You Should Run

The You Should Run Podcast returns with a new discussion featuring Haley Morrissette, candidate for State Representative in Florida. In this episode, Haley discusses issues such as education, housing, and insurance costs and why Florida is very much in play in the 2024 elections. Listen, share, and learn more at www.runlikehale.com

Brandon Teague is an organizer in North Carolina, one of the most important states for the 2024 election. In this You Should Run Podcast, Brandon talks about outreach to young people, the changing politics in North Carolina, how extremism is pushing moderates away from the Republican Party, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe today!

Ashwin Ramaswami is running for the Georgia State Senate in 2024. He is offering unique perspectives as a 24 year old candidate, a computer programmer, and as potentially the first Indian-American state legislator in the history of Georgia. In this You Should Run Podcast, Ashwin talks about what inspired him to run for office, including his opponent's role in trying to overturn the 2020 election. Ashwin discusses the changing politics of Georgia, appealing to voters across generations, making realistic campaign promises, and the value of running for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Ashwin at www.AshwinforGeorgia.com

Christopher Proia is a working class candidate for the Florida State Senate. In this You Should Run Podcast, Chris talks about what motivated him to run for office, addressing housing costs, protecting the environment, and pushing back against a partisan Republican governor and legislature. Listen, share, subscribe, and follow Christopher Proia at: https://www.christopher-proia.com/

The most important state in the nation in the 2024 elections may just be North Carolina. In this week's You Should Run Podcast, North Carolina State Representative Julie von Haefen talks about the stakes in this year's elections, what motivated her to run for office, fighting for quality education for all, and advocating for abortion rights. Listen, subscribe, and share today and follow Julie online at @JulieforNC

Darren Staley is a Democrat running for the State Senate in North Carolina in one of the most Republican areas of the state. Despite the challenging politics, Darren has a deep connection to his community and feels a responsibility to run to give them a strong alternative. In this You Should Run Podcast, Darren talks about why ever election matters. He talks about how his economic situation pushed him to be involved in politics and why that resonates with other voters. Darren also talks about how important the elections are in North Carolina in 2024 and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, subscribe, share, and follow Darren online at www.staleforncsenate.com

Chris Massicotte has over 20 years of experience in politics. Now he is using that experience to run for office himself as he seeks a position on the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners in Florida. In this You Should Run Podcast, Chris talks about what he's learned about politics and policy in his long campaign career, how to campaign to our audience, and issues that affect his Florida community, including housing, sustainability, the environment, and more. Listen, share, subscribe, and follow Chris at www.chrisformonroe.com

Phil Carter is an Air Force veteran running for the Florida State Senate. In this You Should Run Podcast, Phil talks about what motivated him to run for office, the lessons he's learned from serving his country, getting through partisan gridlock, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Phil at his website at www.pcarterforFlorida.com

Nevada Assemblyman Max Carter joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk about his experiences running for office, his advocacy through his union, and what's he's learned as an elected official. In this episode, Max talks about defying expectations, the importance of having strong women in office, mental health, and the value of state government. Listen, share, subscribe, and follow Max at www.carter4nv.com

Kristen Washington joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk about her run for State Representative in Texas to flip a seat from Republican to Democrat. In this episode, we talk about the changing politics in Texas, education, the power of local government, contesting every seat, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Kristen on her website at https://kristenwashington.com/  

Dustin Czarny has a great deal of knowledge and experience when it comes to elections. He is the elected Elections Commissioner for the Onondaga County Board of Elections and serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the New York State Election Commissioners Association. In this You Should Run Podcast, Dustin talks about the recent court changes to the New York state Congressional maps, his thoughts on what makes for fair districts, how to grow trust in the electoral system, and why democracy is important. Listen, share, and subscribe and follow Dustin at https://dustinczarny.com/   Thank you to the Outrun Coalition for helping to coordinate this discussion.

