Podcast appearances and mentions of Charlie Cook

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of the 'Cook Political Report' and Columnist for 'The National Journal,' to discuss the 'playing field' for the 2026 midterm elections in the Senate and House of Representatives. Then, Senior White House Reporter for 'Bloomberg Government,' Mica Soellner, joins Brad to talk about the new peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, the government shutdown, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's recent attacks on President Trump. Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.  

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of the 'Cook Political Report' and Columnist for 'The National Journal,' to discuss the 'playing field' for the 2026 midterm elections in the Senate and House of Representatives. Then, Senior White House Reporter for 'Bloomberg Government,' Mica Soellner, joins Brad to talk about the new peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, the government shutdown, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's recent attacks on President Trump. Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.  

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #239 Chris Henderson MTR Defense 3 Doors Down, Guitarist   It's great to have friends who have friends! While I was in Memphis doing a show and staying with Zeke Stout, he asked if I wanted to have the guitarist from 3 Doors Down on the show.Besides being a rock star, he also started and runs MTR Defense, making AR style rifles. How am I going to say no? It was a great day for me. I filmed 3 shows in two states in one day. I went to where Elvis was born and where Johnny Cash was buried.    It started by driving out of his neighborhood, where Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, and Johnny Cash all lived. There was lots to cover. We talk about music and firearms, two of my favorite topics!   Henderson traveled around a bit as a kid, but they settled in southern Mississippi. His brother also played and attended my alma mater, Berklee College of Music. Chris wanted to go there, too, but his brother talked him out of it. So he stayed in Escatawpa, Mississippi, and played in all kinds of bands. He also served several years in the Army, Navy and as a Seabee, in the Reserves. This is when he started learning and getting interested in firearms. He was also able to keep practicing and playing guitar.    He's been in 3 Doors Down since 1996, but in 2000, the band really took off with "Kryptonite". Things really changed from playing in clubs with 250-300 people a night to doing much bigger venues. The band really hit it huge for many years, even doing up to 50 gigs a year now.    For his early influences, of course there was Lynyrd Skynyrd. But he also spent a lot of time listening to gospel  and country music. According to him, when you're born in Mississippi, you leave the hospital with a fishing license, a Dale Jr die cast, and a Skynyrd album. As an 18 year old, fresh out of high school, having lots going on, he still made time to practice guitar every day. Without a formal education, he was still able to get a great set of ears and transcribe music. Naturally, this led to writing songs, too.    The conversation really was back and forth. We talked about guns, then music, then back to guns. Some of what he shares is about the process of being a band and who gets credit for writing which part to a song. There's a road story about doing a show in Miami and the transmission of the van just melting and they didn't make the gig. This is when 3DD was just getting recognized.    Around 2016, Chris decided to get into making firearms and selling merch. He joked that it was a hat company that sells rifles. Originally called Middle Tennessee Rifle, he knew there would be pushback from social media, so he decided to call it MTR Defense. They don't make “black rifles”, but they have them cerakoted so they're much more colorful. Hillbilly 223 Urban Finishes does the cerakoting for him. MTR also makes a lot of promotional items, like shirts and hats. They made battle mugs and hats for The GLOCK Store.    Besides making AR styles rifles, he said he makes a 50 cal on the AR platform. They do a lot of custom work on many types of firearms. There's a really good selection at the website, linked below. MTR has their FFL and SOT so they can make and sell lots of fun items. He's running a one man shop with a little bit of help. Most of his days, he's up at 4 am heading to the MTR office.   When I went to meet Chris at his place, he needed to get cleaned up. His son hung out with me. He asked me if I wanted to see his rifle. Of course I said yes. I got to see his toy AR with a scope on it. We sat on the front steps and he pretended to shoot things in the yard. It was fun. In his down time, Chris takes care of his son and four dogs. When his fiance comes to visit, she's got her four dogs, too.  Favorite quotes: “I don't remember not being in this band.” “Chase your dreams. Do it for beer. And see what happens.” “Music comes easy to me. Guns come easy to me. Business does not.” “You forget where you came from. No, I didn't. That's why I'm not there anymore.” “They're there because they're traumatized youth. And they're using the music to heal.”   MTR Defense https://mtrdefense.com/   MTR Store https://mtrdefensestore.com/   MTR FB https://www.facebook.com/mtrdefense/   MTR X https://x.com/MTRDefense   MTR Linktree https://linktr.ee/mtrdefense   Hillbilly 223 Urban Finishes https://hillbilly223.com/ Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/   Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Editor-in-Chief Jeff Dufour and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook discuss the latest news on redistricting, the impending government shutdown, and how thermostatic politics could affect the dynamics of the midterm elections. 

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #238 Sarande Diane Kyle Wayne Culotta's Fiance   Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. I got a call a few weeks ago from a fellow instructor, Michele Granache, who also runs a women's group called Pistol Sisters. She asked if I wanted to interview Kyle Wayne Culotta's fiance, Sarande Diane. Um….YES!   Here's the scoop on Mr Culotta. First, he's an Air Force veteran. He & Diane were moving to either northern Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire from Arizona. He's from the Grand Canyon state, she's from the Bay State. Sarande has family and friends in central Mass.They traveled 2,500 miles without any issues. While in Gardner, Mass, doing some Door Dashing to make gas and food money. Until they made some money, they were between living in their car and staying with friends.  Driving through a rotary and failing to yield, they were pulled over. The officer found out the insurance wasn't up to date either. So he wanted the car impounded. The officer told them to take out what they needed from the car. Being from “free America”, Kyle went to get his carry handgun, which also happened to have a magazine with more than 10 rounds in it. Which, of course, is illegal in Massachusetts, where liberty was born. And has died.    Kyle was sent to prison without bail as the judge thought he was a flight risk and a danger to society since he's from Arizona. Things are very fuzzy as he isn't a resident of Mass. He wasn't quite traveling through the Commonwealth. And he had some handguns and a long gun that he was going to sell to help pay to get them up and going.    This past weekend, I got to spend some time with Sarande getting to know her and learning more about Kyle's case. The Gun Owners Action League is helping with the case, getting some good pro Second Amendment attorneys to help. Kyle has been locked up since late June 2025. The issue with all of this stems from Chapter 135, which is the wildly anti-gun law that the AGG (Anti-Gun Governor) signed in July of 2024. Governor Healey even signed an “emergency preamble” to get the law into effect earlier than 90 days after she signed it. Then gave the state 18 months (547 days) to figure out what the new training requirements will be to obtain a license to carry.    One of the things that came up is that there was an 18 year old man on Cape Cod who said he was going to shoot up a school and he was building guns. He stalked a school that he attended. There were even issues about this in 2024 with him wanting to harm students at the school. But when it came down to it, his charges were dropped to almost nothing and the court determined he isn't a threat despite saying he wants to harm people. One big lesson is that before they had some Second Amendment attorneys, they had some public defenders. The offer the PD came up with was 3-4 years in prison and zero ability to buy firearms ever again. Should you ever end up in a situation with a firearm, you are going to need an attorney who is well versed in Second Amendment issues. Not a public defender.   There's lots of ways viewers can help. People can donate to the Give Send Go they've set up. Or you can donate to GOAL's website, too. With 29 states with permitless carry, the states most affected by the Bruen decision are still fighting for their civil rights.  I had a chance to talk to Kyle before we filmed the show. He's a great guy, locked up due to a stupid law, and has zero criminal intent. Sarande is a sweetheart of a woman who is fighting like hell to get her man out and free again. Tune in and check out this wild story.    Favorite quotes: “They assumed he's out by now. But he is not.” “My grandparents were dreaming of America, not Worcester.” “We had everything we owned in the car, including firearms.” “The mags are what they deemed him dangerous on.” “Dictators love unarmed peasants." Give Send Go for Free Kyle Wayne https://www.givesendgo.com/FreeKyleWayne   Justice for Kyle Culotta https://www.wayneanddiane.com/   Sarande on X https://x.com/diane_revere   GOAL's Kyle link https://www.goal.org/freekyle Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565  

