U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood has represented Illinois' 14th Congressional District since 2019. Today the 14th encompasses a large triangle in north-central Illinois, bounded by Joliet, DeKalb, and LaSalle-Peru.

The Democrat joined us live ahead of next week’s midterm elections, in which she’s facing a challenge from Republican Jim Marter (with whom we spoke on Sept. 21, 2026).

We talked with Underwood about a wide range of issues, including the war in Iran, tariffs, health care, government regulation of AI, abortion law, ICE accountability, generation gaps in Congress, and why so many people are disconnected from politics.

Reaction is coming in from lawmakers representing all corners of the state as it pertains to the vote to avoid another government shutdown as well as President Trump's announcement Friday to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

This week’s election was expected to bring a second “Year of the Woman” to American politics.

Recent ratings from political analysts downgraded the likelihood that two Republican Congressmen in Illinois will win re-election.