Frogmore Stew

What does the South Carolina Secretary of State actually do, and why should voters care? In this candidate spotlight, Edwina Winter explains how the office quietly shapes business registration, nonprofit oversight, fraud prevention, and consumer trust across the state. From making it easier to start a small business to improving transparency and protecting South Carolinians from scams, Winter lays...

Grace Cowan honors Memorial Day with a rare glimpse into her grandfather’s World War II service, reading his long-hidden account of life on the front lines. From the beaches of New Guinea to post-war Hiroshima, his experiences are raw, emotional, and unforgettable. This episode of Frogmore Stew is a tribute to memory, legacy, and the lasting impact of war.

South Carolina’s next governor could shape everything from healthcare and education to voting rights, infrastructure, and the future of the state itself. We have candid conversations with gubernatorial candidates on the issues driving the 2026 race, including Medicaid expansion, gerrymandering, abortion laws, government spending, roads, schools, and the growing divide between power and everyday pe...

Rigged maps are quietly reshaping who holds power and whether voters can truly hold leaders accountable. Kate Barr joins us to talk about why gerrymandering has become one of the biggest political fights in the South, how broken district maps fuel broken politics, and why so many communities feel ignored by the people meant to represent them. We dig into minority rule, the long-term consequences o...

America watched people get beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the right to vote, and now the protections created in response are being dismantled piece by piece. This episode traces the path from Selma and the Voting Rights Act to Shelby County v. Holder and the latest Supreme Court decisions reshaping voting rights in America. It also asks a harder question: why do Democrats keep acting surpr...

The fight one generation thought was settled is back on the table. Congressman Jonathan Jackson joins us to discuss the unraveling of the Voting Rights Act, modern gerrymandering, voter suppression, and why he believes America is sliding backward on civil rights. From South Carolina’s redistricting battles to the national fight over representation, Jackson argues that democracy depends on protecti...

South Carolina lawmakers are moving toward eliminating the state income tax, but the shift raises serious questions about who really benefits and who pays more. We examine how replacing income tax revenue with higher sales taxes, property taxes, and fees could affect working families across the Palmetto State. Policy analyst Paige Knight explains what House bill H4216 could change and how tax stru...

Campaigns often talk about rural voters, but they rarely understand how rural identity shapes political trust and participation. Culture, belonging, religion, work, and community expectations all influence how rural communities respond to candidates and national messaging. When campaigns rely on stereotypes instead of lived experience, the result is a growing gap between strategy and representatio...

South Carolina lawmakers can revisit major issues year after year, but many voters still struggle to have their voices heard in the decisions that shape state policy. Gerrymandered districts and low primary turnout shape who holds power and whose voices carry the most weight in the Statehouse. Recent action at the Statehouse shows how district maps and ballot access rules can limit how much influe...

Why do Democratic candidates in South Carolina have to work harder to win trust from voters? Former Governor Jim Hodges joins Frogmore Stew to explain why Democratic candidates in Republican leaning states carry the burden of proof and how campaigns succeed by focusing on education, health care, and affordability instead of national talking points. Drawing on his upset win in 1998 and his record i...

Casting a ballot should be the start of your voice in government, not the end of it. Ramon Perez of the Digital Democracy Project explains how verified voters can weigh in on real state and federal legislation between elections using secure mobile tools that connect citizens directly to lawmakers. The conversation explores gerrymandering, safe districts, and why many people feel their vote stops m...

What happens when Washington stops solving problems and starts accepting failure as normal? Rahm Emanuel joins Frogmore Stew to explain why thousands of high paying jobs in America are still going unfilled and how community colleges and technical training can help rebuild the middle class. Drawing on his time as Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, and U.S. ambassador to Japan, Emanuel says...

Candidates rarely jump into races at the last minute by accident. This episode explores how South Carolina candidate recruitment, filing season timing, party support networks, and early signals of campaign viability shape who actually enters elections across the state. We look at how political parties, independent groups, and local dynamics influence the South Carolina governor’s race field and ot...

