E-Voter Institute has produced Digital Politics Radio since 2007. Karen Jagoda is the host of this is non-partisan show that covers the business of politics rather than the squabbling that goes on across the political spectrum.
Gwenn Fulton from the Addition Project joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore how storytelling is a powerful way to translate personal experiences into public dialogue, building shared understanding and action around common challenges. Stories of the working class are particularly needed so that their concerns and aspirations are told in their own voices. Deepak and Gwenn talk about: Effective storytelling balances facts with emotional expression to allow listeners to see themselves as part of the story How storytelling can drive grassroots organizing and mobilization Why narratives need to identify the heroes as well as the villains. How the Republicans are weaponizing storytelling to advance divisive narratives and how the Democrats are responding #AdditionProject #TheDemLabs #Storytelling #WorkingClass #SocialChange #Organizing #SocialJustice #ClassinAmerica AdditionProject.org TheDemLabs.org
Anna Chu, Executive Director of We the Action, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the critical role lawyers play in defending the rule of law and supporting nonprofits during these challenging times. The We the Action platform connects lawyers with organizations addressing the challenges both sides face in finding specific expertise and meaningful opportunities. Deepak and Anna talk about Making it easier for lawyers to find nonprofits they can help Increasing need for legal support for nonprofits Working with unions to set up free legal counsel for Federal workers who have been laid off or fired The responsibility of lawyers to serve the public good #WetheAction #TheDemLabs #Lawyers #Nonprofits #ProBonoLegalServices WeTheAction.org TheDemLabs.org
Jennifer Appel, filmmaker, teacher, and activist, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the American Dream and the need to provide a more complete and accurate portrayal of the American experience. Jennifer uses storytelling, music, and visuals to give voice to diverse perspectives, including those of Indigenous people and veterans, to rally the country and heal the divisions in American society. She reminds us of the Hopi Indian quote, "The one who tells the story rules the world." Deepak and Jennifer talk about What drives Jennifer to use music and film to inspire change What kind of change is needed in this increasingly materialistic society The unrealized potential of the American Dream The Country Club Culture Bruce Springsteen #SomewhereIRead #JenAppelCreates #TraitorFilm #TraitorMovie #TraitorAStoryOfPatriots #IndieFilm #Patriotism #Democracy #Democrats #GOP #Republicans #MusicInFilm #BruceSpringsteen #TheBoss #SpringsteenSongs #BornToRun #SpringsteenNation #MusicHeals #HealingTheNation #TruthOverTyranny #MikeAppelLegacy SomewhereIRead.com TheDemLabs.org
Shasti Conrad is the Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party and Associate Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Her involvement in political organizing and activism taught her that campaigns must focus on economic messages to build coalitions that cut across partisan lines. This year, before the 2026 mid-terms, there is an opportunity to engage diverse constituents in person and online to test new messaging and strategies for reaching consensus and winning races. We talk about: Who is participating in the nationwide protests against the Trump administration Reaching out to Republicans and Independents to engage persuadable voters Focusing on down-ballot races and statewide races in 2025 Engaging younger voters #ShastiConrad #WADEMS #Voters #Persuasion #Protests #ProtestingTrump #Townhalls #DemocraticParty #Democrats WADems.org
Zach Adams, Senior Specialist in Client Partnerships for Politics and Public Affairs at VDX.tv, discusses the evolving landscape of political campaigns and the importance of ongoing engagement with voters beyond election day. Candidates and campaigns often fail to maintain relationships with voters, except for requests for contributions. Data analytics is one path to effectively target messages to engage and motivate the base and attract new supporters. We talk about: Moving beyond the transactional nature of voter engagement Why political ads need to be more emotionally evocative and strategically targeted to specific voter segments The need for campaigns to take a more holistic, coordinated approach to messaging, with traditional and digital channels working together Expanding contextual targeting and leveraging influencers Data needs to be balanced with an understanding of the art and emotional impact of effective political ads #VDXTV #PoliticalAdvertising #PoliticalCampaigns #DigitalVoterOutreach #PoliticalEvangelists #VoterEngagement VDX.tv
Michael D. Cohen is the CEO of the Cohen Research Group, a political public affairs and corporate research firm, and the author of Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections. He has written a new chapter for this well-received book that focuses on the power of AI and opportunities to apply it in political campaigns. Michael emphasizes the need to balance the use of AI with maintaining the authenticity and voice of the candidate. We talk about: AI tools being used by campaigns to generate content ideas for fundraising emails and social posts Opportunities to use AI in campaigns to inform rapid responses to news and events Increased motivation to use AI tools to enable campaign teams to do more with fewer resources The increased adoption of AI tools by down-ballot campaigns, not just high-profile campaigns #CohenResearchGroup #PoliticalCampaigns #BookTok #Elections #AIinPoliticalCampaigns #AI #PoliticalConsultants #Voters CohenResearchGroup.com ModernPoliticalCampaigns.com
