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State Week: Politics at the Illinois State Fair

Every summer, Republicans and Democrats hold rallies at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The events are often seen as the unofficial kickoff to an election and also a barometer of how the parties are faring.

On this episode, we discuss the messages party leaders used at this year's events and what it tells us about the current political climate.

We also talk about a newly approved toll rate hike n motorists in northern Illinois and how some lawmakers want to see more oversight of funeral homes after a gruesome discovery in Chicago.

Host Sean Crawford is joined by Professor Emeritus Charlie Wheeler and WBEZ/Illinois Public Radio reporter Mawa Iqbal.

The former director of the Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) graduate program is Professor Charles N. Wheeler III, a veteran newsman who came to the University of Illinois at Springfield following a 24-year career at the Chicago Sun-Times.
Mawa is a statehouse reporter, covering the Illinois legislature for the Illinois Public Broadcasters collaborative.