Prairie State Wire

Dan Proft, host of "Chicago's Morning Answer," has criticized Christian Mitchell and Governor J.B. Pritzker for prioritizing political gain over the interests of Illinois families regarding school choice and tax credit scholarship programs. Proft made this statement on X.

"Christian Mitchell, Gov. Jelly Belly's new intersectional, identitarian toady, is a familiar Chicago story," said Proft, Radio Show Host. "Mitchell wooed guilt-ridden, honky billionaires looking for a mascot of color like the Crown family who used its ironically entitled and laughably inept vehicles like the "We Mean Business PAC" and "Stand for Children Illinois PAC" to funnel campaign cash to Mitchell. So no more rhetorical support for charter schools and, in fact, vociferous opposition to the tax credit scholarship program that disproportionately benefited minority kids from low-income households. The way Pritzker and Mitchell have worked over working people in Illinois to advance their interests would make the mafia blush."

In 2025, Governor Pritzker and former Deputy Governor Mitchell shifted their stance to support the potential extension of Illinois’ Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program. According to Axios, they cited its impact on low-income families despite opposition from teachers’ unions and some Democrats.

Chalkbeat Chicago reports that more than 9,600 students participated in Illinois’ Invest in Kids scholarship program during the 2022–23 school year. The majority were from low-income backgrounds, although state data indicated that public school students outperformed scholarship recipients in reading and math.

According to OpenSecrets and Illinois campaign finance records, Political Action Committees (PACs) like Stand for Children Illinois have steadily increased their donations to state lawmakers. Contributions rose during major education debates, influencing support for school choice or scholarship policies.

Proft is a conservative radio talk show host, political commentator, and former Republican gubernatorial candidate. As reported by Ballotpedia and the Chicago Tribune, he is widely recognized for his work on "Chicago’s Morning Answer" and his advocacy for school choice and fiscal reform.

"Chicago’s Morning Answer," according to AM 560’s station profile, is a weekday morning talk show on WIND 560 AM featuring conservative news, political commentary, and interviews aimed at a Chicago-area audience with a center-right editorial stance.