This week Topher and Jeff talk with Russ Sinkewich and Charlie Cook of the Ohio Hockey Project. Sinkewich is the Project Founder and Head Coach; Cook is the Director of Hockey Development. They join us to talk about finding life lessons, genuineness, and passion through the sport. In this episode we talk about: — How life lessons in sports are what get you far in life — That if a coach is hard on you it means they care — How to teach not only the sport, but also the things bigger than the game AND SO MUCH MORE! Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar! And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites! JOIN HTTU TODAY! Follow us: IG: @HockeyThinkTank X (Twitter): @HockeyThinkTank TikTok: @HockeyThinkTank Facebook: TheHockeyThinkTank Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #237 Erica Chin WOMA's Amateurs & Experts Podcast   Heading into SHOT Show season last year, I got an email from someone I didn't know asking me to be on their show at SHOT. Of course, I'm going to say yes. The email was from Erica Chin. She's the co-host of the Women's Outdoor Media Association's podcast called Amateurs & Experts. The other host is Jess Andrich.They talk to people in the firearm and hunting, fishing, outdoor community. We recorded the show at the Otis Technology booth, where they host a number of podcasts, including the shows Matt Mallory and I did during SHOT 2025.    Since becoming friends with the ladies, we keep in touch. Erica said she was coming to NRA AM in Atlanta and I said we should film a show despite Jess not being there. She is a SHOT pro, but this was her first time at NRA AM. We actually started the day off by Erica calling me and going to an award ceremony, where Anne Mauro (RSWC #146) received an award for the NRA Women's Golden Bullseye Award for “Industry Woman of the Year.” Erica was also able to meet with her show's sponsors.    Growing up in a household run by her father who was a police officer, she was surrounded by firearms, hunting, and the shooting sports. Yet he didn't ask her to join him at the range. The first time she shot was in training to be a probation officer. The training started off with a week of shooting and handling. After the initial training, it went to quarterly range sessions with one magazine for them to shoot.    After being married, she found out her husband was into shooting and wanted to get back into it. This move slowly got her into shooting competitions, but mostly it was some social time for her, she wasn't concerned with her score. Her husband said she was more concerned with clothes and snacks at the range and suggested, maybe, she should practice as much as she's concerned about those items. Then he signed her up for 3-gun match at Babes With Bullets, which is hosted with Deb Ferns, (RSWC #204) and Kay and Jerry Miculek. Yeah, she went right to the top tier of competitive shooting!   The first 3-gun match set her on a new trajectory. She became a range safety officer just to be able to help at Babe With Bullets in the future. Being around Deb “sucks you in” and Erica went in with both feet. She took a trip from Utah to Montana and went off grid for a while. Eventually, she realized and remembered she has responsibilities at home with a family and she's been more selective of the events she goes to.    Erica shares some hunting stories and experiences she's had with BWB & WOMA. She's not afraid to get into the field dressing of the beasts she harvests.    With an interest in new things to explore, she and Jess have the gift of gab and were a natural to host the WOMA podcast. They're both fun, up for new adventures, and great with everyone. They've got great chemistry together. They settled with Amateurs & Experts for the name of the podcast because they talk with all kinds of experts in the outdoor community and want to reach the amateurs. Their second season of pod is dropping now, so find them on your favorite podcast outlets.    Besides being an RSO with BWB, and a probation officer, she's trained to drive Code 3, which means she can drive with lights and sirens. Being a person who enjoys expanding her horizon, she became a massage therapist so she could give massages at BWB. She's also taken classes for funeral science. There's a lot going on with her!   Favorite quotes: “Once you meet Deb Ferns, you drink the Kool-Aid.” “As a female it's tough to find places where we fit into hunting, where we fit into shooting sports, where we fit into fishing, and WOMA really encourages women to get out there.” “I went to school for funeral science.” “The last thing you can give someone is dignity in their death.”   WOMA https://www.thewoma.org/   WOMA Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheWOMA/   WOMA Instagram https://www.instagram.com/womensoutdoormediaassociation/   WOMA LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-woma/   WOMA X https://x.com/WOMA_the   Amateurs & Experts Podcast https://www.thewoma.org/podcast   Amateurs & Experts Podcast Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7yZEor7j1SFBuB9LhWWHVm   Babes With Bullets Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BabesWithBullets/   WOMA's She Never Quit Charity https://www.thewoma.org/snq Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

In this week's episode we talk with Charlie Cook about the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Salt Lake City on Sept 27, 2025 This episode is also brought to you by the Instructor Alliance. Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, the Instructor Alliance is where like-minded instructors come together to… The post 2025 GRPC / AMM-CON Conference first appeared on The Firearm Trainer Podcast.

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #236 Zeke Stout MGS Trade School   Zeke and I have been running into each other at various events for a few years. If I remember correctly, Yehuda Remer (RSWC #012) introduced us at SHOT Show. Zeke is a great guy, very personable and funny. Matt Mallory & I have done some live shows with Zeke, including on at SHOT Shot 2025. He's been talking to me about doing a show in Memphis and we were able to pull it off after the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta this year.    We started across the street from Graceland, yes, where Elvis Presley lived. He warned me to watch out for high speed chases as they have the best drop guns in Memphis!   Zeke has made a great career for himself and in several fields. He started in medical sales, pharmaceutical sales, and medical supply sales just to have a solid income. The hours were neverending, being on call all the time. So it was time to move on.   At one point, he got some help from an entrepreneurial friend and learned about marketing. This was his new passion. He's been able to use that throughout his career and in many of the fields. They opened a car dealership in Clarksville, TN, and he decided to get his carry permit. Once he was into firearms, he turned it full on.    During drives to work he would call and talk with his friend Marty “Lefthand” Holder and they would talk about guns and called it Talking Lead. It hit them that they should start a podcast. His entrepreneur friend owned a Mexican radio station and he asked if they could use the studio to record their podcast. For a while, both Zeke and Vanessa Mandrel had a radio show called Projectile Disfunction. Within four episodes of Talking Lead, they learned there were other great firearm content creators who lived within 30 minutes. Folks like Hickok45, .22 Plinkster, and TNOutdoors9. James Yeager wasn't too far away either. Their episode with Hickok got them into 117 countries. In six months, they were one of the largest gun podcasts in the world.    At one point, Zeke started doing marketing for a gunsmithing school who shall not be named. He took that company and grew them over 340% in four years. One day, he opened a message on LinkedIn and there was a message from a casting agency. They wanted him to audition to be a judge for gunsmithing on the show Master of Arms on Discovery Channel. According to him, the way to win an audition is to not care. Once they found out that he had other media and podcasting skills, they wanted him to host the show. Ashley Hlebinsky (RSWC #130) was also on that show. Unfortunately, the show only lasted one season.   After the TV season of life, he took a hiatus from firearms and got into marketing in the motorcycle world. Yes, one day a week, he had to ride his bike for work! After a while of motorcycle marketing, he reached out to Modern Gun School, MGS. Part of the offer was to do what he did for the other company, but this time he wanted to be a part owner. One of the first things they did was rebrand to MGS Trade School so that it was much more acceptable.     If that wasn't enough, Zeke took that marketing skill and got into golf while his son was taking lessons. He started Dilligolf. It's short for “Do I look like I golf.” He's been growing that YouTube channel, too.    It was such a fun show to record and to hang out with Zeke. We do take a call from Yehuda Remer, The Pew Pew Jew. He's got so many stories and tells them well. You'll really get to know him and see what a great guy he is.    Oh yeah… we do see a high speed chase and pick up a drop gun. As he says, “we've got the best drop guns in Memphis.” Favorite quotes: “Whenever I get into anything, I dive in, absolute head first.” “Talking Lead was started in a Mexican radio station in Nashville.” “What just happened? We might have something on our hands.” “Dude, we didn't know you did all this. Why don't you audition for the host of this show?” “I'll form an LLC and write off all my golf expenses. And I did.”   MGS Trade School https://mgs.edu/   MGS On YouTube http://youtube.com/@mgstradeschool   MGS Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MGSTradeSchool/   MGS X https://x.com/mgstradeschool   MTS IG https://www.instagram.com/mgstradeschool/   Dilligolf YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Dilligolf   MTR Defense https://mtrdefense.com/ Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Our guest today is Charlie Cook. Charlie is an award-winning writer, speaker, and the host of Riding Shotgun With Charlie. He is a firearms instructor and a musician and combines those worlds as the creator of the viral Gun Gram video series. Charlie is also one of the organizers of the annual Amm-Con workshopping Event for 2A Media. 1) You are one of the organizers for an annual event called AMMcon. What is it and who should plan to attend? 2) You are the perfect example of who should attend Amm-Con. You are an award-winning one-man team. How much has Amm-Con impacted your work? 3) Amm-Con is hosted by SAF and they are celebrating a huge anniversary with their signature event, the Gun Rights Policy Conference. Tell us about the GRPC! (40th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference Sept. 26 – 28 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek!) Originally Aired 8.26.25

