Political State Podcast

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Political State is a weekly podcast from The Oklahoman featuring discussions, interviews and analysis of Oklahoma politics. From the Oklahoma Legislature to the state’s DC delegation, Political State offers listeners a closer look at the politics and polities shaping their lives, hosted by The Oklah…

GateHouse Media


    • Sep 7, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 85 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Political State Podcast

    Kicking off Oklahoma election season

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 24:39


    The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman break down what you need to know about the state's races leading up to November's general election. 

    Budget bargaining

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 29:10


    As the Oklahoma Legislature nears the end of session, final budget negotiations are underway. The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss. 

    Swadley's Bar-B-Q controversy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2022 37:23


    Oklahoma's Department Tourism and Recreation has come under fire for allegedly paying Swadley's Bar-B-Q excessive amounts throughout the state's contract with the company. Dave Cathey, the Oklahoman's Food Dude, joins Ben Felder and Carmen Forman to discuss. 

    Candidates file for Oklahoma elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2022 18:43


    Candidates flocked to the Oklahoma state Capitol this week, filing to run for state and federal offices. Reporters Ben Felder and Carmen Forman break down the first two days of filing. 

    Preparing for the primaries

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2022 29:59


    Candidates running for offices across Oklahoma will officially file next week. The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss this and more. 

    The race for Oklahoma state superintendent

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 26:30


    Former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Jena Nelson joined the race for state superintendent this week, joining candidates Ryan Walters, April Grace and John Cox. Education reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel joins Ben Felder to discuss. 

    Winners and losers of the week

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2022 23:16


    Multiple Oklahoma bills made headlines this week, but only some survived. Co-hosts Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss this week's top news from the state Capitol. 

    Which bills survived the week?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2022 32:23


    The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman recap which bills made it out of their initial committees this week, as well as the tidal wave that ensued after Sen. Jim Inhofe announced he will be leaving office next January.

    Unpacking education, abortion and criminal justice reform bills

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 35:22


    The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss the state's top political stories of the week. 

    School voucher bill faces hurdles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2022 17:01


    Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall said he does not plan on hearing the Oklahoma Empowerment Act, potentially shutting down a bill that would allow students to use state funds to attend private schools or homeschool. The Oklahoman's Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss. 

    Previewing the 2022 session

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2022 33:46


    The 2022 Oklahoma legislative session begins Feb. 7. Reporters Ben Felder and Carmen Forman discuss what to expect. 

    Conversations with candidates: U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2020 60:17


    The Oklahoman's Chris Casteel sits down with Congresswoman Kendra Horn to talk about growing up in Oklahoma, her interest in politics, and the issues facing the state and the nation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Oklahoma Senators discuss impeachment trial

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2020 20:34


    Chris Casteel with The Oklahoman talk to U.S. Senator James Lankford and U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe as the Senate prepares to conduct the trial for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. 

    Cole says Trump had legal authority to kill Iranian general

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2020 14:52


    U.S. Rep. Tom Cole spoke to The Oklahoman's Chris Casteel on whether Trump needed congressional authorization for killing Iranian leader

    Governor Stitt's first year in office

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2019 31:04


    The Oklahoman's Chris Casteel sat down with Governor Kevin Stitt and First Lady Sarah Stitt to review their first year in office. 

    U.S. Rep. Tom Cole

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2019 48:32


    U.S. Representative Tom Cole joins Chris Casteel to talk about the impeachment hearings, government funding, Alzheimer’s research and buffalo.

    Voter appetite for a new jail

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2019 33:41


    Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert discusses mental health and addiction services included in the MAPS 4 proposal, along with the idea that voters might be asked to fund a new jail. 

    MAPS 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2019 32:49


    In this special episode of Political State the proposed MAPS 4 projects are discussed along with possible political reaction from the council and public. 

    Who is John Blake?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2019 34:08


    The Political State crew discusses Gov. Stitt's push to replace the higher education chancellor, the effort to repeal permitless carry and a week of congressional town halls. 

    Sen. Jim Inhofe

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 29:25


    U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe sits down with Ben Felder and Chris Casteel to discuss current events. 