In order to understand the upcoming 2024 elections, it is important to understand the data and trends from past elections. Zachary Donnini from Decision Desk joins the You Should Run Podcast in this episode to discuss topics such as education polarization, demographic changes, how certain elections changed the course of electoral coalitions, and why candidates matter. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Decision Desk at: https://decisiondeskhq.com/

While many voters focus their attention on the President and Congress, many of the most important issues and elections are happening in state legislatures across the country. In 2022, Democrats flipped legislative chambers in Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania and made significant gains in other states as well. In this You Should Run Podcast, Heather Williams of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee talks about the value of state legislatures, how to prepare to run for these seats, what the DLCC does to assist parties and candidates across the country, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and follow the DLCC at www.DLCC.org

State Representative Kadyn Wittman joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk about what inspired her to run for office in South Dakota and to encourage others to follow her path to public service too. In this episode, Kadyn discusses the costs of running a legislative campaign, why it's important to run as a Democrat even when the odds are against you, and long term planning for the future of state politics. Rep. Wittman talks about practical ways to address homelessness, the frustrations of being shut out of the legislative process by state Republicans, pushing back against the culture war to focus on governing, and more. Tune in and follow Kadyn Wittman at www.Kadynforhouse.com

Rhode Island State Representative David Morales knows how to handle a fight, both in the legislature and as a professional wrestler. In this You Should Run Podcast, Rep. Morales discusses his unique background and talks about the similarities between politics and wrestling, the state of politics in Rhode Island, and working across the aisle. Rep. Morales also talks about inspiration from his mother, housing issues, and how solutions to major problems can come from making current government programs work better. Listen, share, and subscribe today and maybe YOU should run for office too.

Aftyn Behn is the Democratic nominee for State House District 51 in Tennessee. Before she can win that election and serve in the legislature, she joins the You Should Run Podcast to discuss a wide range of topics that motivate and inspire her, including:   The advocacy of the "Tennessee Three" and efforts by concerned parents to protect kids from gun violence. Why progressives should fight for communities in conservative states, even if it is an uphill battle. Long term organizing to stop bad legislation in the short term and pass legislation for working families. Protecting LGBT rights. Pushing back against right-wing conspiracies. Keeping Tennessee from being a "Democracy Desert." Why YOU should run for office. Listen, subscribe, and follow Aftyn on social media and at www.aftynbehn.com Special thanks to Outrun Coalition for helping to organize this episode.

From an outsider perspective, Vermont seems like it should be a utopia for progressive politics. In this You Should Run Podcast, Vermont State Representative Tiffany Bluemle talks about the challenges and successes she has experienced in her time in elected government. Representative Bluemle discusses issues like housing, mental health, gun safety, and  making government more effective and efficient. She explains how having a part time legislature and a full time governor undercuts the power of of the legislature. Listen, share, subscribe and maybe YOU could run for office too.

2023 is considered an "off year" election because of the lack of Presidential or Congressional races on the ballot, but the fact is that there are no "off years" in American politics. Sam Shirazi joins the You Should Run Podcast to discuss the significance of this year's legislative elections in Virginia, how the politics have evolved in Virginia over the past 20 years, whether competitive elections make for better state parties, why every election matters, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe today.

Central Bucks School District in Pennsylvania has been one of the top locations for school board controversy in America. In this You Should Run Podcast, School Board member Karen Smith talks about the radical changes in her community, looking out for the education and health of the students in her district, pushing back on extremism, and why YOU should care about school board elections. Listen and share and follow today.

Marist College professor Tommy Zurhellen walked across the United States to raise awareness of veterans issues. Now he's running for County Executive in Dutchess County, NY. As he walked the country, Tommy heard first hand about the consistent needs of veterans, young people, and seniors. Now he's using his experience and ideas to advocate for affordable housing solutions and services in his community. Listen and share Tommy's story and follow him at www.Tommy4Dutchess.com

With a trifecta in state government, the Minnesota Democrats just completed perhaps their most successful legislative session in generations. In this You Should Run Podcast, State Senator Erin Murphy talks about how her years of experience in the legislature motivated her to maximize the time she had in the majority, how and when she encouraged candidates to run, and just what the Democrats were able to accomplish in 2023. The Minnesota Democrats passed bills to protect a woman's right to an abortion, expand healthcare, improve schools, and strengthen democracy and voting rights. Senator Murphy talks about the lessons from previous legislative sessions, the voices of new Democrats in the legislatures, encouraging others to participate, building relationships across the aisle, and why YOU should consider running for office now.   Listen, share, and subscribe today.

Sarah Reale was elected to the Utah State School Board in 2022 to advocate for quality education for all students and strong public schools. In this You Should Run Podcast, the Salt Lake native talks about what motivated her to run for office, the community benefit of public schools, pushing back on legislation that will cut school funding, making all students feel welcome amid ongoing culture wars, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Sarah has long been a passionate defender of schools. She is the first LGBT member of the State School Board and she loves biking and enjoying the beautiful Utah nature with her girlfriend.  