Legendary political analyst Charlie Cook joins Chuck Todd with sobering insights about America's polarized democracy, revealing that despite perceptions of a Democratic wipeout, 2024 represented a narrow rejection of Biden and Harris rather than an embrace of Trump—part of a pattern where six of the last seven presidential elections have been decided by five points or less, creating a perpetually divided nation where small shifts carry enormous consequences. Cook argues that true undecided voters now represent only 2-3% of the electorate while "independent leaners" are essentially partisan, meaning campaigns have learned that undecideds aren't centrists but often hold contradictory views that defy traditional political logic. He traces Biden's downfall to the chaotic first nine months of 2021, noting that Biden only won because the party consolidated to stop Sanders, while Trump's identification of public demand for border security proved politically prescient even as both parties operate with zero policy or values overlap.Cook delivers a stark diagnosis of systemic dysfunction, declaring there's "NO reason to have a U.S. Senate anymore" and arguing that when 50% plus one became the electoral standard, polarization inevitably followed, creating a republic that desperately needs new guardrails in the post-Trump era. He explains how the 1991 reapportionment sparked today's gerrymandering wars while weak parties paradoxically coexist with stronger partisan allegiances than ever, leaving journalists struggling to avoid being "used" by sources and voters consuming incoherent news diets without basic knowledge of history, civics, or economics. The conversation explores whether doubling the House size could restore representation, how robust third-party challenges might sober both major parties, and why it takes extraordinary people or events to unite a country where non-aggression pacts between opposing candidates—common in the 1980s—are now unthinkable, while warning against drawing too many conclusions from midterm results that may reflect pandemic-induced educational disruption more than lasting political realignment.Timeline:(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)00:00 Charlie Cook joins the Chuck ToddCast!03:00 Almanac of American Politics is best reference for each district05:30 Democrats decline happened nearly across the board06:30 2024 wasn't the Democrat wipeout it's portrayed to be09:30 All of the movement happens in the purple states10:45 Non-aggression pacts between candidates of different parties in 80s13:00 Journalists don't want to be “used” when being given information14:15 Parties are weak, but allegiances are stronger than ever15:30 The two parties have no overlap on policy or values17:00 Campaigns learned undecideds aren't always centrists19:00 Undecideds are only 2-3% of voters20:30 Independents with a “lean” are basically partisan22:00 There hasn't been a landslide since the 80's23:15 With a country this divided, small shifts are consequential24:30 When elections are close, it doesn't inspire reflection & change26:00 2024 was a rejection of Biden, not an embrace of Trump27:15 Biden's downfall was the first 9 months of 202129:15 Biden won because party consolidated to stop Sanders31:30 Trump identified public wanted border security33:45 6 of last 7 presidential elections decided by 5 points or less36:00 When 50% +1 became the standard, polarization set in36:45 There's NO reason to have a U.S. Senate anymore39:15 The republic needs new guardrails post-Trump40:00 A robust third party challenge sobers up the two parties41:00 It takes a great person or event to unite the country42:45 Pros/Cons of doubling the size of the house44:30 The public isn't learning history, civics or economics46:00 Most people don't have coherent consumption of news47:00 Where do the redistricting wars end?49:30 The 91' reapportionment started the gerrymandering mess50:30 Who is in better shape, Donald Trump or Brian Kelly?52:00 The pandemic really affected students and learning53:00 Will we take away too much from the midterm results?

Chuck Todd unpacks the political storm brewing around redistricting and its ripple effects on both voter and donor enthusiasm, as Democrats struggle to spark a surge of energy despite making gains in candidate recruitment. He digs into why the New Jersey governor's race could be unexpectedly tight, with Mamdani looming as a potential wildcard, and how an anti-incumbent mood paired with shaky economic signals could reshape the midterms. From voters increasingly motivated by who they're against rather than who they're for, to the larger question of whether this cycle is about personalities or policies, it's a sharp look at the forces defining the next election.Then, legendary political analyst Charlie Cook joins Chuck Todd with sobering insights about America's polarized democracy, revealing that despite perceptions of a Democratic wipeout, 2024 represented a narrow rejection of Biden and Harris rather than an embrace of Trump—part of a pattern where six of the last seven presidential elections have been decided by five points or less, creating a perpetually divided nation where small shifts carry enormous consequences. Cook argues that true undecided voters now represent only 2-3% of the electorate while "independent leaners" are essentially partisan, meaning campaigns have learned that undecideds aren't centrists but often hold contradictory views that defy traditional political logic. He traces Biden's downfall to the chaotic first nine months of 2021, noting that Biden only won because the party consolidated to stop Sanders, while Trump's identification of public demand for border security proved politically prescient even as both parties operate with zero policy or values overlap.Cook delivers a stark diagnosis of systemic dysfunction, declaring there's "NO reason to have a U.S. Senate anymore" and arguing that when 50% plus one became the electoral standard, polarization inevitably followed, creating a republic that desperately needs new guardrails in the post-Trump era. He explains how the 1991 reapportionment sparked today's gerrymandering wars while weak parties paradoxically coexist with stronger partisan allegiances than ever, leaving journalists struggling to avoid being "used" by sources and voters consuming incoherent news diets without basic knowledge of history, civics, or economics. The conversation explores whether doubling the House size could restore representation, how robust third-party challenges might sober both major parties, and why it takes extraordinary people or events to unite a country where non-aggression pacts between opposing candidates—common in the 1980s—are now unthinkable, while warning against drawing too many conclusions from midterm results that may reflect pandemic-induced educational disruption more than lasting political realignment.Finally, he answers listeners' questions in the “Ask Chuck” segmentTimeline:(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)00:00 Chuck Todd's Introduction03:30 Redistricting fight fallout will be intense04:45 What will redistricting fight do for voter/donor enthusiasm?06:45 No surge in Democratic enthusiasm yet09:45 Democrats are doing better on candidate recruitment 11:15 NJ governor's race could be close12:30 Mamdani could loom over the NJ governor's race15:00 We're in an anti-incumbent environment16:30 State of the economy could determine midterms17:30 Public is voting AGAINST candidates rather than for them18:00 Charlie Cook joins the Chuck ToddCast! 21:00 Almanac of American Politics is best reference for each district 23:30 Democrats decline happened nearly across the board 24:30 2024 wasn't the Democrat wipeout it's portrayed to be 27:30 All of the movement happens in the purple states 28:45 Non-aggression pacts between candidates of different parties in 80s 31:00 Journalists don't want to be "used" when being given information 32:15 Parties are weak, but allegiances are stronger than ever 33:30 The two parties have no overlap on policy or values 35:00 Campaigns learned undecideds aren't always centrists 37:00 Undecideds are only 2-3% of voters 38:30 Independents with a "lean" are basically partisan 40:00 There hasn't been a landslide since the 80's 41:15 With a country this divided, small shifts are consequential 42:30 When elections are close, it doesn't inspire reflection & change 44:00 2024 was a rejection of Biden, not an embrace of Trump 45:15 Biden's downfall was the first 9 months of 2021 47:15 Biden won because party consolidated to stop Sanders 49:30 Trump identified public wanted border security 51:45 6 of last 7 presidential elections decided by 5 points or less 54:00 When 50% +1 became the standard, polarization set in 54:45 There's NO reason to have a U.S. Senate anymore 57:15 The republic needs new guardrails post-Trump 58:00 A robust third party challenge sobers up the two parties 59:00 It takes a great person or event to unite the country 1:00:45 Pros/Cons of doubling the size of the house 1:02:30 The public isn't learning history, civics or economics 1:04:00 Most people don't have coherent consumption of news 1:05:00 Where do the redistricting wars end? 1:07:30 The 91' reapportionment started the gerrymandering mess 1:08:30 Who is in better shape, Donald Trump or Brian Kelly? 1:10:00 The pandemic really affected students and learning 1:11:00 Will we take away too much from the midterm results?1:14:00 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Charlie Cook 1:19:45 Ask Chuck 1:20:00 Why do wealthy democracies let Putin get away with so much? 1:26:30 What can small market MLB teams replicate the Brewers success? 1:32:00 Why can't Democrats win statewide in Florida? 1:37:45 How to reverse the damage from cutting research grants? 1:43:00 What amendments would you like to see at a constitutional convention?

