to do that.

Frankly, this was the mos successful one, upsetting her.

But I think part of the issue she faced is that her district used to include Macomb, which, of course, include my university, Western Illinois.

And it was easy, easier t justify some of her votes, like for the tax increase during th Rauner era, as helping Western.

But now that's not part of her district anymore.

And s she's got a very rural district, and I think the MAGA presence in that district was not really counterbalanced by some of the elements in her former district.

And so I think the redistrictin probably hurt or in this case.

Well, I thank you for your time.

I appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you.

It's good talking to you.

Our thanks to Western Illinois University political science professor Doctor Keith Boeckelman.

Just ahead, bringing a world of burlesque t three stages later this month.

But first, some of the events schedule throughout the cities right now, thanks to Visit Quad Cities.

[soft music] Check out the things t do this week in the Quad Cities.

Start your week off with an afternoon of fun on Celebration River Cruises narrated launch cruise.

Next, enjo a musical celebration of female country music stars.

Check out Honky Tonk Angels this week.

Then enjoy a special progra performed by Ballet Quad Cities at the Figge Art Museum.

Next experience a celebration during the Wickedest City Burlesque and Variety Festival happening throughout the quad Cities.

Finally, enjoy Ragged Record and Music while they celebrate Record Store Day.

It will be filled with fun gifts and limited items.

For more events like these.

Check out our events calendar at VisitQuadCities.com.

[music ends] Davenport had quite a reputation in the early 1900s.

The Bishop of Davenport, Henry Cosgrove, who was onc shot at in his bed by burglars and who strongly believe in the evils of liquor, called Davenport the wickedest city of its size in America.

Well, now, 123 years later, that wickedness is being embraced.

The Wickedest City Burlesqu and Variety Fest is hitting the stages of the Adler, the Capital Theater and the Circa 21 Speakeasy for a three day ru starting Thursday, April 16th.

We talked with one of the organizers, Manhattan, about what we could expect.

Wickedest City Burlesque and Variety Festival.

Where did you come up with this idea?

And let's be honest, three different venues.

This is a biggie.

I came up with that idea because I've been to a couple of different festivals and I'm like, they they need it around here, especially the Quad Cities.

It's just a thriving area of burlesque.

And, but I've bee to a lot of burlesque festivals, and there's not, like a lot of variety, like drag, circus, you know, like the different, there's just so much that you can do.

So I'm like, well, I really want to make it a variety fest and, you know, have them feel involved.

And then like the three nights just because I'm an overachiever.

Well, okay, let's talk about the first nights at the Adler Theater.

This is competition that's going on Thursday, April 16th.

This one, this is all kicking off.

Yes.

What type of reaction did you get from the burlesque community?

Because they're coming from all over.

They are, I got like a huge amount of people wanting to come.

I have people coming from Arizona, North Carolina, Seattle, locally here in the Quad Cities, Des Moines, I mean, like you, just so many people apply for this competition.

And I didn't think the competition would do as well as it did... Right.

...but I, just a bunch of people are like, I want to compete.

I'm like, cool.

That's fantastic.

Well, let's I should back up a bit because burlesque is described as boundary pushing entertainment.

Some people, let's be honest it's a adult entertainment.

Yes, but how bawdy does it get?

I mean, explain to me what people would be able to see.

I mean, you can see anything from somebody doing like a classic burlesque.

So, you know, just like a simple just removal teasing and stuff like that.

Or you can see people doin amazing tricks on like a chair or dressed up as a cow or a giant Furby.

So many different kinds of things.

So, it's kind of like if you can imagine it, somebody probably doesn't last routine to it.

But what got you involved in it?

What what made you go oh, this is this is so unique.

I got to be a part of it.

A lot of convincing from friends.

It was, I do, I do photography, so I was like, photographing, a couple, the performers, and then they're like, oh, you should try this.

And I'm like, I'm good.

I don't need to do that.

And then, you know, going to the shows.

And then I took like, the classes and stuff and, yeah, I was just like, I have to do this.

I can do weird stuff.

I can perform these cool things.

And.

Yeah.

What are you thinking when you're on stage?

Um, I, its just sometimes it's especially when I'm, like, giant Furby.

I'm like, I'm adorable.

I'm a giant Furby.

Or it's like, you're just kind of hyping into yourself.

It's like another character too.

So.

But you must bounce off a lot by the audience.

Oh, yeah, I, I feed off of the audience reaction so much, especially like doing tricks and stuff, and then they scream or they yell and like, you just look and you're like, yes, I'm doing.

Have you always been?

I would hate to say this kind of a ham.

I mean, does that... Nope.

Really?

No, definitely... So this is like a tota different persona for you then.

...yes, yes.

Very cool.

Yeah.

I'm definitel one of those people that's like, I'll just chill out over here.

You guys have fun.

Until the stage lights hit.

Uh, huh.