Robert Maxwell, Founder of ClinConnect, focuses on improving access to information about clinical trials and simplifying the path patients, doctors, and caregivers need to go through to find potentially life-saving trials. This clinical trial data is drawn directly from the clinicaltrials.gov database. The ClinConnect solution is updated more accurately and provides a user-friendly interface to explore possible trials, aid in applying to participate in a trial, and support participation. The community of people concerned about science-based healthcare and the need for access to clinical trials is growing, and a voter cohort that cuts across traditional party lines. We talk about: Stakeholders in the drug development and testing environment Overcoming challenges of recruiting and retaining clinical trial participants How COVID-19 impacted willingness to participate in clinical trials How extending access drives more diverse participation in clinical trials Protecting patient privacy and measures to ensure data security Public policy implications of restrictions and access to health data #ClinConnect #ClinicalTrials #Healthcare #PublicPolicy ClinConnect.io
Mark Positano is the Head of Political at StackAdapt, a programmatic digital advertising buying platform. With a focus on advertising outside the "walled gardens" like Facebook and Google, StackAdapt uses AI and data analytics to optimize ad buying and targeting for political campaigns across a wide range of media properties and streaming platforms. We talked about: Getting beyond micro-targeting using a more nuanced approach to targeting voters Growth of political digital ad budgets outpacing growth of traditional ad budgets Digital ad buying strategies How response to digital ads can inform traditional ad strategies Metrics of success of a digital ad campaign #StackAdapt #PoliticalAdvertising #DigitalAdvertising #PoliticalMarketing #Midterms2026 #VoterTargeting #CTVAdvertising #AdMeasurement #ProgrammaticAdvertising StackAdapt.com
Desiree Matel-Anderson, Founder and Chief Wrangler of the Field Innovation Team joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss emergency preparation in an age of natural and man-made disasters, climate uncertainty, and overwhelmed government resources. The key is to be prepared with a plan to respond with a critical thinking mindset to avoid emotional reactions and panic. Deepak and Desiree talk about Need for innovative, flexible problem-solving in emergency situations Importance of local community involvement and preparedness for emergencies Emergencies within emergencies Solving problems in real-time Technology and emergency preparation and response #FieldInnovationTeam #TheDemLabs #EmergencyPrep #DisasterResponse FieldInnovationTeam.org TheDemLabs.org
Ben Katz, Chief Architect of ISPolitical, is concerned about the inadequate data and systems security measures political and advocacy organizations, political campaigns, and government organizations have in place. The first step is to audit current security practices and all the people who have access to the organization's databases, financial systems, and web administration. We talk about: Data access vulnerabilities File access levels and permissions Cloud services and backup strategies Verifying vendor security credentials How to improve security practices of smaller organizations Addressing the ongoing arms race between security measures and attackers #ISPolitical #Cybersecurity #Data #DataSecurity ISPolitical.com
Scott Goodstein is the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Campaigns and a digital pioneer. The results from the 2024 election indicate that the ground game needs a fresh review of how volunteers can be better deployed and how to find trusted messengers for a political campaign. The traditional ward and precinct system built relationships with voters over time. What's the new face of field operations? We talk about: The history of door-knocking in political campaigns Measuring the success of field operations Political text abuses Online fundraising traps How the Trump campaign and supporting SuperPACs reached voters #CatalystCampaigns #GroundGame #FieldOperations #Fundraising #PoliticalTexts #Voters #VoterOutreach CatalystCampaigns.com Myth of the Ground Game We've lost control of political text messaging
John Hoffman, principal of Advocate for Access, has 20+ years of experience working with big pharma companies to promote advocating for patients and driving the move to provide access to drugs and therapies to a broader audience. Public/private health policy trends highlight the need to raise awareness about the science of medicine and the inequities in access to life-saving drugs and effective treatments for chronic conditions. We talk about: The role of social influencers in raising awareness about patient needs, promoting valuable information, and spreading disinformation How healthcare advocacy groups are influencing public and private policy decisions The rise of violent protests against healthcare inequities Stakeholders in the healthcare environment Health policies and healthcare disparities in the US The role pharmaceutical companies play in advocating for patients #AdvocateForAccess #HealthcareEquity #HealthcareInequity #HealthcareAdvocates #PharmaceuticalCompanies #PatientAdvocacy #SocialInfluencers AdvocateForAccess.org
