In this special six-part narrative series, Mike Madrid, in partnership with the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology, takes a deep dive into Orange County, California to explore the transformations that have redefined politics there, and what it means for the rest of the country.

In this episode, Mike talks to Democratic State Senator Tom Umberg and Republican Huntington Beach City Councilman Tony Strickland about where the county is right now. 

Then,  he hears from Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano and TV host Christina Bich-Tram Le about the future of the county. 

Next, he sits down with legendary political consultant Stu Spencer to discuss how the Republican party is in trouble. 

Finally, he talks to John Gould, the Dean of the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology about how Orange County is a microcosm of political change happening in the rest of the country.  

(00:48) The Transformation of Orange County 

(05:31) The Republican party in Orange County right now

(30:47) The Rise of Progressive Vietnamese Organizations

(38:36) The End of the Reagan Republican Party

(40:53) Orange County as a Microcosm of Changing Politics

Learn more about the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology: https://socialecology.uci.edu/

Visit the Red County, Blue County, Orange County website: https://sites.uci.edu/orangecounty/

Read Mike’s book, The Latino Century: https://bit.ly/4a7ZCqg

Follow Mike and the UCI School of Social Ecology  on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/madrid_mike

https://twitter.com/Social_Ecology

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