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #235 Evered Douglas, Yasuke Fett Black Powder Podcast   At SHOT Show 2025, I met Evered in passing. I was doing a show, someone slipped his card into my pocket, and said reach out to this man. We started following each other on the socials. At NRA AM, we had a chance to film a show.    Evered didn't get into firearms until he was a father and going through a divorce. He realized that the layout of his place wasn't necessarily the safest. There was potential for some he said/she said going on. So it was time to pursue getting a carry permit in Georgia.    His first purchase was a Mossberg 88 shotgun. Maybe not the best choice, but we all start somewhere. We've all been “tactically frugal.” He said he went all “Amazon tactical” buying things like a scope and a light to put on the gun. He admits “this is why you got to research and study.” His first trip to the range with the Mossy was a bit embarrassing. He wasn't sure how to hold it so he ended up putting it under his armpit.    This is how he started down the rabbit hole to see that rights are being taken away from us. His taste in gear has also matured since then, too. He moved to a Canick and a Ruger handguns.   One of the goals that Evered has is to become an instructor. After his divorce, things were tough. His daughter was only 6 months old when that happened. He wasn't getting enough time with her.  But  he's looking into getting certified by either the NRA, the USCCA, or by NAAGA. He has been helping some friends get into firearms and helping them along their journey.  Taking other courses as a student has helped him get through the hard times that affect divorced people.    Georgia is a permitless carry state, but they still issue permits. Back when Evered was getting started on his firearm journey, he still needed to get a permit and there was a learning curve for that, too.    The Black Powder Podcast is mainly focused on black society and firearms. He takes the name from a cartridge. The fans are the powder. The bullet is the message he's putting out. He ignites the fans to get the message out. He dropped his first episode on Sept 11, 2020 as a reminder of how we all came together as a country.  It was a good year for new beginnings with all that was going on. And thus, a good time to get the new gun owners from 2020 into the fold and learn about firearms, safety, and how and when to use them. Since SHOT Show, he's gone from just an audio podcast to adding video, which he drops on Mondays.    Before Black Powder Podcast, he was doing Warbound Radio. It was more towards video gaming. But he plans on rebranding that and bringing it back as a men's positivity podcast. Going through his divorce, he became much more aware how the family court system leans toward the mothers and not the fathers.    This past year was Evered's first year at SHOT. A friend helped him get in. He's working on a lot of things and I think he's really getting his message out. He's got the Black Powder Podcast and YouTube channel. He's working to become an instructor. And he's working to reach more people in the community.  Favorite quotes: “You realize how many rights and how much stuff they're doing to take stuff away from you.” “If you can't walk it and talk it or line it up and shoot it, why are you even doing it in the first place.” “It was getting me active again, getting all that stupid depression crap off my back.” “The primer is hit, the power is lit.” “Any time you act out of fear, it doesn't end well.”   Black Powder Podcast https://blackpowderpodcast.com/   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/blackpowderpodcast/   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@blackpowderpodcast   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/blackpowderpodcast Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Jake Hollenback Mantis   I got a chance to catch up with Jake Hollenbeck from Mantis. He schools us on all things Mantis related.   Mantis Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MantisFTS/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFe1uQqh6d577ARxZ8oLgHA Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mantis_tech/ US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense.  Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc  

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop David Lucas MEAN Arms MEAN Arms website https://www.meanarms.com/ MEAN Arms Facebook https://www.facebook.com/meanarms MEAN Arms Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mean_arms/ MEAN Arms YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF5e5rqMMj2F-iSEylnj8NQ   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #234 Lynn Webb Eagle Eye Personal Defense   On the way home from NRA's Annual Meeting in Atlanta, I did a “swing by” in Memphis then went to Mississippi for a couple shows. Talking with Meekos Beech, I let him know I was going to Oxford, Miss. to interview Lynn Webb. He said “Cornbread”! I guess they knew each other. I love that my Olympic Ring is expanding into their rings.    Lynn always wanted to be in law enforcement, even when there weren't a lot of women officers. She did an internship with the sheriff's department and was involved in their reserve program. Then she worked in the jail and university police department. (We were right in Oxford, Miss, so I'm assuming she's talking about Old Miss.) After a decade there, she was a lieutenant and the officer in charge of the motorcycle division. One of the local sheriffs heard she was looking for a job, and he hired her as the first female deputy in their history in 2007. She also spent some years as a school resource officer.    One of the other deputies asked her if she wanted to do some IDPA pistol shooting. About half way through the match, she regretted not shooting. Once she got the IDPA bug, she got more involved and went up in her rankings She's competed in several local and national matches.There were times when she even branched out to USPSA and Steel Challenge, too. In 2015, she became an NRA and USCCA certified instructor. When her 25 years on the department were up, the plan was to be a part time firearm instructor.    During retirement, she's mostly focusing on training women. She has worked with both The Armed Women of America and A Girl & A Gun. Both are great groups that guide women through gun ownership and training. The real focus of her company, Eagle Eye Personal Defense, was to put female shooters on the correct path and help them learn to shoot and defend themselves and their loved ones. Since she has retirement hours, her schedule for training is flexible.    One of the fun things about my “road show” is that I get to learn about licensing in other states. Mississippi is a permitless carry state, but the state does issue permits. Often it's for reciprocity for those who want to travel and carry. They do consider it an enhanced permit so you can carry in more places than if you didn't have a permit. For the enhanced permit, there is additional training, which includes live fire, use of force, and concealed carry statute. Much of what she does is from the USCCA curriculum.    The live fire portion is up to the instructor. What Lynn does is start with a big IDPA target to make sure they're hitting the target. Then another target with 3 in.circles and numbers in the circles to make sure they're looking at their sights. Once they're hitting those, they move to a smaller NRA target. Ultimately, the state did not decide on what needs to be fired. The firearms she clients use are often what they own and, even though some want to shoot larger calibers, she will let someone use a .22 if that's what they have.    What I find really great around the country is that there are local ranges where people can rent range time and rent guns, too. In Massachusetts, the ranges are private and you have to be a member to shoot there. But all around the country, there's ranges all over the place. She mentioned about five or six just in her country.    I really enjoyed hanging out with Lynn. She's a great woman doing wonderful things in Mississippi. Training women, keeping kids safe in schools, and enjoying her retirement. She gave me a short tour of Oxford and its surroundings. She also brought me some Crittenden Distillery single barrel bourbon whiskey.  Favorite quotes: “Half way through watching, I regretted not shooting.” “I wanted to make sure the people coming to me had the best tools that they could get…to protect themselves and to be proficient with their firearm.” “If a .22 is all they got and that's what they carry, they should be able to shoot a .22.”  “Shooting people call me Cornbread.”   Eagle Eye Personal Defense LLC https://www.facebook.com/EEPDT15/   USCCA link to EEPD https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/firearms-training/instructors/mississippi-instructors/eagle-eye-personal-defense-llc-551030/   A Girl & A Gun https://www.agirlandagun.org/   Armed Women of America https://armedwomen.org/ Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/   Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Hotline House campaign correspondent James A. Downs talks to Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook about the latest updates in redistricting efforts in Texas, who could retire next from the Senate, and the political fallout facing President Trump over information on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Patrick Collins The Gun Food The Gun Food website https://thegunfood.com/ Use RSWC as a discount code and save 5.56%   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Nathan Mitchell Mitchell Defense Mitchell Defense website https://www.mitchelldefense.com/ Mitchell Defense Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Mitchell-Defense-100087019685149/ Mitchell Defense Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mitchelldefense Mitchell Defense YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Mitchell_defense   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Heather Allen Author High Caliber website https://www.highcaliberoc.com/ High Caliber Instagram https://www.instagram.com/highcaliber_nc 50 States In My Sights book https://www.amazon.com/50-States-My-Sights-Heather/dp/B0CNFNHBQQ   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Stephen Ziadie Patriot Mobile Patriot Mobile website https://patriotmobilebusiness.com/ Patriot Mobile Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PatriotMobileUSA/ Patriot Mobile X https://twitter.com/PatriotMobile Patriot Mobile Business https://patriotmobilebusiness.com/