Ryan Davis, the Co-Founder and COO of PeopleFirst, shares insights and analysis about the activities of influencers and content creators in the campaign leading up to the 2024 election. While celebrity influencers have large followings, the voices of local people sharing authentic content about all kinds of interests broke through the noise to reach key segments of voters. We talk about: The value of non-political content creators The trap of preaching to the choir of those who are already interested in the campaign Micro-influencers and the sweet spot for followers Gen Z engagement and building relationships Need for diverse voices to reach those looking for political information Political vs. Non-Political https://people1st.substack.com/p/meeting-in-the-middle-political-vs RFK/Trump used creators to break through https://disinfoagainstdemocrats.substack.com/p/how-trump-used-rfk-jr-to-harness Recent Webinar on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se2RsJ0Izio&t=1s Sign up for Webinar Invites https://people1st.substack.com/ #PeopleFirst #ContentCreators #Influencers #Election2024 #GenZ #Voters PeopleFirst.cc
Andrew Einhorn, the Co-Founder and CEO of LevelFields, is an expert on fintech and AI. He highlights how political uncertainty and tight elections create market volatility and can impact voting behavior. Using their event intelligence platform, LevelFields connects the dots using AI to spot trends and predict future behavior. We talk about: How the volatility of the stock market affects voting behavior How AI is being used to understand the cause and effect of conflicts and trade wars on the stock market and voters Possible political ramifications of antitrust cases against tech giants Events on the horizon #LevelFields #FintechAI #AI #FiscalPolicy #VoterBehavior #Voting #StockMarket #StockMarketBehavior #WealthManagement levelfields.ai
Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, experimented with an AI engine that can digest, summarize, and verbalize dense content like the Harris Walz Plan to lower costs and create an opportunity economy. The result is this 10-minute podcast, a conversation between a male and female voice highlighting the plan's key issues. The first part of this podcast is the real Deepak and me talking about: Preferred methods of communicating complicated ideas with voters The value of AI to quickly disseminate campaign information Bias built into AI models Value of voices to tell a story @TheDemLabs #AI #HarrisEconomicPlan Kamala Harris Economy Policy Plan TheDemLabs.org
Daryl Cagle of Cagle Cartoons Syndicate has a keen eye for detail and brings a strong sense of humor to the world of editorial and political cartoons. He is also the host of the video podcast Caglecast, available on YouTube, where he talks with the cartoonists. Political humor is an increasingly challenging topic, and Daryl confirms that there is not much that Democrats and Republicans agree about, including what is funny. We talk about: What catches the political cartoonist's attention to drive home a point The right way and wrong way to characterize Donald Trump The challenge of drawing Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and JD Vance The role of cats and dogs in expressing political humor #CagleCartoons #PoliticalCartoons #EditorialCartoons #PoliticalHumor CagleCartoons.com YouTube.com/CagleCartoons
Sean Duggan owner SD Media, a media and entertainment consulting firm, has seen the media landscape for targeting voters shift dramatically, requiring a broader view of where and when to reach voters. Attending the DNC Convention in Chicago, Sean was struck by the mix of entertainment and content and the range of speakers and talent under 40 in the Democratic party. With the end of the election season in sight, new approaches to finding likely and persuadable voters through streaming services, social media, audio networks, and influencers are key to engagement. We talk about: How the DNC Convention reached out to multicultural and young voters How media buying in the last part of the election season has been a new challenge for content creation and ad placement Where the new infusion of campaign dollars will be spent Advertising on YouTube to audience segments otherwise unreachable Mistakes campaigns make about how voters get their news #SeanDuggan #PoliticalAdvertising #PoliticalAds #TargetingVoters #SpotterLA #YouTube Sean Duggan Media
Eitan Koter is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Vimmi, which brings next-generation e-commerce functionality to digital video content. With its video commerce platform, audiences can engage with video, make purchases, and contribute within the context of the video. Applications can include digital feeds of live events and social media posts. We talk about: How interactive videos transform the way candidates and advocates can build relationships with their target audiences How Vimmi's platform overcomes the challenges of seamless social commerce Rising expectations for the availability of shoppable videos Strategies for driving digital engagement #Vimmi #VideoCommerce #SocialCommerce #ShoppableVideos #PoliticalCampaigns #VoterEngagement vimmi.net
Lauren Benedict is Spotter's Chief Revenue Officer and a media ecosystem professional. She has been at the forefront of the consumer shift to streaming services and CTV and understands the value of content to attract a diverse audience. Spotter invests in content creators to help create a robust landscape of long-form videos on YouTube and provides sophisticated targeting tools for advertisers to reach desired affinity groups. This approach is particularly effective for reaching cord-cutters and low-information voters with a YouTube first-viewing behavior. We talk about: The content creator economy How consumer media consumption habits are changing Value of targeting voters on YouTube Political advertising in a streaming media world #Spotter #YouTube #PoliticalAds #Voters #ContentCreators #GOTV #Election2024 #VoterPersuasion #LowInformationVoters spotter.la
Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, attended the DNC Convention in Chicago and came away with a strong sense of the energy that will be applied to Democratic campaigns moving into election season. Deepak was struck by the crowd's diversity, particularly the younger multi-cultural attendees. He also points out the historical views that were driven home by the diverse speakers. We talk about: The role Project 2025 played in the narrative of the Convention The new format of the Roll Call of States and the other entertainment and social media content the Convention organizers made available Most productive actions volunteers are taking to get out the vote Turning enthusiasm into votes @TheDemLabs #VoterOutreach #VotingMatters #GOTV #Democrats #Canvassing #FieldOperations #Mobilization #Organizing #CampaignVolunteers #Project2025 #DNCConvention #Election2024 TheDemLabs.org
Jamie Miller is a political consultant, field operations expert, and author of Reasonable Arguments @ Substack and the book American Speeches that Changed History. As a leader in the Florida Republican party and director of the Florida statewide field operations for the 2000 election and recount, Jamie brings unique insights about Florida voters. He is also exploring the use of AI to improve predictive models of voter behavior and field tactics. We talk about: Innovations in field operations Voter segmentation Persuadable voters Best practices for field operations in the final stretch #FloridaVoters #RepublicanVoters #FieldOperations #VoterSegmentation #GOTV American Speeches That Changed History ReasonableArguments.com
Reid McCollum, Program Outreach Director for Progressive Turnout Project, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss tactics for getting out the vote in swing states by paying canvassers. This approach to door-knocking is particularly effective in small towns where people from the community use technology to create walk lists to find likely Democratic voters. PTP will invest $35 million in programs to rally Democrats to vote through direct voter contact. The paid door-knocking program pays $125 for every completed list of 50-60 doors. Deepak and Reid talk about: Who are they paying to canvass, and what are the advantages over using volunteers Adding value to the large apparatus of state and national party field operations Postcarding success Value of a conversation with a voter Emphasis on creating the social norm to vote #TurnoutPAC @TheDemLabs #VoterOutreach #VotingMatters #GOTV #Democrats #Canvassing #FieldOperations #Mobilization #PaidCanvassers #PhoneBanking #Postcarding Turnoutpac.org Turnoutpac.org/door TheDemLabs.org
Daniel Scantlebury, Vice President of Data Science and AI at Resonate, is eager to dive into the data he is collecting about voters and where they find information. With the explosion of affinity groups mobilizing to support the Harris-Walz campaign, Daniel is using his insights to better understand and predict voting behavior and targeting opportunities. Existing voter segments used for messaging and targeting are under the microscope and subject to change. We talk about: Self-organized groups and reaching these niche audiences What the term Progressive means Which candidates are considered old Media bubbles Impact of grassroots activity on voter turnout #Resonate #Voters #Progressive #VotingBehavior #Grassroots #VoterTurnout #Organizing #VoterSegmentation #HarrisWalz #Election2024 Resonate.com
Andrea Miller, Center for Common Ground, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss tactics to encourage voters and volunteers in the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, particularly in rural areas, to get involved in campaigns. With an emphasis on grassroots organizing, training for effective phone banking, and activities such as postcarding that can be done at home or in small groups, this Center is mobilizing voters and eager to get out the vote in November 2024. Deepak and Andrea talk about: Voter outreach in rural areas Postcarding to BIPOC voters using cards designed to be culturally motivating Turning excitement into action Project 2025 implications for Black and other Voters of Color #CTR4CmnGround @TheDemLabs #VoterOutreach #VoterTurnout #RuralVoters #Election202 #Voters #VoterSuppression #BIPOC #GOTV #Postcarding #Postcards #CampaignVolunteers CenterforCommonGround.org TheDemLabs.org
Varun Nikore, Executive Director of the AAPI Victory Alliance, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the voting habits of Asian American or Pacific Islander voters and how to increase turnout. With an eye on overcoming resistance in the AAPI population to voting, the Alliance offers various activities to encourage involvement in campaigns and excitement for voting. Deepak and Varun talk about: Where the AAPI population is growing the fastest Raising awareness about Kamala Harris, who is part of the AAPI community The impact of Trump on the enthusiasm of AAPI female voters Project 2025 implications for the AAPI population Social media initiatives to engage the AAPI community #AAPIVictoryAlliance @TheDemLabs #AAPI #AAPIVoters #Voters #AsianVoters #AsianAmericanVoters #PacificIslanderVoters #Election2024 AAPI Victory Alliance TheDemLabs.org
Greg Miller, Co-Founder, COO, and Chair of the OSET Institute, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss using innovative technology to support election administration, including using AI to support call centers to address voters' questions. OSET has also built an AI model to analyze the text of Project 2025 to connect the dots and cut through the coded language to identify potential risks. Deepak and Geg talk about: Challenges to managing elections in 2024 Types of technology being used to enhance election administration Building a generative AI model to evaluate Project 2025 and Agenda 47 The future of elections #OSETInstitute #TrusttheVote @TheDemLabs #ElectionAdministration #Project2025 #Agenda47 #AI #VoterSuppression #Voters #Election2024 OSET Institute TrusttheVote.org TheDemLabs.org
