“Campaign Season” is a podcast about political campaigning in America. Host Matt Dundas welcomes professional campaigners, political scientists, historians, comedians and others he deems “interesting and relevant” to converse about the nature of campaigning: why and how it is done, and what those motivations, tactics and strategies can tell us about the nature of humanity in the American Experiment.
Writer and one-time campaigner Sadie Dingfelder joins Matt to share some great campaigning stories.
When I challenged my network to publicly disagree with me about something, Russell Kramer obliged. Here, the woodworker, dad and otherwise private citizen outlines why he’s still unvaccinated and opens my mind to the possibility that I’m not right about everything.
My guest today is Rob Perks, Managing Director of Campaigns & External Affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the most effective environmental groups in America. We chat about his unreasonableness. It’s great. Tell your friends. https://www.nrdc.org/experts/rob-perks
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Executive Director Matt Rothschild joins Matt to discuss upholding democracy in the Badger State. Learn more about and/or support the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: https://www.wisdc.org/
Dr. Gregory Engel of Doctors For America joins Matt to discuss firearm injury prevention.
Max Gilbert from Protect Thacker Pass joins Matt to discuss why we need to stop mining in beautiful places, scale back our capitalist ambitions and live in peace with the earth, forever. Nothing big. Visit www.protectthackerpass.org for more information or to get involved.
Washington, D.C.-based comedian Nathan Luft chats with Matt about where he falls on the Democratic Socialist-to-Socialist spectrum. (Spoiler alert: it’s somewhere in the middle.)
Great Old Broads for Wilderness Executive Director Shelley Silbert and Board Co-Chair Rynda Clark join Matt join a brief history of their work. Get involved: https://www.greatoldbroads.org About the guests: Shelley Silbert, Executive Director – Shelley joined Broads in 2012, bringing 20 years of experience in the fields of conservation and sustainability. She served as AssociateContinue reading "Ep. 29 – Wonderful Wilderness Women"
OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Monica Meyer and Policy & Outreach Director James Darville join Matt to discuss the state of LGBTQ rights in Minnesota and beyond. HOW TO HELP: Contact your member of Congress and tell them to support the Equality Act. Find anti-trans legislation being considered in your state and then contact your stateContinue reading "Ep. 28 – Equality On Mars"
Seattle Opera Development Officer Matt Lider reminisces with Matt about their experiences going door-to-door together back in the early 2000s, raising big money for the opera, and everything in between. Lots of laughs!
Angel Pena, Executive Director of Nuestra Tierra in New Mexico, educates Matt about life on the U.S./Mexico border and his effort to inspire young people to appreciate its unique natural environment.
Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), joins Matt to discuss why she quit her career at the University of Washington’s primate research lab to become an advocate for its closure.
Jacob Neiheisel, Associate Professor at the University at Buffalo, joins Matt for a discussion about the recent campaign season. About Jacob Neiheisel Jake Neiheisel is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at UB. Much of his research focuses on the effects of elite communication on members of the mass public. His workContinue reading "Ep. 24 – Politics 701"
Matt Dundas is a stand-up comic and, let’s face it, if the pandemic hadn’t happened he wouldn’t be hosting “Campaign Season,” he’d be out performing stand-up. Well, he can’t do that right now, can he? No. His hope to record his debut comedy “album” in 2020 came to a screeching halt and, worse, much ofContinue reading "Special!! Stand-up from the Trump era"
ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Ian Silverii joins Matt to talk about his organization’s work on the ground in the Centennial State, commiserate about the condition of our national politics, and explain why he tries not to do too much explaining.
Alissa Weinman, Associate Campaign Director at Corporate Accountability, chats with Matt about her work on water rights in the U.S. and beyond. Alissa Weinman bio: “I challenge corporate power because I want to ensure that corporations can no longer exploit the communities and the environment surrounding their industries,” says Alissa. Growing up on the ChesapeakeContinue reading "Ep. 22 – H2 Uh-Oh"
Denise Robbins, former staffer for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) and Media Matters For America, joins Matt to discuss her career and what really ticks her off.