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Boge Quinn GunBlastDotCom GunBlast website https://gunblast.com/ GunBlast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/Gunblastdotcom GunBlast Rumble https://rumble.com/user/Gunblastdotcom   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Dennis Fusaro NRA Board Of Directors   NRA website https://home.nra.org/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Keith Bombough BOS Lok BOS Lok website https://boslock.com/ BOS Lok Facebook https://www.facebook.com/biometricoptimizedsafety BOS Lok Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boslock BOS Lok X https://x.com/biosafelock BOS Lok YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@bos_lock US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Philip Toppino W.O.F.T. WOFT Website https://woft.com/ WOFT Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WOFTLLC WOFT Instagram https://www.instagram.com/w.o.f.t/?hl=en WOFT YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@woft1678   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc  

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Ursula Williams Competitive Shooter Ursula Williams Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ursula.308 Ursula Williams Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ursula.308_   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc    

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Bryan Eastridge American Fighting Revolver   American Fighting Revolver website https://americanfightingrevolver.com/ AFR Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554376958390 AFR YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AFRevolver357 AFR Instagram https://www.instagram.com/american_fighting_revolver   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

To close out Pride Month this week, we're sharing a special best of episode featuring stories about coming out in science!  Part 1: Science educator Charlie Cook experiments with coming out to students. Charlie Cook is a non-binary white settler on ancestral, unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory. They are a museum science interpreter with a BFA in Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts. Part 2: Marine biologist Shayle Matsuda adapts to his new identity as a transgender man while on assignment in the Philippines. Dr. Shayle Matsuda is a Research Biologist at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he leads the Aquatic Microbial Ecology: Coral Reefs and Urban Freshwater Ecosystems research program. Shayle Matsuda's story originally aired on our podcast in November 2014. See details here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To close out Pride Month this week, we're sharing a special best of episode featuring stories about coming out in science!  Part 1: Science educator Charlie Cook experiments with coming out to students. Charlie Cook is a non-binary white settler on ancestral, unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory. They are a museum science interpreter with a BFA in Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts. Part 2: Marine biologist Shayle Matsuda adapts to his new identity as a transgender man while on assignment in the Philippines. Dr. Shayle Matsuda is a Research Biologist at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he leads the Aquatic Microbial Ecology: Coral Reefs and Urban Freshwater Ecosystems research program. Shayle Matsuda's story originally aired on our podcast in November 2014. See details here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Philip Van Cleave Virginia Citizens Defense League We recorded this at NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, in April 2025. VCDL Website https://vcdl.org/ VCDL Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VCDLorg VCDL Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vcdl_official/ VCDL YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thevcdl   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #232 Mekkos Beech Memphis Beech, Instructor & YouTuber   I met Mekkos in a YouTube mastermind group hosted by Will Workman (RSWC #185). His YouTube channel is called Memphis Beech. So I asked the obvious question: are you in Memphis? I was scheduling a short southern tour and reached out to Mekkos. I was very lucky to have Mekkos on the show. He's a great guy, very knowledgeable, and a good tour guide! I'm glad we were able to connect and become friends. We met up at Top Gun in Memphis and headed down towards Beale Street and ended the show in Arkansas.    Mekkos grew up in a military family, including his mother, with relatives in the Marines, Army, and Navy. He joined the Marines but he didn't grow up shooting but started his training in the military. He was a helicopter electrician and when he got out there weren't a lot of jobs in aviation. So he found a career in IT doing cyber security for most of the time. He got into competitive shooting, mostly IDPA. He started as an RSO at Top Gun and offers classes there.    The classes he offers are just the continuing training that people need. He teaches IDPA classes, but he's also got classes like Mastering the Pistol and Beyond the Permit. He also has private one on one coaching sessions. He's got quite the credentials, too, being certified by Massad Ayoob Group, Tom Givens' Rangemaster, Active Self Protection, Last Resort Firearms Training, as well as the NRA, USCCA, and NAAGA. You can see he's a smart man.    We spent some time talking about Tennessee. It is a permitless carry state but there are still lots of restrictions. They have what they call an “enhanced permit” which allows a permit holder to carry in more places than someone without one. I think he's got a great take on “Constitutional carry” saying “the state establishes the Second Amendment as their carry permit.” Therefore the state cannot control where you can and cannot go while you're carrying. His definition of permitless carry is as long as you can legally buy a gun and carry it, but there are rules and addendums you have to follow.    The issue for permitless carry states is that you, as the citizen, still have to know what their laws are about where you can carry and even use force. This is why it is good to take some additional training. After studying defensive gun uses, he discovered that many of the skills used in the DGUs are not skills that people are getting at the permitting courses. Again, it is why those who carry should seek out additional training, take more classes, and read books about self defense. This is why when a state goes to permitless carry, training increases. When the government says you have to take a course and that's all you need to know, that is often where people stop taking training.    When he started his YouTube channel, it was to focus on the competition side of things. He was going to show viewers how to go through various stages and help with their competitive shooting issues. But there was a holster review that took off and got tens of thousands of views.    Some of the other topics include working with students who have a fear of firearms. Sometimes, the instructor doesn't know the student had a situation where they were affected by someone else using a firearm or if a woman is a DV survivor. I bring up a course I'd like to make and he helps guide me through what it should have.    One of the reasons I wanted to start a show is to expand my circle of friends. My circle went to Will Workman, which led to his mastermind, which led to Mekkos. I'm honored he was able to make time to do the show, that we became friends, and that he shared his wisdom with us.  Favorite quotes: “In Constitutional Carry, the state establishes the Second Amendment as their carry permit.” “It takes a little bit of emotional intelligence to keep people on track to remember the information from the first six hours.” “I have a huge passion for shooting. I have a huge passion for the pistol sports. I want to share that passion with others.”  “I think of IDPA as a game. I think of USPSA as a sport.” Memphis Beech  https://www.memphisbeech.com/   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@MemphisBeech   Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/memphis.beech.coaching   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mbeech901/   EDC: Every Day Conversations Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/edc-every-day-conversations-hosted-by-memphis-beech/id1667064527 Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Editor-in-Chief Jeff Dufour and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook discuss President Trump's polling numbers after a busy news week with threats of war with Iran, infighting in the West Wing, and Dems in disarray. Plus, a guest appearance from Hotline House races reporter James A. Downs.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.  Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of 'the Cook Political Report,' to talk about ten years of Trump in politics.  This includes how he completely changed the Republican party's identity, and what might happen to the GOP once Trump is no longer President. Then, Kim Scott, Publisher of 'Dem List,' previews the NYC Mayoral primary election. She also details the upcoming Governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey, which tend to be a bellwether for the following year's midterm elections in Congress. Kim Scott's 'Demlist' is a free national daily political column, calendar and resource site for Democrats and allies - a unique, central source that connects people to the who, what and where of Democratic events, issues and activism. You can find out more about them at DemList.com and follow them on BlueSky at the handle @demlist.bsky.social‬. Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.'  He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.  