John Fitzgerald is EVP, AD Sales, DAX US part of Global Media & Entertainment Lmt and associated companies, and an audio ad expert. Digital audio ads expand the universe of people who can hear a candidate's message thanks to the proliferation of devices that can be used for real-time and on-demand listening. Digital audio ads can also be produced quickly and tweaked to personalize messages for targeted audiences. We talk about: Politicians as brands and what they can learn from advertisers of trusted consumer products The unique characteristics of digital audio ads and where they are being heard Targeting opportunities for digital audio ads Why campaigns need to include advertising on podcasts to their media mix to reach niche audiences #DAXUS #DigitalAudioAds #PoliticalAds #TargetingPoliticalAds dax.global.com/us/
Mark Galvin, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of TALON, discusses the Transparency in Coverage rule in healthcare. This rule was added to the Affordable Care Act and requires commercial health plan sponsors to provide transparency in the costs of tests, procedures, and other medical services. Despite the sharp divide in Congress, this rule received bipartisan support through several administrations. It seems most can agree that providing patients with information on pricing and out-of-pocket costs before committing to medical services allows them to make smarter healthcare decisions. We talk about: How this rule got bipartisan support The impact of moving from total opaqueness in prices to transparency in the costs of tests and procedures The lack of awareness and understanding of the rule due to the vested interests of stakeholders such as insurance companies Educating patients, doctors, and employers about the Transparency in Coverage rule #TALONHealthtech #TransparencyinCoverage #MedicalCosts #PatientCare #AffordableCareAct #ReduceHealthcareCosts #Hospitals #MedicalBills #Healthcare #HealthTech #HealthcareReform talonhealthtech.com
Fadi Micaelian, CEO of SPARKDIT, is an AI strategist who brings insights into using generative AI to support political consultants and voters. These voters are weighing choices and making tradeoffs as they decide who to financially support and vote for. Using additional data points to predict voting behavior is increasingly essential as voters become more partisan and face pressure from friends and family to make decisions about candidates and issues. We talk about: Training AI to think like humans Using tradeoff criteria to improve predictive models to identify likely voters How voters make decisions Helping voters make smarter decisions about candidates in their own party Single-issue voters #SPARKDIT #AI #VoterSegmentation #PoliticalMessages #Voters SPARKDIT.com
Daniel Scantlebury, Vice President of Data Science and AI at Resonate, is a seasoned observer of human behavior. He uses his insights to better understand and predict voting behavior. In this age of media bubbles, how voters consume news and form opinions creates even more challenges for campaigns to reach them. We talk about: Use of Predictive Resonate Elements to target specific voter segments Persuadable, swing, and disengaged voters Educating clients about the use of AI in developing campaign media plans Near real-time analysis of online voter behavior #Resonate #Voters #AI #VotingBehavior #VoterSegmentation Resonate.com
Ryan Davis, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of People First, brings voices from diverse and specialized communities to campaigns to promote candidates and causes. The role of individuals with social media followers and the skills to create content is increasingly relevant to political campaigns trying to reach targeted voters. Influencer marketing is filling the need to find the most trusted voices. We talk about: Differences between influencers Recruiting authentic voices to work with campaigns How campaigns can work with influence marketers Meta modifications to handling political content Underutilized digital platforms for reaching voters #PeopleFirstCC #InfluencerMarketing #Influencers #PoliticalCampaigns #AdvocacyCampaigns #MetaPoliticalContent peoplefirst.cc
Wendy Pickering Sullivan, Pickering Sullivan Investigations, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to pull back the curtain on the job of a private investigator. While a great deal of information is available online, PIs have access to proprietary sources, hard-to-find public records, and the right people to access the right resources. Deepak and Wendy talk about: White-collar crime and fraud investigations Finding out facts about the opposition Determining what facts the opposition might discover about a candidate Need for background checks for candidates and campaign workers Finding crumbs and following footprints online and by talking to people #PickeringSullivan @TheDemLabs #PrivateInvestigators #PI #FraudInvestigation #WhiteCollarCrime #CampaignFraud #ElectionFraud PickeringSullivan.com TheDemLabs.org
Daniel Barvin, Founder of the End the Legacy Foundation, is also the VP of Operations and Patient Advocacy at Coya Therapeutics. Coming from a family with a genetic predisposition to develop ALS, Daniel has brought together a community of activists who are intent on educating doctors and patients about early diagnosis and testing. This organization is also raising awareness about the need for more research and funding to cure genetic ALS and FTD. Coya Therapeutics is developing diagnostics and treatments for genetic ALS and FTD, and Daniel is bringing the voices of the patients and family members to the table. We talk about: Why there is a need for another ALS organization How the End the Legacy Foundation is using social media to build awareness and supporters The Genetic ALS and FTD Community Summit Building partnerships with researchers, industry and government Implications for families with inherited diseases #EndtheLegacy #ALS #GeneticALS #ALSandFTD #GeneticDiseases #RareDiseases #Activism #InheritedDiseases EndtheLegacy.org CoyaTherapeutics.com Interview on EmpoweredPatientPodcast Transcript of Coya Therapeutics interview
