Governor JB Pritzker. Can He/Dems Reach Independents? Trump’s Nasty WHCD Remarks, The Bears Leaving CHI, Mamdani, Open Primaries and 2028.

The Insurrection Act and The Role of Governors. How to Win Over the Other Side. WNBA All-Star Game. Rocket City, USA, NASA and Trash Pandas. Trump is federalizing National Guard troops, threatening Chicago, New York, and LA with domestic deployments, and using the White House podium to launch personal attacks at anyone who pushes back. Governor JB Pritzker is one of the few Democrats actually fighting — in court, in public, and inside his own party. In his first appearance on Independent Americans, he sits down with Paul Rieckhoff for a no-BS conversation about Trump's nasty WHCD remarks, the Bears' stadium standoff, the Mamdani-Sherrill-Spanberger split in the Democratic coalition, and why he thinks the real divide right now isn't left vs. center — it's team cave vs. team fight. Paul presses Pritzker hard on the stuff independents actually care about: open primaries, the public funding of private party elections, national security credibility on the Democratic bench, and whether governors — not senators, not congressmen — are the best bet for 2028. Pritzker pushes back, defends his grocery initiative, warns about the Insurrection Act, and tells a story about calling other Democratic governors during the Minneapolis crackdown that should make every voter in America pay attention. This one is a real conversation, not a campaign stop. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul’s work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky