In this episode of the Politics on the Prairie, George interviews Patrick Harlan, the Republican candidate for the 36th District State Senate in Illinois. Harlan introduces himself as a blue-collar truck driver from Galesburg, Illinois, and discusses his motivations for running, sparked by the Safety Act and rising costs of living. He emphasizes the need for common-sense solutions in politics, focusing on issues such as education, infrastructure, and mental health. Harlan also expresses strong support for the Second Amendment and critiques existing policies and high taxes. He aims to bring practical, working-class perspectives to the Illinois Senate, calling for less regulation and more standardized procedures across the state. Throughout the discussion, Harlan shares his background, policy priorities, and views on key state issues, urging constituents to support his grassroots campaign.

https://www.harlanfori...

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:12 Why Patrick Harlan is Running for State Senate

01:29 Challenges in Education and the Value of Trades

04:29 Economic and Business Regulations

05:51 Infrastructure and Spending Issues

09:21 Addressing Mental Health and Homelessness

13:14 Second Amendment Rights

15:53 Pension Problems and Potential Solutions

18:32 Comparing Candidates: Halpin vs. Harlan

19:11 Key Differences in Policies and Values

19:18 Addressing Crime and Law Enforcement

19:33 Common Sense and Conservative Values

21:03 Compromise and Non-Negotiables

21:53 Infrastructure and Corruption

23:57 Union Support and Political Stance

25:58 Elevator Pitch to JB Pritzker

28:02 Grassroots Campaign and Community Support

30:45 Final Thoughts and Call t

In this episode of 'Politics on the Prairie,' George Dienhart interviews Niki Conforti, a businesswoman and congressional candidate for Illinois' Sixth District. Conforti discusses her background in business, healthcare, and energy, emphasizing her commitment to representational governance and fiscal conservatism. She outlines her campaign's focus on family values, safety, cost of living, and small government. Conforti also highlights lessons learned from her previous campaign and her plans to enhance consumer protections in healthcare and support for veterans. Key policy positions include unwavering support for the Second Amendment and a critical stance on current transgender policies. Conforti appeals to voters with a promise of impactful representation and urges community involvement for the 2026 election.

Host George Dienh

Today marks the begging of a new chapter for The Report- the launch of the Prairie State Network. We are starting with two shows- an interview show known as Politics on the Prairie and a short form content show known as Save Illinois. Some slight site reconfiguration supporting this new content will take place in the very near future.

Most importantly, we are also releasing an interview with Christian Maxwell, a candidate for IL-01. She's a woman that we should be proud of as a GOP candidate. I'll leave this pinned to the top of the page for 3 days. We hope you find her as engaging as we have.