What happens when everyday creators become the bridge between the Statehouse and the public? In this conversation with South Carolina political influencers Laurie, Carrie, and Jessica, we explore how social media is changing political messaging, helping voters understand what lawmakers are doing, and connecting people across the state who thought they were alone in their views. From reproductive r...

What really happens when political leaders face breaking news and nonstop media pressure? Former Capitol Hill communications strategist Sarah Massey explains how crisis communication works inside the Speaker’s office and how political messaging reaches voters across the country. She shares how social media reshaped political communication, changed bipartisan relationships, and helped turn politics...

Safe politics is costing Democrats their connection to voters. We dig into why the Democratic Party feels out of touch, from a lack of authentic leadership to missed opportunities in rural communities and working class outreach. Drawing on real experiences in South Carolina politics, the episode explores how voter trust erodes when leaders fail to show up and address everyday struggles like health...

“I'm going back to South Carolina and asking them to send their sons and daughters to the Middle East.” That line from Senator Lindsey Graham raises a hard question for families across the state. Grace breaks down the history of the U.S.–Iran conflict, from the 1979 Iran hostage crisis and the Reagan era Iran-Contra scandal to decades of sanctions, diplomacy, and nuclear deal debates. This episode...

America’s political divide feels wider than ever, but what is really driving it? Former South Carolina state senator Penry Gustafson joins the conversation to talk about party loyalty tests, Trump support, and why Republicans and Democrats often misunderstand each other. The discussion explores how national politics shapes state politics, why voters feel pushed away from political parties, and how...

We take a hard look at the identity crisis facing the Democratic Party in South Carolina and across the country. Former Congressman Joe Cunningham joins the conversation to discuss rebuilding party credibility, reconnecting with working class voters, and why generational leadership change may be necessary for the party’s future. The discussion explores the fallout from the 2024 election, the limit...

What if ordinary South Carolinians could help write the laws that govern their lives? Andrew Shue explains the South Carolina Forum, a citizen assembly experiment designed to bring people from across the state together to deliberate, reach 70 percent consensus, and propose real legislation to lawmakers. We discuss gerrymandering, political polarization, and why many voters feel disconnected from t...

What does it actually mean to pledge allegiance to a political party in 2026? Jalisa Washington Price joins Frogmore Stew to unpack the Democratic Party identity crisis, the struggle to win back working class voters, and the challenge of engaging independents in South Carolina. From post 2024 election lessons to big tent strategy versus purity tests, this conversation dives into party branding, gr...

The Rise of Christian Nationalism is not a fringe story unfolding in the shadows. It is a fast growing movement reshaping politics, churches, and communities across America. Grace sits down with CNN chief investigative correspondent Pamela Brown to unpack the ideology behind Christian nationalism, its push to redefine church and state, and its growing influence in Washington and beyond. From bibli...

Tariff chaos is hitting small businesses where it hurts. In Trump, Trade Deficits, and Local Fallout, congressional candidate and fintech attorney Dan Wheeler breaks down how shifting US tariff policy, trade deficits, and supply chain volatility are squeezing small business owners and reshaping local economies. From rising retail prices and manufacturing hollowing to affordability challenges in pl...

Is interracial marriage proof that racism is fading, or does it reveal something far more complicated? Grace talks with scholar and MacArthur Fellow Dorothy Roberts about the hidden history of interracial couples in Chicago, the legacy of the racial caste system, and how the one drop rule still shapes identity today. Drawing from Roberts’ book The Mixed Marriage Project, this conversation explores...

What happens when local news stops calling lies lies and starts softening the truth? In this conversation, journalist Deanna Pan joins Frogmore Stew to talk about media bias, editorial pressure, and why progressive journalism in South Carolina matters more than ever. From Trump coverage and the refusal to use words like racist, to the collapse of local watchdog reporting and the need for independe...