Grassroots in Action: 40k Witness Slips Filed in Opposition to the Homeschool Act —Smoke-Filled Room

Hopefully your March Madness bracket isn’t already busted by the time you’re reading this. But if you’re like many politicos, between session and the upcoming municipal elections, you may have been too busy to even fill out a bracket this year.

To make sure you’re caught up on all things happening inside Illinois politics, Collin Corbett is joined by Cor’s political experts Chris Jackowiak and Michael Butler, policy expert Sharon Langlotz-Johnson, chair of the Illinois Center-Right Coalition Katie Clancy, and later former State Representative Dan Caulkins.

We start with the biggest issue in Illinois right now that gained national news: the Homeschool Act. Thousands of homeschool children and parents traveled to Springfield and over 40,000 witness slips were filed in opposition to the homeschool legislation. While the bill was advanced out of committee, clearly it has struck a nerve and Republicans are capitalizing.

Then we talk about Pritzker and the Democrats stoking the flame of political violence as they rachet up their rhetoric even further. They’re intentionally making people afraid, then act shocked (and blame Republicans) when that leads to violent acts. Even they’re paying the price now at their town halls.

Later we bemoan how Illinois has real problems, yet all Pritzker cares to do is go on media tours and make a name for himself in Washington. Meanwhile, towns in Central Illinois are devastated from this week’s storms, DCFS is failing our state’s kids, and Pritzker administration employees keep getting caught defrauding taxpayers. Illinois residents have an empty chair for a governor right now, and Collin has had enough—he ends his rant calling for Pritzker to resign.

We then get into politics and campaigns, especially looking ahead to 2026. We discuss the game of musical chairs Durbin, Pritzker, and Stratton are playing. We then analyze Jim Mendrick’s announcement of Aurora businessman Robert Renteria as his running mate. We also discuss Tom DeVore’s new “RINO Removal PAC” targeting Tony McCombie, Norrine Hammond, and Charlie Meier.

We close this week’s SFR covering some of the latest bad bills and insights you should know that you can share on social media, in fundraising emails, or when talking to voters, including legislation making sure college kids can get contraception and abortions on college campuses and how Illinois has fewer jobs in the private sector now than in 2019. Plus, of course, our OGs and clowns of the week.

00:00: Introductions
02:38: Homeschool Act Passes Committee Despite Massive Opposition
14:45: Pritzker Continues to Stoke the Fire as the Left Gets Increasingly Violent
23:20: JB Pritzker Doesn't Care About Illinois
40:58: Pritzker, Stratton, Durbin...Who Runs for What in 2026?
49:22: GOP Governor Candidate Jim Mendrick Chooses Robert Renteria as Running Mate
54:51: Tom Devore Forms "RINO Removal PAC" Targeting McCombie, Hammond, and Meier
01:06:39: Springfield Democrats Want Contraception and Abortion Available on Campus for College Kids 
01:09:41: Harmon Joins Senate Democrats Trying to Weaken Crime Free Housing 
01:13:41: Waukegan and Chicago Democrats Pushing to Increase Auto Insurance Rates 
01:16:59: Illinois Has Fewer Private Sector Jobs Now than in 2019
01:18:24: Left-Leaning Organizations Pushing for Expanded Sales Tax in Illinois
01:20:15: OG & Clown of the Week
01:31:55: Closing Thoughts