Ray Kingman, CEO and Founder of Semcasting, emphasizes the need to use an issue-based approach to reach and motivate voters instead of using traditional voter segmentation to categorize those likely to vote. Rapid response to current events is a key opportunity for candidates and advocates to express their views on issues and provide accurate information in targeted digital campaigns. Ray and I talk about: How issue-based audiences differ from those defined by voter files and related demographic data Identifying issue-based voters Issues driving the conversation with voters in 2024 Message testing and measurement in a thematic or issue-based digital campaign Targeting tools and digital channels to drive fundraising and persuasion #Semcasting #TargetingVoters #IssueBasedAudiences #Voters #Fundraising #Persuasion #Advocacy Semcasting.com
Janice Gay, Phonebank Manager at Center for Common Ground, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to address efforts at the local level to reach out to the BIPOC communities where voting is inconsistent. By including familiar faces in the outreach efforts of local Democracy Centers, residents are encouraged to vote, speak up, find resources, and contribute to bringing change to their communities. Deepak and Janice talk about: How community activism leads to voting Who is included in the Black Indigenous Other People of Color (BIOPC) community Building trust and encouraging repeat involvement in community activities Using social media and phone banks to recruit volunteers and attendees for events Development of the FindMyBenefits app to help at-risk communities #CenterforCommonGround @TheDemLabs #CivicEngagement #Activism #BIPOC #VoterOutreach Center for Common Ground FindmyBenefits.info TheDemLabs.org
Brian Hansbury, Co-Leader of Media and Democracy Project, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss guidelines for pro-democracy election coverage. With an open letter to American media executives, publishers, and journalists, Brian and his team are intent on expecting more from media companies in their reporting of the 2024 election. The Project is asking national and local journalists to support democracy and encourage the engagement of voters in issues with less focus on polls. Deepak and Brian talk about: The eroding trust in traditional news sources Treating elections like they are more important than sports scores Polls are not news events Voter suppression Supporting robust local journalism #MediaandDemocracyProject #FixMediaNow @TheDemLabs #ElectionCoverage #Journalists #Journalism #Democracy #Election2024 MediaandDemocracyProject.org TheDemLabs.org
Seth David Radwell, author of American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing Our Nation, which won the International Book Award for Best General Nonfiction in 2023, characterizes the forces driving the schisms in our society. With a view of the past and an analysis of what supports a healthy democracy, part of the solution, he contends, is the election system needs structural reform. There is a need for more competitive races and open primaries, focusing on issues, not just the candidates trying to be the most extreme in the primaries. We talk about: Role social media is playing to fuel these divisions Current student protests and protest movements throughout history Disinformation, censorship, revisionism, hate speech Responsibility of the business sector to help heal the divide Building resilience and conducting open, civil conversations Overcoming voter apathy and addressing the frustrated majority How moving forward and holding on to a path creates tension in societies Why he is optimistic for the future of our democracy #FightUnreasonWithReason #AmericanSchismBook #Democracy #Partisanship #Voters #VoterApathy AmericanSchismBook.com
Jess Ellis, Senior Specialist, Client Partnerships, Politics at VDX.tv, illuminates the CTV and OLV landscape for political and advocacy advertising. With the increasing shift to streaming and the use of apps to download and watch videos, targeted advertising opportunities are diverse and effective for reaching specific segments of voters. The length of the ads is also shrinking as voter attention spans shorten, requiring more imaginative use of words and images. We talk about: Applying advertising strategies used in the commercial sector to political outreach and persuasion Push for CTV pre-reservations Premium CTV inventory and finding those who pay to avoid streaming ads The under-appreciated value of non-premium CTV inventory Audiences watching OLV and linear TV #VDXtv #CTV #OLV #PoliticalAdvertising #TargetingVoters #FASTapps #VideoAdvertising VDX.tv
Anne-Christine, investigative journalist and human rights activist Stop the Coup 2025, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to address the anti-abortion war and threat to women's health from Project 2025, a 900-page Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise from the Heritage Foundation. With references to the Comstock Act of 1843 and other state laws, this group is organizing campaigns that promote Christian nationalist values, intending to turn this country into a theocracy. Deepak and Anne-Christine talk about: How Christian Nationalists are using non-profits with tax-exempt status to organize hate campaigns and engage in political activities Strategy behind citing old laws with deliberate incorrect interpretations Criminalization of "deviant behavior" Calling on men to get involved with actions about reproductive choice Getting information into the hands of people who can amplify the message of the fight against Project 2025 #StoptheCoup2025 @TheDemLabs #HumanRights #WomensRights #ReproductiveRights #Project2025 #Democracy StoptheCoup2025.org TheDemLabs.org