Rio Tazewell from People for the American Way talks with Matt about voting rights, money in politics and almost every other liberal cause.
Shreya Durvasula of the Union of Concerned Scientists joins Matt for a chit-chat about running campaigns with scientists, among other topics.
Housing California Policy Director Christopher Martin
Nate Martin, Executive Director of Better Wyoming, chats with Matt about the challenges of grassroots organizing in the least dense of the lower 48 states, among other things. Note: an f-bomb got past our sensors on this one before the episode was published. There was much back and forth in the editing room after. BlameContinue reading "Episode 00017: “Better Wyoming Makes Wyoming Better”"
Stephany Seay from the Buffalo Field Campaign tells Matt what it’s like to be on the front lines of the effort to save the last free roaming American buffalo. Visit www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/action-opportunities to get involved or to learn more.
Elliot Harmon, Senior Activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, joins Matt to discuss privacy and free speech in the technology age.
Nothing went wrong in this election and I can prove it!
Ronetta Francis is running for Senate District 1 in northwest Arkansas, home district of Walmart, with a message of social justice and unity. In this interview with Matt, she tells her story of why she’s running.
Heather Weiner of the “Approve 90” campaign in Washington State joins Matt to discuss the statewide sex education referendum she’s working on and campaigning in general.
Nicole Breadon, Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 43rd House District, joins Matt to talk potholes and other systemic problems in the Mitten State, and pitch why she and the Dems can do better.
Nancy Pyne, Field Director for Oceana, patriot, and Matt’s former colleague, discusses how she came to be a campaigner, and more.
Matt provides an update on the previously covered campaigns after commenting on the president’s debate performance and subsequent Covid-19 diagnosis. Episode transcript: MATT DUNDAS: Hello and welcome to Campaign Season. I’m Matt Dundas, I’ll keep hosting. Dang. It is an unusual day in an unusual year in an unusual life. It’s October 3, 2020, theContinue reading "Episode IX – Ommfg wtf imo"
Marijuana Policy Project campaigns coordinator Jared Moffat discusses his work attempting to legalize marijuana in South Dakota and elsewhere.
Idaho 15th District State Senate hopeful Rick Just joins Matt to discuss his candidacy, his campaign, and the fate of humanity. Interview Transcript: Matt Dundas (MD): The first thing I wanted to say – somebody has to have pointed this out cause it’s just too coincidental – but electric! Electric! Your campaign is electric! ElectricJust,Continue reading "Episode VII – Meet Rick Just, Boise, Idaho"
Melissa Lavasani of Decriminalize Nature DC discusses Initiative 81, which would make “magic” mushrooms among the lowest law enforcement priorities of the police in Matt’s former hometown of Washington, D.C.
Donavon Cawley of Bloomington, Minnesota joins Matt to discuss his great-great-uncle Bud’s campaign for “office” in an episode of unprecedented zeal. The conversation brings into stark relief the prism through which our paradigm is lived, and offers us clarity in this our time of great fuzziness (sort of).
Bowdoin College’s Andrew Rudalevige (Chair of Department of Government and Legal Studies, Thomas Brackett Reed Professor of Government), joins Matt to discuss the red hot senate race between incumbent Susan Collins (R) and challenger Sara Gideon (D).
Campaign Manager David Dunsmore from Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share chats with Matt about Alaskan tax policy!
Kris Steele, former Speaker of the House of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and current Executive Director of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, chats with Matt about State Question 805 and cheeseburgers.
Chief Petitioner and Campaign Chair of Oregon’s People Not Politicians Norman Turrill joins Matt to discuss his organization’s efforts to qualify an initiative for the November ballot. Interview Transcript: MATT DUNDAS (MD): Sir, politicians are people too. Aren’t politicians people too? NORMAN TURRILL (NT): I consider myself a politician, so it’s not a bad thingContinue reading "CS001 – Oregonians, Not Politicians"
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