You Should Run

Nevada State Senator Dallas Harris knows both the challenges and promises of state government. In this You Should Run Podcast, Senator Harris talks about Nevada being the first and so far only state to have a majority female legislature and what that means for governing. She also discusses how she has been productive in a part time legislature, how lobbying groups work effectively, and making elec...

There are over 500,000 elected offices in the United States, from Congress to constable. In this You Should Run Podcast, Holly Kim talks about what her important work as Lake County Treasurer in Illinois. Holly talks about how her parents instilled the values of civic engagement and how offices like treasurer can transcend typical partisan politics to make a real difference in the lives of others....

Before she was elected to office, Arizona State Senator Christine Marsh was Teacher of the Year. Now she is using her many skills from teaching to advocate for families in the State Senate. In this You Should Run Podcast, Senator Marsh talks about why she decided to run for office and why it is important to run for office again today. She talks about standing up against extremism in politics, work...

Joseph Jones has two decades of experience in the political world, from campaigns to the Harkin Institute to his current role on council in Windsor Heights, Iowa. In this You Should Run Podcast, Joseph talks about his travels to all 50 states, how politics have changed in Iowa in the past 20 years, the work of local government, and places to find optimism at a time when things seem extra challengi...

Santa Clause is coming to.... Congress? That's right, Santa Claus is running for Congress in Alaska and he's asking for your vote. In this You Should Run Podcast, we learn about the extraordinary real life of the real Santa Claus of North Pole, Alaska, and why he's decided to throw his red hat into the ring for public office. Santa has very real experience advocating for children and working on po...

Bettina Umstead is the Chair of Durham Public Schools. While education policy has always involved challenges, the past few years have been even more difficult for educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this You Should Run Podcast, Bettina talks about what motivated her to run for office, getting young people involved in school boards, making Durham schools a safe and welcoming environment for...

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon joins the You Should Run Podcast to talk about her new Congressional district, her inspiration for running for office, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. In this episode, the Congresswoman talks about the tangible victories she has achieved in Congress, working on behalf of the unique needs of her district, child care, the benefit of having more women in...

Secretary of State offices are some of the most important elections in the country. With issues from gerrymandered maps to access to the ballot box, this office is key to defending democracy. In this You Should Run Podcast, Chelsea Clark shares why she is running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2022. Chelsea is a City Council member in Forrest Park, OH, and she has been active in many political and...

The You Should Run Podcast goes back to Connecticut for a wide ranging discussion with CT State Rep Mary Welander. In this episode, Rep. Welander talks about bipartisanship, protecting children, her decision to run for office, promoting more women in government, and her favorite pizza.   Topics also include whether CT Dems should be as aggressive with their state legislative majority as Republican...

The 2022 election has now officially begun in Pennsylvania. Tom Kohler joins the You Should Run Podcast to discuss the redistricting process in PA, petitions, the difference in Congressional vs state legislative lines, whether there are any incentives left for people to work together across party lines, and, of course, why YOU should run for office. Listen, share, and subscribe and follow Tom at @...

People outside of Illinois have a lot of opinions about Illinois and Chicago politics. State Representative Kam Buckner brings a first hand account about the progress in the legislature and why YOU should be encouraged to run for office as well. In this episode, Kam talks about what brought him to be involved in politics and to become an elected official. He talks about why he had initial apprehen...

Chol Majok was born in South Sudan, where he became one of the famous "Lost Boys" and came to the United States as a child refugee in 2001. His journey guided him to a life of public service, including being elected to council in Syracuse, NY, and now a campaign for Congress. In this You Should Run Podcast, Chol talks about how his father inspired him to pursue public service, the teachers who enc...

Colin Flanagan is running for State Representative in Ohio, but, as of today, even he can't be exactly sure which district he will be running in this election! That is due to the roller coaster story of Ohio redistricting. In this You Should Run Podcast, Colin Flanagan talks about what made him a Democrat, why he is running for office, focusing on economic and working class issues, the challenges...

SJ Donofrio has worked on over a dozen campaigns across the country, seeing the good, bad, and ridiculous along the way. Now she is using her experience to educate others about American political life and the challenges of today's political climate with a YouTube channel called Get Ready with America where she talks about what is happening in every single state in the run up to the next election....

Kentucky State Representative Cherylynn Stevenson takes no vote for granted. In this You Should Run Podcast, she discusses her advocacy for education, the challenges with redistricting, rural and suburban organizing, effectively pushing back against the majority in government, and, of course, why YOU should run. Listen, share, and make sure to follow Cherylynn on Twitter @CherlynnforKY

The You Should Run Podcast moves back west as John Bauters, Mayor of Emeryville, CA, joins to discuss the ongoing progress in his town to inspire others to run for local office. In this episode, Mayor Bauters shares his experience and perspective on affordable housing, collaborating with all levels of government, intergenerational organizing, advances in LGBT rights, and, of course, why YOU should...

According to many pundits, there are red states and blue states and Biden areas and Trump areas. Republicans are unlikely to win in places that voted strongly for Joe Biden and Democrats can't win in places that voted strongly for Donald Trump. The Outrun Coalition is looking to change that narrative by encouraging and training Democratic candidates to run and win in rural and small town America....

For the first time in human history, there will soon be more people older than 65 than under 18. This is a dramatic shift for civilization and the human species and it is happening across the globe. Bradley Schurman explains why this is happening and what it will mean for society overall in The Superage, a newly published book that attempts to explain how we got to this situation and what it will...

In 2018, Conor Lamb shocked the pundits by winning a special election for US Congress in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, winning a seat that was seen as solidly Republican. Now he is running for another open seat, this time for US Senate in Pennsylvania. Before any votes are cast though, he's joining the You Should Run Podcast to talk about his story and ideas. Topics include: What motivated Conor...

In this You Should Run Podcast, Blake Allen joins the discussion to share his experience on Democratic campaigns. We go into detail about combating doomerism, campaigning in every district, appealing to rural voters, maintaining a focus on progress, favorite online follows and more! Listen, share and subscribe and follow Blake on Twitter @Blake_allen13

Amanda Cappelletti began running for the Pennsylvania State Senate just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In this wide-ranging You Should Run Podcast discussion, Senator Cappelletti talks about her political upbringing and what she learned from jumping from local government to state government. Topics include: Bridges The benefits and costs of bipartisanship Redistricting The value of different...

Quinton Law is the youngest and first black councilman in Moorestown, NJ, history. In this You Should Run Podcast, Quinton shares about what makes those milestones significant and how he was motivated by the killing of Trayvon Martin and organizing around Black Lives Matter.   Quinton discusses having hope in the face of fear and doom, the nuts and bolts of local organizing and policy making, and...

After the 2020 Census, Montana is gaining a Congressional seat, which creates an opportunity for new candidates to run for office. Tom Winter is looking to take his experience in Montana state government to run for Congress in 2022. In this You Should Run Podcast, Tom talks about how his mother's activism instilled a strong political awareness. He talks about the challenges of part time legislatur...

Lisa Ward has worked behind the scenes for many campaigns and causes for over 20 years. Now she is running for State Senate in Alabama for the same reason many other candidates throw their hat in the ring - incumbents taking their districts for granted and not listening to the needs of their constituents. In this You Should Run Podcast, Lisa talks about how she came to run for office, why rural or...

Running for office in 2021 is much different than running for office 20, 10, or even 5 years ago. In this You Should Run Podcast, Lauren Henson of New Heights Communications talks about the various ways that candidates can successfully navigate the social media, be authentic and reliable communicators, and stay on message. We also discuss the perspectives of young voters, combating "doomerism," an...