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State Week: Polls, Puppets and Cash

State Week 23 logo (capitol dome)
Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois

The Simon Poll says incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk is 14 points behind Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. Democrats and Republicans are trying to use the other side's unpopular leaders to sink down-ballot candidates. Plus, Illinois is awash in campaign cash.

Sean Crawford hosts with regular panelists Charlie Wheeler, Amanda Vinicky and Brian Mackey.

Brian Mackey hosts The 21st Show and formerly reported on state government.
Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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.
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