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.  Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of 'the Cook Political Report,' to talk about ten years of Trump in politics.  This includes how he completely changed the Republican party's identity, and what might happen to the GOP once Trump is no longer President. Then, Kim Scott, Publisher of 'Dem List,' previews the NYC Mayoral primary election. She also details the upcoming Governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey, which tend to be a bellwether for the following year's midterm elections in Congress. Kim Scott's 'Demlist' is a free national daily political column, calendar and resource site for Democrats and allies - a unique, central source that connects people to the who, what and where of Democratic events, issues and activism. You can find out more about them at DemList.com and follow them on BlueSky at the handle @demlist.bsky.social. Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.'  He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Riding Shotgun WIth Charlie Pit Stop Mike Ox Red Dot Mastery Book https://www.amazon.com/Red-Dot-Mastery-astigmatism-both-eyes-open-ebook/dp/B0CQWKSQ86 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DryFireOx/ Dry Fire Training Cards https://www.instagram.com/dryfiretrainingcards/?hl=en Dry Fire Training Cards https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/ Dry Fire Training Cards https://www.facebook.com/DryFireTrainingCards/ US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

RSWC Pit Stop Jacob Paulson Concealed Carry Concealed Carry https://www.concealedcarry.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/concealedcarryinc Instagram https://www.instagram.com/concealedcarryinc YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@concealedcarry   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc  

RSWC Pit Stop Lisa Paris Instructors Dash Instructor Dash website https://instructorsdash.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/instructorsdash/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@UCstWeQEEl0XC1HLfCD60OmQ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/instructorsdash/   US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Pit Stop Hickok45 Hickok45 stopped by the booth at NRA AM's Voices of the Second Amendment and talked with Charlie a little. Hickok45  YouTube https://www.youtube.com/hickok45 Hickok45 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Hickok45-100044290096493/ Hickok45 X https://x.com/hickok45 Hickok45 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/therealhickok45 US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free! https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc  

Riding Shotgun WIth Charlie Pit Stop Alex Shay From GOA! I got to catch up with Alex at the 250th Anniversary dinner that was hosted by Gun Owners Action League on April 19, 2025. Gun Owners of America https://www.gunowners.org/ GOA's G.O.A.L.S https://events.goa.org/goals/ GOA YouTube https://www.youtube.com/GunOwnersofAmerica GOA Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gunownersofamerica GOA X https://x.com/GunOwners GOA Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GunOwners/ US Law Shield Legal Defense for Self Defense. Use "RSWC" as the discount code and get 2 months for free! https://www.uslawshield.com/ Patriot Mobile Use this link and get one month for free!  https://patriotmobile.com/partners/rswc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #230 Denise Arcieri Armed Princess   I connected with Denise Arcieri through Yehuda Remer, The Pew Pew Jew (RSWC #012) a few years ago. We talked about doing a show but when I reached out recently, she said she had some exciting news and this was a perfect time! She works at Pioneer Arms LLC in Whitinsville, MA. They make their own fixed magazine ARs, which are Mass legal. They did a special run of them with her Armed Princess logo! And we spent some time and got a few photos of those in the show.    Denise grew up in a pro gun family and used to shoot with her father. Then her kids started shooting with her father. He encouraged her to come to a women's event and give it a try again. She found out that she was good at it and she enjoyed it. The instructor saw that she was competent and familiar and asked her to help run the line. She saw that some women were more responsive to her than to the male instructors. One of the women there was a DV survivor. She really attached herself to Denise that evening.    That's when Denise decided that she was going to get more involved. She's also a DV survivor. When she was younger, she was in an abusive relationship. After incidents, she would call the police and they really didn't do anything back then other than say things like "“let him cool off” or “he'll be fine tomorrow” or “he's not here now and there's nothing we can do”. Even after she was fully out of this relationship, her ex and his family members would pop up in her life. Maybe run into her at the store. Or see her around town. There were late night phone calls from her ex, too.    After becoming an instructor, she started working with more women and has been a great resource at Pioneer Arms. Due to her day job, she was apprehensive about posting pictures of her shooting. But once she started instructing and posting about upcoming courses, the ex's family stopped running into her. She stopped getting calls. She was able to get her life back together and move on. This has also been inspiring to other women that she was teaching. Building an online presence wasn't really something she was looking to do, but it has worked in her favor. Denise has been connecting with many other 2A influencers on “the ‘Gram” and building her audience. She connected with the folks at Greyman Solutions. She is one of their brand ambassadors.They gave her the title “Armed Princess” and she graciously accepted it and ran with it.    I did get to Pioneer Arms to get some pictures of her logoed AR lowers. You'll see those in the video. For Mass residents, they do have fixed magazines, both as short 10 round mags and long 10 round mags. You can also get a MEAN Arms speedloader for this or any AR style rifle.  If you're in “free America”, you can also order a lower and they can ship it to your local FFL.    The hard part about life is those learning lessons and years. Fortunately, Denise has taken what were some bad years and turned them into something that's not just good for her and her life, but good for other women, too. With the perspective of being the Armed Princess, she can help other women learn to shoot, become familiar with firearms, and maybe give them the skills and confidence that they need to get out of their situation. That can lead to these women helping others. And so on. And so on.  Favorite quotes: “Why did I stop doing this? I love this.” “When you're coming out of one of those situations, sometimes don't believe your own life is worth protecting.” “The idea of a gun to protect myself didn't enter my mind, even though it had been in my life.” “Given that we live in an area where you drive three hours and go through three states, that they would recognize each other's licenses.” “...told me she had been to three gun shops previously and walked out of every one because she didn't feel comfortable.” Armed Princess Instagram https://www.instagram.com/armed.princess/   Armed Princess Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Armedprincess-100064335295006/   Pioneer Arms LLC https://pioneerarmsllc.com/   Pioneer Arms LLC Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pioneerarmsllc/   Pioneer Arms LLC Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pioneerarmsllc/   Greyman Solutions https://greymansolutions.net/ Use Princess15 for free shipping   Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #229 John Turrell Armed Lifestyle Magazine   There are some nice perks about going to SHOT Show as media and having more than one media gig. After I was asked to write for Armed Lifestyle Magazine, I got to meet the other contributors at SHOT. One of the ALM writers is John Turrell. John, as you'll hear, is from England. This is my second international passenger! I'm glad we were able to connect with a crazy busy SHOT schedule. Not just mine, he keeps busy in Vegas, too. And not with the night life. With writing! He and his team put out daily reviews from SHOT.   Like many folks, John started shooting as a young child, around 10 years old, with his father. He's worked his way up to competitive shooting in UKPSA and IPSC. UKPSA is the United Kingdom Practical Shooting Association. He enjoys shooting pistols competitively and even went up against Jerry Miculek, who got him into shooting revolvers.    He is currently the sales manager at a gun range, where he offers a shooting experience for new folks. The hopes are to turn them into licensed individuals who get into firearms and shooting. The range is unique particularly in the UK.They have an indoor range with turning targets. With the range shooting experience, people can get a safety briefing, how to shoot session, then fire 50 rounds, ending with a little fun competition with turning targets. The range is very much like an indoor range here in the US.    In 1996, there was a mass shooting. The government decided that it was time to ban all pistols from the “subjects”. There are several limitations…ahem…infringements. The barrel length must be 12 inches long and the overall length has to be at least 24 inches. That sounds like a rifle to me rather than a pistol. Obviously, that makes it hard to carry on one's body, which the government doesn't want them to do.    To get a license in the UK, you have to attend a class, join a range, then you have a probationary period of at least three months. Then you apply to your local country police force for the license, with the usual background check and references. Of course, you're not guaranteed to get the license either. If all goes well, you get a certificate.    There are two types of certificates. The section one certificate is for centerfire rifles and long barreled pistols and shotguns with a more than three round capacity. The type of action doesn't matter, just the capacity. The section two license is for shotguns which hold two rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Despite the limitations, John enjoys having to do all the reloading. Seeing some Mossberg's at SHOT, he'd really love to have a 590, but due to the barrel length, he wouldn't be able to get home.    We also talk about suppressors. As I've learned the original name was a silencer, but in the UK, they call them moderators. First, in order to purchase one, it has to be on your license that you can have them. To have it added to your license, it's only about $25. At the gun store, you tell them which one you'd like, then add the serial number to the license, you pay for it, and then go home with it. Boom. Easy!   The main reason these are legal is for hearing protection. There is a possibility that the moderators will become an item that they don't keep track of on your license. However, if you buy one for your air rifle, no license information is required. He says it could be possible that it gets as easy as going to the store to buy groceries and then picking up a moderator like it's any other item. Very different than it is here.    I really enjoyed getting to know John better. He's a great guy with a lot of knowledge. While at SHOT, he and his team crank out daily reports of the guns and gear they see.So he's there truly for work and not necessarily pleasure. It was great to learn the difference in our gun cultures between the UK and the US. Please keep an eye out in the free online resource of Armed Lifestyle Magazine for John's writings and reviews. Favorite quotes: “The government at the time, then banned all pistols.” “The current laws state that the barrel must be at least 12 inches long and the overall length of the pistol has to be 24 inches.” “Suppressors have to be on your license.” “We call them moderators in the UK.”   Armed Lifestyle Magazine website https://www.armedlifestylemagazine.com/   Armed Lifestyle Magazine Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thearmedlifestylemagazine/   Armed Lifestyle Magazine Instagram https://www.instagram.com/armedlifestyle/ Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Hotline editor Kirk Bado and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook handicap the midterm elections and discuss the political dynamics of incumbents facing younger primary challengers.