Sue Anderbois is one of the newest members of City Council in Providence, RI, and she's already addressing big issues for her city and beyond. In this You Should Run Podcast, Sue talks about why voters should care about city government, how cities can make an impact on climate change, and solutions on housing. Listen, share, subscribe and maybe YOU should run for office too.

New Mexico State Representative Andrea Romero strongly values public service. In this You Should Run Podcast, Representative Romero talks about her New Mexico roots, how New Mexico has evolved and adapted over the years, and why she decided to run for office herself. Representative Romero recorded this discussion the day that former President Donald Trump was formally arraigned for federal charges and she shares her perspective as a legislator who takes elected service seriously. Other topics in this podcast include the diversity of New Mexico, how funding education brings opportunities to focus on broader issues, water access, working across the aisle, lowering the barrier to entry for young candidates, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and follow Rep. Romero across all social media channels.

Greg Perry is a son of North Charleston, South Carolina and now he is taking the leap to run for city council. In this episode of the You Should Run Podcast, Greg talks about lessons of civic and social responsibility that he learned from his mother that carry him through to today. He also talks about issues from trust in policing to an economy that works for all parts of his city to progress in affordable housing. As Greg says, "First you have to be a notebook, then you can be a textbook." Listen, share, subscribe and follow Greg online at: https://votegregperry.com/

Arizona State Representative Nancy Gutierrez is the latest elected legislator who started out as a teacher. In this You Should Run Podcast, Nancy talks about what motivated her to run for office, what she learned as a candidate, and why YOU should run for office. Other topics include: What is more challenging: being a first time candidate or first time legislator? Comparing Arizona's politics to Florida. Defining success in elected office. Why State Legislatures are so important and what voters should understand about state government. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Nancy on social media @NancyforAZ

Mickey Dollens went from high school and college football player to oil worker to teacher to Oklahoma State Representative. Every step of his journey gave him perspective to be the legislator he is today. In this You Should Run Podcast episode, Rep. Dollens talks about what motivated him to run for state representative, the uphill battle for Democrats in Oklahoma, taking care of mental health, how to be a public servant first, using Tik Tok and Twitter to bring attention to issues, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen and share and follow Rep. Dollens @MickeyDollens

Armin Thomas, better known as Thorongil on Twitter, spends his time and expertise making sense of elections for split-ticket.org. In this You Should Run Podcast, Armin talks about the trends in America's electoral politics, some of which go back decades, and whether candidates truly can buck those trends. Other topics in the podcast include understanding state politics, giving honest analysis while staying true to your personal beliefs, and why people should run for office and build for long term progress in their communities. Listen and share and follow Armin on Election Twitter @Thorongil

In 2022, Laura Terech went from the classroom to the Arizona state legislature after a successful campaign in one of the most contentious states for politics. Today she is working on bipartisan solutions on education and keeping communities safe. In this You Should Run Podcast, Representative Terech talks about the changing politics in Arizona, the ongoing work to protect and defend democracy, how to improve state government, and, of course, why YOU should run for office too. Listen, share, and follow Laura on social media @lauraforAZ

While some state legislatures are taking a hard right, states like Minnesota are using new Democratic majorities to pass progressive legislation. In this You Should Run Podcast, Minnesota State Senator Liz Boldon talks about her journey to the legislature and why it is important to take action while you have the opportunity to do good things. Senator Boldon talks about her work on healthcare, LGBT rights, protecting democracy, and, of course, why YOU should run for office too. Listen and share today and follow Liz on social media @LizBoldonMN

Monica D'Antonio from Norristown Area School District is here to share why school boards are so important and what you should know about the issues impacting education today. In this episode, Monica discusses why she ran for school board, her many responsibilities as a school board director, what the top issues are for school districts in 2023, how schools have changed over the last 40 years, addressing inequality, responding to critics of schools, and, of course, why YOU should run for office.   Listen, share, and subscribe today!

