The Right Side of the Rivers

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, host Todd McCollum is joined by special co-host Bob Crankovic for a conversation with Joe Aguglia, who is running for Pennsylvania’s 20th House District. Joe shares his background as an attorney, prosecutor, policy writer, and public servant, discussing his experience drafting legislation, working in county government, and why he believes commonsens...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, host Todd McCollum and special co-host Eileen Cunningham welcome Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Tony shares his journey from growing up in Aliquippa and serving 25 years with the Pennsylvania State Police to leading the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office and now seeking to represent W...

In this special edition of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer broadcast live from Pittsburgh’s iconic LeMont Restaurant ahead of the inaugural Foundry Dinner. Joined by Fox News contributor and political analyst Erin Maguire, Pennsylvania Treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, and lieutenant governor candidate Jason Richey, the panel discusses the pol...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome newly elected City of Pittsburgh Republican Committee member Marjorie Tabb for a conversation about her journey into local politics, her experiences living in Downtown Pittsburgh, and why she believes more residents need to become involved in shaping the city's future. Marjorie shares her background in h...

Todd McCollum is joined by special co-host Bob Crankovic as they welcome Noah Formica for a wide-ranging discussion on grassroots organizing, voter registration, and the future of the conservative movement in Pennsylvania. Noah shares how he became involved in politics at a young age, his work with Turning Point Action, and his efforts to energize younger voters and expand Republican outreach acro...

Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Kimberly Stern, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania State Committee in the 38th Senatorial District, for a conversation about grassroots organizing, voter engagement, and the future of the Republican Party in Allegheny County. Stern shares her background in business and logistics, discusses her passion for community involvement, and explains why she believ...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Republican candidate Thomas West for an in-depth conversation about his campaign for Pennsylvania’s 38th State Senate District. From his roots in Greene County to building a successful small business in Lawrenceville, West shares his journey, his motivation for entering politics, and his focus on economi...

Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome a unique and engaging guest - “Anthony from Oakland,” a longtime radio voice and self-described old-school Democrat - for a candid, wide-ranging conversation that crosses party lines. From immigration policy and public safety to the shifting identity of today’s Democratic Party, Anthony brings decades of perspective as a union representative and political ob...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome back Eileen Cunningham for an in-depth conversation on grassroots organizing, local political engagement, and the evolving landscape of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County politics. From her work building community connections in District 5 to her run for State Committee, Eileen shares firsthand insight into...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Allegheny County Councilwoman Suzanne Filiaggi, the only Republican currently serving on County Council. Filiaggi shares her background in law, public service, and local government, reflects on what it means to serve as the lone Republican voice on council, and explains how she works to represent conserv...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, Russell Dryer takes the lead as Chairman Todd McCollum is out on special assignment. He is joined by David Gehring as his second chair as they welcome Venezuelan commentator, Juan Romero. The conversation centers on Venezuela’s long slide into socialism under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, the impact of Cuba and other foreign actors, and the real-w...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Joseph Leckenby, Republican candidate for the upcoming Special Election in HD-42, to share his background, explain why he’s running, and outline his vision for stronger leadership at the state and local level. Joseph discusses his commitment to commonsense policies, community engagement, and why ordinary...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Benson Fechter, one of the Republican candidates for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. A South Hills native, small business owner, and family man, Benson shares his story, outlines his motivation for running, and explains how his campaign is working to connect with voters across both Allegheny...

Todd McCollum welcomes guest co-host Bob Crankovic (filling in for Russell Dryer) and this week's guest - David Gehring. Both are active Republican leaders in Pittsburgh and join Todd for a wide-ranging conversation on party growth, public safety, and fiscal accountability. Crankovic, a longtime organizer with the Young Republicans, and Gehring, a U.S. Army veteran and vice chair of Pittsburgh’s D...

In this special New Year’s Eve episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer close out 2025 by reflecting on the show’s first 12 episodes, their favorite guests, and what lies ahead in 2026. From touching on standout moments with guests like James Hayes, Joseph Patrick Murphy, and Jason Richey, to discussing the importance of growing Republican engagement across Al...

In this pre-holiday episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer are joined by immigration attorney and former judicial candidate Joseph Patrick Murphy for a deep and thoughtful conversation on immigration law, border policy, and the state of civic life in Allegheny County. Murphy, a Roman Catholic, Republican, and longtime advocate for legal immigration, offers i...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome James Hayes, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. Hayes, a Pittsburgh resident with extensive experience in finance, economics, and public service, shares his personal story, outlines his vision for revitalizing the region, and discusses why he’s challenging incumbent Summ...

In this milestone 10th episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer welcome Steve Schlauch, chairman of the Plum Borough Republican Committee and regional coordinator for RCAC. Steve shares how Plum became one of Allegheny County’s strongest Republican-led communities - thanks to grassroots work, strategic doorknocking, and a clear message that connects with voter...

In the wake of a tough election night for Republicans across Allegheny County and Pennsylvania, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer sit down with political analyst and former North Allegheny School Board President Bob Howard for a candid conversation on the results, the messaging, and what the numbers are starting to reveal. From low Republican turnout and partisan straight-ticket voting to the...

In this pivotal pre-election episode, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer are joined by Jason Richey, Chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County (RCAC), for a wide-ranging conversation on the Republican resurgence in Pittsburgh and beyond. Jason shares how the GOP has expanded from 50% to 98% local committee coverage in just months, the strategy behind forming regional committees l...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer sit down with two candidates who are running to restore fiscal responsibility and working-class representation to Allegheny County government: Len Iorio (District 12) and Michael Dell (District 8). Len shares his motivation for running against incumbent Bob Palmosina - the architect of the recent 36% county prop...

In this episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, guest co-host Eileen Cunningham sits in for Russell Dreyer as she’s joined by two Republican candidates for Allegheny County Council: show host Todd McCollum, running in District 13, and Patrick Provins, running in District 9. Both men bring decades of public service experience—Todd as a neighborhood advocate and committee chair, and Patrick as a U....

In this powerful episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dreyer are joined by Allegheny County Sheriff candidate Brian Weismantle—a military veteran, retired homicide detective, small business owner, and lifelong Pittsburgh resident. Brian shares his vision for the Sheriff's Office, emphasizing law enforcement integrity, the importance of restoring public safety, a...

Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer sit down with Tracy Larger, candidate for Pittsburgh City Council District 4. Tracy shares her personal story - from community involvement to becoming a judge of elections - and explains how public safety concerns and neighborhood change inspired her to launch a grassroots campaign centered on transparency, local voice, and commonsense leadership. The episode explor...

In the first-ever live episode of The Right Side of the Rivers, hosts Todd McCollum and Russell Dryer are joined by Greenfield resident and committee member Joe Pegher for a candid conversation about Pittsburgh’s industrial heritage, the tragic US Steel plant explosion in Clairton, and the future of steel in the Mon Valley. They discuss current challenges facing the city — including police staffin...