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #228 Jay Grazio Executive Editor, Shooting Illustrated   I was down in Fairfax, VA, filming shows with the NRA staff. One of the folks who I had lunch with was Jay Grazio. He's originally from Massachusetts, a funny guy, and we hit it off well. So we filmed a show!    One of the perks of his position is that he gets to train. When we did the show, he'd recently visited Gunstie in Arizona. It also sounds like the NRA has the employees do training together, which he says he did with one of the other staff members.    As a Bay Stater, it's hard to be a gun person, with all the limitations (infringements) and laws (more infringements) that we have. As much as he loved growing up in small town New England, it wasn't good as a gun activist and writer. When he took the position at Shooting Illustrated, he made the move to free America in Virginia.    At a young age, the shooting bug hit him. His father was a Mass State Police police officer and his grandfather was a town police officer. Firearms were always around and safety was emphasised by the elders. Guns were tools to the family. His grandfather would tell him stories of when he was young and owned a diner. During the Depression, often people would settle up with bills and exchange meals for firearms. This makes the history of firearms a big interest for Jay.    One prized possession is his grandfather's Colt revolver that he carried, which was made in the 1930's. Another is a 1911 from 1917, which still fires without any issues, just like it did over 100 years ago.    Always one to look for a good gun story, Jay would help friends in need by offering to buy guns from friends and when they could pay him back, he'd give the gun back. But there was one Colt Python that he wasn't able to come up with the money for and it got away from him. He also had to pass on a fully, lawfully transferable M16 that was only $10,000 back then.    He has a degree in biology and a master's degree in biochemistry, so of course he became an editor. In the early days, Jay was involved in lots of blogging on various websites and topics. He used to argue over politics online, like many of us still do. Then a friend had him write as the resident “gun guy”. He started his own blog about firearms by reviewing LaserLyte products, which he saw in an American Rifleman magazine. That led to more and more reviews and products.    Things just kept rolling from there. Since then he's written for Shooting Illustrated, Recoil, and Western Shooting Journal. When there was an opening at Shooting Illustrated, he was encouraged to apply. He took the chance and it worked out. Getting a degree and masters with a biology and sciences background, he understood writing, working on thesis, and meeting deadlines. Having some experience in sales marketing and websites came in handy, too. All transferable skills as he admits.    At a previous job, Jay shares what's really a typical story for a gun owner in “occupied territory.” One colleague, who was an avid hunter, kept a knife in his truck in case there was an incident. This person wasn't a fan of ARs. He thanked Jay on his last day at the job for not causing an incident when he left. This is a display that not all gun owners are created equally. It was OK for the man to have a “military grade sniper rifle”, but not acceptable, to him, for someone else to own an AR. Hypocrisy has no bounds.    Jay was a great guy to spend time with! He's a great story teller. His position gives him exposure to all sorts of training, gear, and personalities in the gun community. This was a fun interview and I hope y'all enjoy it. You can check out Shooting Illustrated from or the link below, or NRA's website, and read all of Jay's articles and the work he does.  Favorite quotes: “Massachusetts is the birthplace, and graveyard, of liberty.” “It's a way of connecting with the past in a manner that you can use it the way it was intended.” “Massachusetts doesn't make it easy to be a Second Amendment advocate.” ”Guns are not good, guns are not evil. Guns are chunks of metal.” Shooting Illustrated https://www.shootingillustrated.com/   National Rifle Association https://home.nra.org/   Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Way back in the late 1990s, Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook had an idea to rank all 435 congressional districts by their partisanship - in other words, whether a district is more Republican or more Democratic.That way, we'd be able to see, at a quick glance, which members of Congress represented districts that were either slightly or strongly partisan. For example, is a certain Republican representative in a very solid Republican seat…. or in one that is only slightly red… or even one that was blue or blue leaning?Thus was born the Cook PVI, which stands for Partisan Voting Index. And since 1998, CPR has released a new addition every two years.This admittedly very geeky undertaking is also something we get really excited about because it cannot only tell us the partisanship of every district, but with more than 25 years of data, we can see how districts have shifted over the years. The person behind the Cook PVI and how it all works is David Wasserman, The Cook Political Report's senior editor and elections analyst.We invited him on to explain what the Cook PVI is, how we calculate it, what we learned from it for 2025, and what it may tell us about elections in 2026. We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, April 9th. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upRead Dave's Cook PVI analysis: https://www.cookpolitical.com/cook-pvi/introducing-2025-cook-partisan-voting-index-slightly-depolarizing-electionLearn more about The Cook Political Report: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe

