Children are dying. Where is Pritzker?—Smoke-Filled Room—Episode 114

Dark clouds and storms were rolling in at the start of our recording…it was almost a sign for what we’d be discussing in this week’s Smoke-Filled Room with Collin Corbett, former state representatives Mark Batinick and Tom Demmer, and Cor’s political experts Michael Butler and Chris Jackowiak.

We begin recapping our special episode from last week, looking at where Republicans could win in 2026. Tom talks about the need for quality candidates. Mark agrees, and also highlights how incumbency matters, and how we must get better at VBM. We also talk about much of the action in 2026 being in the State Senate, compared to 2024 when it was in the House.

We transition to a much more somber and serious conversation, one we’ve had before but it’s now become even more serious. DCFS is failing under JB Pritzker. We highlight a heartbreaking story of yet another avoidable loss and how DCFS is trying to cover it up—something that has happened over 1,200 times since 2018.

Governor Flip-Flop also got called out this week for his hypocrisy on gerrymandered maps. He is rightfully being skewered for calling Texas Republicans “cheaters” for thinking about redrawing their maps, when Illinois has the most gerrymandered maps in the country…maps he approved (after promising he wouldn’t)!

We then get into political topics—first discussing Susana Mendoza’s announcement not to run for re-election for Comptroller. This showed the difference between Democrats and Republicans because Democrats instantly had candidates ready to announce for Comptroller and Republicans still have no candidates in sight for numerous statewide offices. This led to an inevitable rant and a deeper discussion about needing serious Republican candidates for all statewide offices.

We later discuss Don DeWitte’s retirement announcement. With Don in the race, SD33 played like an R+3, but without him, it’ll play like a D+3. Republicans now have another tough district to defend in 2026.

We then discuss how the Illinois Realtors are perfectly playing the game against the real estate transfer tax and how Illinois Democrats are running an entire statewide slate of Chicago candidates, so apparently we now just live in the State of Chicago. We finish by highlighting news you can use and giving our OGs and clowns of the week.

00:00: Introductions
02:26: Feedback on Special SFR Focused on Where IL Republicans Can Win in 2026
27:43: Yet Another Heartbreaking Failure by Pritzker's DCFS
36:29: Governor Flip-Flop Says Gerrymandering Is Ok When He Does It, But Not When Republicans Do It
42:51: Susana Mendoza Will Not Run for Re-Election as Comptroller, Creating an Open Seat
56:33: Springfield to Lose One of Its Best as Don DeWitte Not Running for Re-Election
01:01:59: Realtors Spending Big to Oppose Suburban Property Transfer Taxes to Bail Out Brandon Johnson's CTA
01:07:32: Slated Democrat Statewide Candidates All from Chicago
01:15:37: Chicago Pension Sweetener Would Cost City Taxpayers $11 Billion
01:18:19: Chicago Taxpayers on the Hook for Nearly Half a Billion Because Chicago Refused to Pay $14 Million
01:19:46: Chicago Public Schools Lays Off Another 1,500 Employees 
01:21:25: Governor Pritzker Publicly Attacks Major Illinois Employer State Farm
01:23:09: Rivian Taking Illinois Tax Incentives While Hiring Foreign Workers 
01:24:37: Pritzker Using Murdered Child's Name for Political Gain Without Mother's Consent
01:25:35: Number of Children Claiming Abuse at Illinois Youth Prisons Now Over 900
01:26:18: DuPage County Democrats Wasting Millions in Tax Dollars 
01:27:16: OG & Clown of the Week
01:33:59: Closing Thoughts