Prairie State Wire

Dan Proft, co-host of AM 560 The Answer, said Governor J.B. Pritzker has decided to go on tour and critique the Trump administration while other cities are outperforming Illinois in job creation, public safety, tax burden, and academic proficiency. Proft shared his views on X on March 20.

"Gov. Jelly Belly has taken his mobility scooter on the road for his ironically entitled, "Standing Up for Illinois Tour" to "shed light on how the Trump Administration's extreme agenda is hurting working families, farmers, veterans, seniors, and other Illinoisians," said Proft. "Maybe some enterprising Illinoisan can ask the governor why other big cities and states who've lived through the Trump presidencies are doing so much better than Illinois when it comes to job creation, public safety, state/local tax burden, and academic proficiencies. Or, alternatively, just ask who is the boogeyman in waiting to whom to ascribe blame for all of Illinois' problems when Trump goes away?"

According to Proft's post on X, he referenced two graphics from a Wirepoints report comparing employment numbers from 2019 to 2024 and examining Governor Pritzker's record on jobs. The report indicates that Illinois lost nearly 2,000 private sector jobs during this period, ranking third worst in the nation based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Wirepoints also highlighted Illinois' loss of 1,900 jobs compared to Texas' gain of 1.2 million jobs and Florida's addition of 930,000 jobs. Neighboring states reportedly experienced annual job gains ranging from 41,100 to 89,500.

Screenshot of Dan Proft's March 20 Post on X | X

The tour mentioned by Proft was a statewide initiative aimed at presenting a strategy for national Democrats to unify against Republicans and President Trump, as reported by the Associated Press. During the three-day tour, Governor Pritzker engaged with farmers in Central Illinois and older adults in suburban Chicago regarding Social Security cuts. Pritzker told the Associated Press that emphasizing national values is crucial in times when democracy and history are often overlooked.

In addition to meeting constituents across Illinois, Governor Pritzker attended the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. According to Riverbender reports, he aimed to showcase Illinois' economic development success and attract prospective business owners and entrepreneurs to the state. At SXSW, Pritzker stated that Illinois is an innovation hub attracting emerging industries.

Proft is known as the co-host of "Chicago’s Morning Answer" on AM 560 Chicago, airing weekdays from 5-9 a.m. A former Republican candidate for Illinois governor, he attended Northwestern University and earned his J.D. from Loyola University-Chicago.