Editor-in-chief Jeff Dufour and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook discuss Rep. Elise Stefanik's return to the House, the off-year governor races, and potential primary challenges to Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. Episodes of National Journal Radio are also avail­able on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #227  Jonathan Goldstein NRA BOD, NRA 2.0 Candidate   This is a small first, but a first nonetheless. Jonathan Goldstein flew up from Philadelphia to Boston just to film a show with me! Yes, I'm beyond honored! He's also working that hard to get elected for the NRA Board of Directors. And in his home state of Pennsylvania for their gun owners. It's always fun to meet someone new and widen my circle of friends. I picked up Jonathan at the airport and we drove for a bit to get to know each other.  We kick things off quickly and jump in deep, talking about Bruen, open carry v concealed, and why some laws aren't conducive to logic. He's got a great line, borrowed from Chris Conte from the NRA ILA, about “New Jersey being the North Korea of gun ownership.” I knew things were going to be fun after that.    Jonathan didn't really grow up as a gun guy. He owned IT businesses and sold them before going to law school. Besides that, he was a newlywed and applied for law school, and was on the ballot for the state legislature. After not liking the big law firm, he got together with some other friends and started outsourcing legal work to India.  But as he says everyone “hates outsourcing, but they hate lawyers more.”    Back in 1994, the gun laws were being redone in the Pa. There were lots of folks against it and he wanted to see what they were against. Each of the towns and cities were supposed to have the same laws. But they decided they were going to have different classes of cities, and thus, Philly was in its own class. Therefore, having its own laws that the rest of the state didn't have. He started thinking about why the politicians were so set against lawful gun ownership. That piqued his interest and that's when he became a gun owner. He got a permit, bought a snub revolver, got into shotguns and bird hunting and found a new passion.    Around the time Heller was going on in 2008, he was getting more involved in getting cases and getting noticed by the NRA. This is where he became friends with Chris Conte at NRA ILA. In 2011, he was awarded the Defender of Justice by NRA ILA. He also helped raise money for the NRA.    On the radar of the NRA, he ends up on a couple committees, one for the legal affairs and one for the non-traditional gun owner, those of racial and sexual minorities. With enough trust, he was placed on the nominating committee. That's when he started seeing that things were not necessarily going so well. That's when he started seeing that some BOD members weren't there for wholesome reasons. He saw that they weren't all rowing in the same direction. Some of the folks haven't seen that the old tactics aren't working, haven't been, and don't want to change.    We got into it a bit more of course. He's very passionate about the NRA and what is going on and what needs to be changed. I really enjoyed the conversation with Jonathan and I look forward to seeing him in Atlanta in April.    This wraps up the five interviews I've done with the NRA 2.0 Candidates running on the reform ticket. I've had another five or so on the show over the years. I'm voting for all 28 of the “Reformers”. I enjoyed the conversations with them all. As with the NRA staff that I've had on the show, I can see the passion for the NRA and our rights that they have and they're fighting for. These 28 candidates know that the NRA didn't earn the respect of the members, their funds, and their support. I do have faith in them and what they plan on doing to resurrect the NRA from what has been going on. I have confidence in them and I'm looking forward to the progress for gun owners across the country.    While it is too late to become a life member and be able to vote, it's not too late to vote for those who haven't yet. Ballots were sent out in the February magazines and have to be received by April 6, 2025.    Favorite quotes: “The goal is to frustrate the gun owner.” “The modality that works best today is concealed carry. Not open carry.” “The fact that I carry a gun keeps you safer. You're welcome.” “What do these politicians intend to do to me that my ownership of firearms is a threat to them.” “NRA is back on the map. We're clean. We're well run. We deserve to get out seat at the table back.”   Elect A New NRA Website https://electanewnra.com/   Goldstein Law Partners https://goldsteinlp.com/   Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #225 Charlie Hiltunen III NRA BOD, NRA 2.0 Candidate   Here's another great interview with one of the NRA Board of Director members and NRA 2.0 Reform Candidate, Charlie Hiltunen III. At the Great American Outdoor Show, I got to meet several of the NRA 2.0 Candidates and set up to film some shows with a few of them. He had some commitments on the morning we filmed and asked if I could get him back so he was able to get to the airport. I told him I could do him one better and take him there. Currently, he's finishing his first term on the board.    Hiltunen was born and raised in Indiana. He grew up shooting and hunting as part of the midwest family life. He grew up in a time where high schoolers would bring a .22 rifle to school to hunt on the way home. This was a tradition with his father and he wanted to pass it along to his own children. When his kids were old enough, he was instructing and coaching them in the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Program. With all the coaching and working with young people, he thinks he got more from it than they did.    His career was as an attorney working with government affairs, lobbying, and politics. When the traditions he shared as a son and father were at risk, he got more involved in activism. Part of this journey got him involved with the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association. The “family bond in the 2A community became even stronger.”    As an instructor and coach and president of ISRPA, he was asked if he wanted to be a candidate for the NRA BOD. While on a hiking trip in Michigan, he got the message about the offer. When he asked when they needed a bio, they said right away! With his experience as an attorney, lobbyist, and as the president of a state association, it was a great fit! One of his personal goals is to reconnect the NRA with its members, new and old.    The messaging from the BOD members I've talked to have all been the same. They want to increase members which will bring back some political clout. They want to focus on safety training, education, and competitions. The board is working more with each other to make the improvements they see fit. They all want to make sure the association stays around for another 150 years. But they do know that getting the message out is going to be a challenge.    Part of the conversation is about permitless carry and training. When Indiana went to permitless carry, there were more people who wanted to get training. Of course, it's needed for responsible gun owners. The need for those without permits is different from a regular licensing course. When the state requires training for a carry permit, that's often the only thing people take. But when they don't need a license, they have more practical needs for shooting and training.    We talk about training the women being the largest growing demographic of gun owners. He brought up fellow board member Rick Ector and the event he does in Detroit every year. It is important to get new people to try shooting so that they get that shooting is fun and training and safety are important for everyone.    It is important to vote for all 28 of the Reform Candidates. In the past, people have encouraged “bullet voting” to try and get a message to the board. That method raises only a few candidates and pushes the others down. But this slate of candidates is going to work together to make the changes they think are needed. With more of the reformers on the board, there will be less of the “old guard” who had allegiance to the former EVP. Ballots were sent out in the February issues of the NRA magazines. They're due on April 6, 2025.   It was great to get to know Charlie more during this conversation. I'm looking forward to seeing what the reformers will do and hoping the changes they make will be positive changes for the association.    Favorite quotes: “There's so many great people on the board of directors.” “Change is difficult for any organization.” “The NRA is not an organization, it's an organism.” “If you forget your history, you're going to lose your future.” Elect A New NRA Website https://electanewnra.com/   Second Amendment Foundation https://secure.anedot.com/saf/donate?sc=RidingShotgun    Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms https://www.ccrkba.org/     Please support the Riding Shotgun With Charlie sponsors and supporters.    Self Defense Radio Network http://sdrn.us/   Buy a Powertac Flashlight, use RSWC as the discount code and save 15% www.powertac.com/RSWC   SABRE Red Pepper Spray  https://lddy.no/1iq1n   Or listen on: iTunes/Apple podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riding-shotgun-with-charlie/id1275691565  

Hotline editor Kirk Bado and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook discuss President Trump's first month in office and how his presidency may affect the midterm congressional races. Episodes of National Journal Radio are also avail­able on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Send us a textTaegan Goddard is the founder and editor of Political Wire, one of the most widely-read political news sites over the last 25+ years. He created Political Wire in the late 1990s after stints as a Senate staffer on Capitol Hill and several years in state government in his home state of Connecticut. In this conversation, he talks his own development as a rabid political junkie, setting out early goals in the public and private sector, both encouraging and disheartening stints in government, why he decided against running for office, and starting Political Wire initially as a hobby - which has now grown into a site that is a regular stop for 10+ million readers a month. To become a paid subscriber to Political Wire to see additional content and no ads, click here.IN THIS EPISODEGrowing up as a young political junkie in Hartford, CT...Taegan runs across an early version of the internet in the 1980s...The British politician who had an important important on the structure of Taegan's life...Important lessons working for the Senate Banking Chair, Michigan Democrat Don Riegle, on Capitol Hill...Highs and lows of working for Governor Lowell Weicker and others in CT state government...Why time working in state government made Taegan forgo an early desire to run for office himself...The core lesson of his book for elected officials, You Won, Now What?, that stands the test of time...The origin story of the Political Wire news website, which goes back 3+ decades...When Taegan realized Political Wire had found an audience and developed staying power...How Taegan has maintained and grown his audience in the tumultuous space of internet political sites...Taegan's sense of how important and history-making our current era of politics is...Taegan's most effective work tool & favorite non-political website...AND Spiro Agnew, David Bradley, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton's best friend, Congressional Quarterly, Charlie Cook, Al D'Amato, dark horse campaigns, the Federal Reserve Board, Joe Ganim, Newt Gingrich, Michael Heseltine, the Keating 5, John Kerry, Merck, nattering nabobs, The New Republic, Ross Perot, reader freakouts, Robert Redford, Chris Riback, Joe Rogan, Stu Rothenberg, John Rowland, William Safire, Ben Thompson, Chuck Todd, Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal, yellow legal pads...& more!

Editor-in-chief Jeff Dufour and Cook Political Report with Amy Walter founder Charlie Cook break down the first few days of President Trump's new term including his executive orders, his confirmation hearings for his nominees, and what new political dynamics could arise from the next four years.