Bryan Miller, President of Neptune Ops, discusses how browser companies are changing their policies regarding the use of cookies to locate specific individuals and the need for new campaign strategies to find and persuade voters online. In the post-cookie world, political consultants must consider new identifiers based on other data, surgical contextual targeting, and geo-fencing. We talk about: What replaces cookies to identify and target specific voters or groups Voting propensity, voter turnout, and when people decide how they are going to vote Finding persuadable voters How voters are consuming media Use of humor in political and advocacy ads Reaching diverse and younger voters Election Month not Election Day #NeptuneOps #TargetingVoters #PostCookies #PoliticalAdvertising NeptuneOps.com
Patrice O'Neil, Founder of Not In Out Town, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss gathering communities together to support conversations that drive understanding about fighting hate and racism. Patrice reports that screening their film Repairing the World in local gatherings has become a catalyst for people to share their stories about being harmed by hate and actions that can taken to fight racist attacks. NIOT has become a story center for communities who want to stand up together and learn from each other. Deepak and Patrice talk about: Inspiring people to take on hate and fight white supremacy Documenting incidents of hate and racism Engaging institutions that can take action Normalizing the fight against hate speech #NIOT #NotInOurTown @TheDemLabs #HateSpeech #Racism #RepairtheWorldFilm niot.org RepairtheWorldFilm.org TheDemLabs.org
Melanie Lavelle, Founder of Benefit Kitchen, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the impact of welfare reform and the creation of an app and database to empower people to understand what benefits are available. Benefit Kitchen is focused on working with people to overcome obstacles and gain insight into the eligibility rules for federal, state, and local benefits. Melanie has discovered that many rules and hard-to-find information are designed to keep people from enrolling and discourage participation in programs. The more these agencies hide, the more determined Melanie is to dig out the information and help people get necessary services and resources. Deepak and Melanie talk about: How people find out about benefit programs and who is qualified to participate Creating an app that helps people decide which benefits to pursue and how one benefit might impact another Who is most likely not to get benefits Why a mobile-first solution for this target audience is essential #BenefitKitchen @TheDemLabs #WelfareReform #GovernmentBenefits #FederalBenefits #StateBenefits #FoodStamps #SDOH #Seniors #MobileFirst BenefitKitchen.com TheDemLabs.org
Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, Founders of Survivors Empowered, join Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss their reaction and activism as a result of the murder of their daughter Jessi, killed in the Aurora Colorado theatre 2012 mass shooting. Their organization is focused on regulating companies that sell ammunition and repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Deepak, Sandy and Lonnie talk about: Who is selling ammunition and what information is being collected Who is building arsenals of ammunition, and the role of online sellers Addressing the trauma of survivors and victims of gun violence National actions being taken to repeal the PLCA act that provides immunity to gun sellers #SurvivorsEmpowered @TheDemLabs #MassShootings #Ammunition #GunViolence #NRA #Activism #AssaultWeapons #RepealPLCA Survivors Empowered TheDemLabs.org
Joe Fuld, Founder of The Campaign Workshop, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to consider how the role of political and advocacy campaign managers has changed over the last 20 years. The constants are the ongoing challenges for a campaign to refine the message, have the candidate or advocate's voice heard by the target audience, and find the pressure points to make the most short-term and long-term impact. Joe also emphasizes the need to keep innovating to build robust campaign strategies. Deepak and Joe talk about: Driving civic engagement Power mapping Need for training to maximize the impact of advocates and candidates Working with underfunded causes to maximize resources #TheCampaignWorkshop @TheDemLabs #Organizing #Advocacy #Fundraising #CivicEngagement #PoliticalCampaigns The Campaign Workshop TheDemLabs.org
Rhiannon Ruff, Co-Founder of the digital agency Lumino, is a Wikipedia expert and author of the book Wikipedia & Crisis Comms. Increasingly, for voters and the media, Wikipedia is the go-to source for campaign and candidate information, and the accuracy of the information is critical for the site's moderators. While there are ways to get content edited, one presidential candidate's approach is a lesson in what not to do. We talk about: Why campaigns should care about Wikipedia What sources are used to create and update Wikipedia pages How content is moderated on Wikipedia Tips on how to get Wikipedia pages changed Advice for campaigns about creating a Wikipedia strategy and who should take the lead #LuminoDigital #Wikipedia #PoliticalCampaigns LuminoDigital.com
Andra Watkins, The New York Times best-selling author and speaker, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the threat of Christian Nationalists to the future of our democracy. Indoctrinated as a child in Christian Nationalism, Andra understands the language of the calls to action in Project 2025 and warns about the potential impact on families and communities in her Substack: How Project 2025 Will Ruin YOUR Life. Deepak and Andra talk about: How Christian Nationalists are different from other Christians The true meaning of the words Christian Nationalists use when describing God's Law and Man's Law What Christian Nationalists mean by pornography The need to drill down into the details of the 900-page Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project and not be distracted by the length The cost of fighting back against Christian Nationalists #AndraWatkins #HowProject2025WillRuinYOURLife @TheDemLabs #Project2025 #ChristianNationalists #ChristianNationalism How Project 2025 Will Ruin YOUR Life TheDemLabs.org
Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, shares his reaction and insights from participating in the recent commemoration of Bloody Sunday and his walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. As an activist, Deepak appreciates the importance of learning from history and the need to continue the fight for civil rights. We talk about: What motivated people to attend the 59th gathering to remember the beatings of the civil rights marchers and pass on lessons to the next generation Voter suppression Overcoming voter apathy Why it is essential to visit the actual places where history is made The threat of Project 2025 to democracy @TheDemLabs #EdmundPettusBridge #CivilRights #Activism #HowProject2025WillRuinYourLife #VoterSuppression #VoterApathy #VoterRegistration #Protests #CivicEngagement TheDemLabs.org
Jim Margolis, Partner at GMMB, was a Senior Advisor to Barack Obama in both of his campaigns for the White House. Jim is one of the stars of the recent documentary The Bigger Hammer: Race for the White House A Look at the 2008 Obama-McCain Race for President. Taking on the challenge of introducing Barack Obama meant having a strategic plan to define a different kind of leader, telling his unique, authentic candidate story, and finding common interests with all voters. It was also the first presidential campaign to use the new social media tools to connect with voters. Jim emphasizes that the critical issue for campaigns is figuring out how to connect with voters where they are across the increasingly complex media landscape. We talk about Advantages the Obama campaign had over the McCain campaign When Sarah Palin was chosen as John McCain's running mate Use of analytics to create specific media plans that target sub-groups of voters Value of celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates Efforts by candidates to enlist trusted influencers Getting back to hope and change #TheBiggerHammerFilm #JimMargolis #BarackObama #PoliticalAds #Fundraising #MessageTesting #Pollsters #RapidResponse #Storytelling #Endorsements #2008PresidentialCampaign #KeithGaby #2008PresidentialElection #PresidentialCampaigns #PoliticalCampaigns GMMB.com Click here for the Interview with Keith Gaby, Director of The Bigger Hammer documentary. The Bigger Hammer on Amazon Video
Fred Davis, CEO of Strategic Perception Inc., is a well-known Republican communications expert and one of the stars of the recent documentary The Bigger Hammer: Race for the White House A Look at the 2008 Obama-McCain Race for President. As the Chief Creative Officer of McCain's presidential campaign, Fred had the challenge of running against the Barack Obama team and the plot twist of the addition of Sarah Palin to the McCain ticket. While Fred agrees social media, digital ads, and the internet are helpful for fundraising and organizing, he is not convinced those are strong tools for branding. We talk about: The last Presidential campaign before digital media came of age Strategies for creating and testing political ads The strengths and liabilities of candidate John McCain Meaning of the Bigger Hammer and need for a long-term game plan When Sarah Palin was selected to be the Vice Presidential candidate Keys to authentic storytelling #TheBiggerHammerFilm #FredDavis #PoliticalAds #Fundraising #MessageTesting #Pollsters #RapidResponse #Storytelling #JohnMcCain #SarahPalin #2008PresidentialCampaign #KeithGaby #BarackObama #2008PresidentialElection #PresidentialCampaigns #PoliticalCampaigns StrategicPerceptionInc.com Click here for the Interview with Keith Gaby, Director of The Bigger Hammer documentary. The Bigger Hammer on Amazon Video
Varun Nikore, Executive Director of the AAPI Victory Alliance, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the Asian American Pacific Islanders' growing presence in the US. This group is expected to be the largest minority group by 2040 and includes first to fifth-generation family members from over 20 countries of origin. Varun's mission is to get more people from the AAPI community involved with politics, to run for public office, and to drive fundraising campaigns to support the next generation of leaders. Deepak and Varun talk about: The demographic diversity of the AAPI community States where the AAPI communities are growing How to talk to the AAPI voters about issues that matter to them Base building for the future Battleground states in 2024 where the AAPI voters can make a difference #AAPIVictoryAlliance @TheDemLabs #AAPI #AsianAmericanPacificIslanders #Voters #Fundraising #Election2024 #BattlegroundStates AAPIVictoryAlliance.com TheDemLabs.org
Po Murray, Co-Founder and Chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the variations in state and federal laws protecting residents from gun violence. Since Uvalde, there have been changes in the awareness of the need for background checks and holding stakeholders responsible for public safety. Citizen activists are pushing for state and federal legislation to pierce the shield that protects weapon sales. Deepak and Po talk about: Continuing efforts to get the assault weapon ban passed Nationalizing Ethan's Law, the child access prevention law passed in Connecticut Holding the gun industry accountable for gun violence and mass murders Preventing school shootings When motivated citizens get involved in changing public policy #NewtownActionAlliance @TheDemLabs #GunViolence #MassShootings #SchoolShootings #AssaultWeaponBan #GunLaws #GunIndustry #SandyHook #Uvalde #EthansLaw NewtownActionAlliance.org TheDemLabs.org
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