School boards are now some of the most contentious elections in America, with battles over what is allowed to be taught, book bans, funding, and more. In this You Should Run Podcast, Dana Foley talks about what motivated her to run for school board in Central Bucks School District in Bucks County, PA. There has been great controversy in the Central Bucks School District over the past few years, from COVID restrictions to freedom of expression for teachers to protecting LGBTQ students. Dana talks about the team she is running with in this year's election, building trust among families and teachers, and the impact that school boards have on communities. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Dana today

Jade Harris is looking to bring youth and new ideas to the Virginia legislature. In this You Should Run Podcast, we talk about what Jade Harris has learned in local government as a Vice Mayor, how to be friendly without compromising values, pushing back against extremism, fighting for rural Virginia, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe today.

Ashley Aune was inspired to run for office following her work with Moms Demand Action to address gun violence. As a State Representative in Missouri, she is standing up against far-right legislation while working to address needs in her community. In this You Should Run Podcast episode, Rep. Aune talks about her motivations for running, being effective as a member of the minority party, protecting abortion rights, some of the negative aspects of term limits, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe, and follow Rep. Aune on social media @Ashley4MO

How can someone measure success while in the minority in a legislature? What's the difference between being effective and being right? In this You Should Run Podcast, South Carolina State Representative Spencer Wetmore answers these questions and more as she encourages YOU to consider running for office. Rep. Wetmore talks about her past work as prosecutor, protecting coastal communities, protecting abortion right, and more. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Spencer Wetmore across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Montana State Representative Jonathan Karlen joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk about policies affecting Montana communities and how Montana's issues connect to the rest of the country. In this episode, Representative Karlen talks about the needs and concerns of rural communities, the growing diversity of Montana, building alliances across the political aisle while staying true to your values, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe, and follow Jonathan on Twitter @KarlenforHD96

Civil Rights are always a hot topic of discussion in politics. From government surveillance to LGBT rights to free speech, there are regular debates about civil liberties and what should and should not be allowed. In this You Should Run Podcast, Andy Hoover discusses his work with the ACLU in Pennsylvania, how legislation impacts civil liberties, what makes for successful advocacy, and why you should demand and expect legislators to consider the impact of civil rights when they write bills and run for office. Listen share, and subscribe today.

In 2020, Deb Andraca unseated a Republican to win a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly, one of the most gerrymandered legislatures in the entire country. In this You Should Run Podcast, she talks about what motivated her to run, where she received help and resilience from friends, and her efforts to stand up for issues like gun safety and abortion rights. Assemblywoman Andraca also discusses the importance of an upcoming State Supreme Court race in Wisconsin, why everyone should vote, and, of course, why YOU should run for office.   Listen and share and follow Deb Andraca on social media @DebforWI

The You Should Run Podcast returns with a new episode featuring Montana State Representative Paul Tuss. In this episode, Rep. Tuss talks about being a Democrat in a state controlled by Republicans, the diverse politics of Montana, creating policies to assist aging communities, and, of course, why YOU should run for office too. Listen, share and subscribe today!

Local school board elections are taking on national importance. In this You Should Run Podcast, Nick Gothard talks about what motivated him to run for school board in Loudoun County, VA. Nick responds to the major questions facing education today, from making sure all kids can read to addressing issues of diversity and equity. The average age of a school board member in the United States is 56. Nick talks about what it means to have younger people run for school board seats in Virginia and across the country.   Listen, share, and subscribe and follow Nick to learn more from him at @NickGothardVA

Jason Salus is a County Treasurer and new Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman. In this You Should Run Podcast, Jason talks about what a Party Chair does, why committee people matter, the value of running for local office, and why Montgomery County is the key to winning the Keystone State. We also discuss how the politics of Montgomery County and Pennsylvania as a whole has changed over the last 30 years and what it means for people to switch their party registrations over the last 7 years.   Listen, share, subscribe, and maybe YOU should run for office too.

State legislative elections are some of the most important races in the United States, not just in 2022, but every year. Dan Almoney saw that his conservative Republican State Representative in Central PA did not have an opponent and he decided that voters deserved a choice, so he made the choice to run for office. In this You Should Run Podcast, Dan Almoney talks about the impact of overturning abortion rights on elections in Central PA, the effects of media changes in smaller communities, how voters are responding to the major elections in 2022, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Dan on Twitter @DanforPA92

