Pro Politics with Zac McCrary Heather Williams, President of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC)
Heather Williams is the President of the DLCC, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee - the party committee focused on state legislative races and chambers. In this conversation, Heather talks her initial path to politics, working in state legislative races in Iowa, early days working in finance, the many hats she's worn at the DLCC, and now her current role as the organization's President. We also go in depth on why state legislative races are so critical, the current battleground map heading into the 2024 elections, the importance of the issue of abortion, and much more with a leading thinker on all things state legislative politics.
IN THIS EPISODE
How Heather became interested in politics growing up in Minnesota...
Heather's early political roots working in Iowa...
What Heather learned from well-respected, Iowa Senate Leader Mike Gronstal...
What made Heather gravitate to working in the finance role in campaigns...
How Heather was drawn to the DLCC initially, almost 20 years ago...
Heather's take on what makes for a successful state legislative caucus operation...
The many hats Heather wears as President of the DLCC, and how she's tackled some that didn't come as naturally to her...
Legislative lessons learned after big Democratic losses in the 2010 election cycle...
Heather's favorite case studies for legislative wins coming out of the 2022 midterms...
Heather on her approach to leading a big political organization, despite not being a natural extrovert...
What Heather learned from her long-term predecessor at DLCC, Jessica Post...
Why it's important to "get comfortable with risk"...
How Heather thinks about the current partisan balance at the state legislative level and her priorities for the 2024 cycle...
The role that the abortion issue is currently playing in state legislative politics...
How the DLCC has to always have future redistricting in mind as a strategic priority...
Some of the most dynamic state legislative leaders currently on the scene...
Heather's advice to those just starting a career in politics...
Heather's most unusual, successful work habit...