    Rep. Kendra Horn

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2019 26:09


    Congresswoman Horn discusses her first several months in office, where she falls on the political spectrum and her thoughts on the crisis at the border. 

    Should journalists vote?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2019 41:40


    The Oklahoman’s Carmen Formen and Ben Felder welcome Tres Savage, editor in chief of NonDoc, to discuss this week’s state Supreme Court ruling on a Medicaid expansion petition and to discuss whether journalists should vote in the elections they cover.

    Mayor David Holt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2019 43:06


    Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who has been in office for nearly 14 months, discusses his time as mayor and also plays some Twitter trivia.   

    Rep. Shane Stone

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2019 27:58


    Rep. Stone from Oklahoma City announced he will not seek reelection in 2020. He joined the podcast to discuss his time in office and the future of the Democratic party in Oklahoma. 

    Political State: The abortion wars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2019 39:32


    Carmen and Ben talk with Michelle Oberman, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law who wrote the book "Her Body Our Laws," which includes research into the political dynamics of abortion in Oklahoma. 

    Bice enters 2020 race

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2019 31:32


    Chris Casteel, Carmen Forman and Ben Felder discuss the 5th congressional district race, which now includes State Sen. Stephanie Bice. Plus, the podcast crew discusses Gov. Kevin Stitt's first 100 days in office.

    Councilwoman Meg Salyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2019 26:54


    After 10 years on the OKC council, Meg Salyer is leaving office next month. She reflected on her time on the council and how the city has changed over the last decade.

    Governor Kevin Stitt

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2019 20:13


    Goveror Kevin Stitt talks about his first few months in office.

    Rep. Cyndi Munson

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 35:55


    Rep. Cyndi Munson, Democrat from Oklahoma City and Minority Caucus Chair, talks about establishing herself as a leader in the party and continuing to find election success.

    Sen. Julia Kirt

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2019 30:46


    State Sen. Julia Kirt returns to Political State to discuss the first month of session and her first term in office.

    The Echols Shrug

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2019 30:39


    Rep. Jon Echols, the House Majority Floor Leader, discusses his role in shaping policy and the big issues in front of the Legislature.

    Political State: JoBeth Hammon

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2019 24:47


    JoBeth Hammon won her Ward 6 council race this week, drawing attention for beating a better-funded opponent and running a campaign focused on homelessness, public transportation and sustainability.

    Exit interview for Ed Shadid (and Justin)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2019 36:58


    OKC Councilman Ed Shadid discusses his eight years on the council as he prepares to leave office.

    Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2019 31:52


    Sen. Treat discusses his new role as leader of the Senate, his career and his hopes for 2019.

    A couple of outsiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2019 24:27


    John Budd, Gov. Stitt’s chief operating officer, and David Ostrowe, Stitt’s secretary of digital transformation and administration, join the podcast to discuss their business background and new roles in government.

    Political State: Run government like a … restaurant?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2019 33:57


    Justin and Ben discuss Gov. Stitt’s first week on the job, bills filed this week and the ongoing federal government shutdown.

    Bison Bash in Lawton

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2019 34:32


    Ben Felder and Justin Wingerter speak with Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt and Rep. Trey Caldwell at the Pre-inaugural Bison Bash in Lawton, Oklahoma on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019.

    New Year's Resolutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2019 43:56


    Oklahoma County commissioner Carrie Blumert joins the podcast to discuss the county jail and the entire crew offers New Year’s resolutions for several Oklahoma politicos.

    Top political stories of 2018

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2018 28:18


    Dale, Justin and Ben discuss the top three federal and state political stories of the year in Oklahoma.

    Governor Fallin’s legacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2018 25:28


    As Gov. Mary Fallin leaves office, Justin, Darla and Ben discuss her legacy and her recent work on criminal justice reform.

    Senate sisters

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2018 30:14


    State Sens. Carrie Hicks and Julia Kirt, both Democrats from Oklahoma City, joined Political State to discuss their elections and next year’s legislative session.

    Councilwoman Nikki Nice

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2018 38:31


    New OKC Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice joined the show to discuss her goals in city office. Justin and Ben also discussed Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt’s transition team and his balance of insiders versus outsiders.

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