Jessica Miranda ran for local office to improve education in her community. After serving on school board, Jessica saw that if she wanted to make a big difference for education, she would need to make changes in the state legislature, and that is what motivated her to run for the Ohio State House. When Jessica first flipped her State House seat, she won by just a few dozen votes. In this You Should Run Podcast, she talks about the directions of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Ohio and how her election win may  be viewed today. She talks about the kinds of changes needed to education in Ohio, combating extremism, and encouraging more people to run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe and follow Jessica on Twitter @JessicaEMiranda

Precious McKesson was the first black woman to cast one of Nebraska's electoral votes when she provided the 306th vote for President Biden and Vice President Harris in 2020. But before she did that, Precious was leading Democratic organizing efforts for approximately 20 years. Now she is leading again, this time as Executive Director for the Nebraska Democratic Party. In this You Should Run Podcast, Precious shares her knowledge and perspectives on: What motivated her to first get involved in politics Recent special election results in Nebraska and New York The impact that overturning abortion rights is already having in Nebraska How organizers helped Joe Biden win an electoral vote in Nebraska in 2020 The importance of President Biden's directive on student loans Encouraging young people to run for office Listen, share, and follow Precious online @MsPMcKesson

Michigan State Senator Jeremy Allen Moss joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk all things Michigan. In this episode, Senator Moss talks about what motivated him to run for office in the first place and why it was important to him to see more young voices in politics. Senator Moss talks about the current divisions in politics and the challenges of governing with the people who you are trying to defeat in elections. He also discusses what makes the Michigan Democratic Party successful, standing up to extremism, and why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow at @JeremyAllenMoss on Twitter

The You Should Run Podcast usually focuses on why and how people should run for office. In this episode, Ezra Thrush from Penn Future talks about policy from a different direction. Ezra discusses the major successes for environmental protection in the recently passed Pennsylvania state budget. We talk about how climate and conservation touch every level of government and how the conversations change depending on the audience, but the goals remain the same. We also talk about the benefits of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. Issue advocacy is incredibly important and can be very effective, even on areas that seem contentious like the environment. Listen to Ezra and follow him on Twitter @EzraThrush to connect and learn more.

Elected office is supposed to be about public service, and Ohio State Representative Casey Weinstein's life and family is all about service. In this You Should Run Podcast, Casey Weinstein talks about his start in local office and how that has given him the ability to prioritize passing policy vs focusing on partisanship. Casey talks about the challenges of being in the minority party in Ohio, successfully passing bills to help veteran families, pushing back against extremism, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Casey Weinstein on Twitter at @RepWeinstein and follow the podcast at @YouShouldRunPod

There are over 500,000 elected positions in the United States. People pay attention to the President and Congress, but local office offers a way to create direct change on our communities and experiment with solutions that can have a wider impact. In this You Should Run Podcast, Jonathan Grieder talks about his experience as a Council member in Waterloo, IA. He has used his opportunity as a younger local official to push for creative policies on making childcare more affordable and available, addressing climate change, and more. At a time when the national problems seem too big to tackle, Jonathan's experience shows that there is a lot of power in local government. We also discuss the great work of organizations like Run for Something, starting out in politics, and why more young people in office is a good thing. Listen, share, subscribe and follow Jonathan on Twitter @Grieder4wloo

State legislatures have never been more important, which is why candidates like Lisa Borowski in Delaware County, PA, have never been more important either. The Pennsylvania legislature is looking to pass bans on abortion rights and continue to cast doubts on elections. In this You Should Run Podcast, Lisa answers questions about the pressure to win her election for state representative, what inspired her to run for local office, the changing politics of the Philly suburbs, reactions from voters after the Supreme Court decision on abortion, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, vote, and follow Lisa on Twitter @lisaborowski

There are over 500,000 elected positions in the United States, from the President and Congress to lesser known roles. In this You Should Run Podcast, Mohammed Alyajouri talks about his work on the Portland Community College Board of Directors, why this role is so important, and how he became possibly the first elected Muslim in Oregon. We talk about the pandemic, inspiring others to public service, and why YOU should run. Listen, share, and subscribe today! Follow Mohamed on Twitter @Alyajouri  

Nevada State Senator Dallas Harris knows both the challenges and promises of state government. In this You Should Run Podcast, Senator Harris talks about Nevada being the first and so far only state to have a majority female legislature and what that means for governing. She also discusses how she has been productive in a part time legislature, how lobbying groups work effectively, and making elected office more attainable for working people. This is a conversation you will not want to miss. Listen, share, and subscribe today and follow Senator Harris on Twitter @DallasHarrisNV