Let's talk about day two.

The second night is the Fandom Showcase that's going to be at the Speakeasy, a much smaller venue there and right next to Circa 21.

Yeah.

What's happening at that event?

So it's Fandom Showcase, which is kind of, like all the fandoms you can think of, like from science fiction to, fantasy to like comic book to anime, like any kind of super nerd or fantasy, kind of like act is going to be there.

So it's amazing.

We have, features of lychee Mixer who is here in the quad Cities, and then Betsy Beau Peep, who is from Muscatine, and, she actually runs her Nerds in Heat with Betty Boop.

Lychee Mynx with The Illuminauties, which is locally here, too.

And then Machi Kom, Maki Roll is up in DC, who does the International Nerdlesqu Festival and performs everywhere And then I have headliners Queen Quan and Charlie Quinn Starling.

So.

There's some people who might be going, what is this woman talking about?

I know, it's a lot.

it is a lot, but I mean, this is something that it's a form of entertainment.

As you said, burlesque has been popping up more in the Quad Cities.

It's becoming, an even that more people are attending.

If you haven't been to burlesque, what are you telling people about this?

I like... Don't be afraid?

I would think it's one.

Oh, yeah.

Burlesque.

I mean, it's definitely.

So some people have kind of like, an attitude towards it.

Like they're like.

Oh, like I'm.

I'm good.

And I'm like, actually no, it's very, like enriching.

It's very like, I want to say cultured for a lot of, some of it's fun.

Like it's just weird.

Just off the map.

Off the, yeah.

But it's also like cultured and like it shows different like attributes of people, strengths of peopl or just some people being like, hey, I'm really good looking and I can make you feel all kinds of things.

Yeah, I think that's fantastic.

So.

The third night, the last night is the grand showcase that's going to be at the Capitol Theater.

Yes, yup.

We were talking earlier.

That's such a cool venue to use.

Tell me about the Grand Showcase.

The Grand Showcase is like the the like also wide-arrayed, but it's more towards like not nerdlesque and not like it's, there's no competition.

But the competition winne will be performing that night.

So that's lik one of the things that they win.

But we have our headliners, Queen Quan from New Orleans, performing that night with Charlie Quinn Starling, who is originally from the UK but lives in Vegas.

And then we have Drop Dead Red, who is, you know, Quad Cities, you know, own amazing performer.

And then Kitty Bardot, who's two features, and then it's like, you know, just big extravagant, like good routines.

They're just like, they've worked really, really hard on these routines.

So.

So tickets are available right now.

We we have the, the location, your website, on the screen.

You described them as fearless performances.

Yes.

[ha, ha] And like the smile because, it takes something to get up on that stage.

Oh, yeah.

And to be something completely, I mean, as you were saying, fo yourself, completely different and totally out of your wheelhouse.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, it's it's you have to just kind of go out there.

There's like something different.

So I've done theater, you know in the, you know, in the past.

Sure.

You know, that's I've done that.

But it's always been like a small character and it's like, you have to own everything to be on that stage, to be up there, whether it's like a small bar stage or if it's like a big theater stage like that like it's fearless, like you're doing stuff... Yeah.

...like enchanting people and working with people.

And it's just, yeah, it's a lot.

So what's your pitch now?

Because this is the last few moments that we have for those people are just kind of going, I'm not sure this is for me.

It's for everybody.

I mean, it like there's so many different things that you will get from it that you'll learn from it, that you'll like from it, that you can just be like a moment that you'll think about for like the next six months that you're like, that was really cool.

And it's like you're going to look at your friend that you went with.

You're gonna be like, hey remember that just random thing?

They're going to be like, yeah, I definitely remember that.

I wonder what's the next thing?

So.

Wickedest City Burlesque and Variety Fest.

This is just the first one.

Yes.

Yep, yep.

Just the first one.

Hopefully back year after year.

Uh, huh.

Tryin.

I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Our thanks to Manhattan, one of the organizers of the upcoming Wickedest City Burlesque and Variety Fest.

Once again, it starts Thursday, April 16th.

You can get more information at Wickedest City Burlesque at Variety fest.com.

The Midwest Writing Conference, also once called Bucktown area its home.

It has since moved to the Rock Island Library, but it still provide budding writers a place to grow.

It is led by Ryan Collins.

Now, as we mark the nation's 250th birthday, we're asking people how they got to where they are and how they are impacting our community.

So we asked Ryan, what's his Civic Spark?

Well, I think, writing's important to any society, culture.

It's how we capture our history.

It's how we express ourselves.

It's how we share ideas.

It's a cornerstone of education.

And that's one of the primary ways we can lift ourselves up and lift each other up.

And so, any work that we can do along those lines, I feel like is worthwhile.

Our thanks to Ryan Collins, director of the Midwest Writing Center telling us of his Civic Spark.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues on The Cities.

[lively music] [music ends]