Antjuan Seawright is a veteran political strategiest, founder of Blueprint Strategy, & political contributor to CBS News. In this conversation, he talks growing up with roots in rural South Carolina, early lessons from mentors Congressman Jim Clyburn and DNC Chair Jamie Harrison, the work he's done with the DNC, DSCC, & DCCC...and his best practices and insight on how candidates, campaigns, and organizations can most effectively communicate with Black voters.  (To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODE….Antjuan’s roots as a son of the South, growing up in South Carolina…The difference between change and progress…Antjuan’s 5th grade introduction to politics…The “transformational” experience in the Congressional Black Caucus political bootcamp…Antjuan speaks to the role the CBC plays in our political system…Antjuan’s insight as to how longtime South Carolina Fritz Hollings set the stage for Joe Biden’s success in the state in 2020…Antjuan talks lessons learned from his mentor, Congressman Jim Clyburn…The story behind the Clyburn 2020 Biden endorsement…The direct correlation between yoga and Jim Clyburn…Antjuan breaks down the strengths of DNC Chair Jamie Harrison…How Antjuan started his firm, Blueprint Strategies…The Antjuan Seawright 101 on how campaigns should engage with Black voters..Antjuan on the GOP’s evolving tactics regarding Black voters…Lessons he’s learned about being an effective communicator as a CBS Political Commentator…Antjuan talks the impact of his weekly radio partner, Rev. Al Sharpton…Antjuan remembers advice from the late Congressman John Lewis…Antjuan’s early thoughts heading into the 2024 election cycle…AND alley oops, Heyward Bannister, John Fetterman, Friday snacks, Kamala Harris, Jamie Harrison, high-touch campaigns, Darrell Jackson, Hakeem Jeffries, Doug Jones, Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, John Lewis, Barack Obama, Omega men, political deployment papers, Cedric Richmond, the school of hard knocks, Josh Shapiro, South Carolina State University, Sunrise Communication, survival votes, TV lawyers, TWAs, tectonic plates, Bennie Thompson, Herschel Walker, Raphael Warnock & more!

Kati Card is coming off two stints as Chief Digital Officer for the DSCC and is now a Senior VP at the digital firm MissionWired. Kati talks her initial path to politics, a key internship with Senator Hillary Clinton, spending time around Senators Reid, Schumer, and Cortez Masto, working on big campaigns and in Senate offices, and spending two cycles as Chief Digital Officer at the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. In addition to talking through her own trajectory, Kati provides a smart tutorial on all things digital fundraising.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com) IN THIS EPISODEKati’s roots in upstate New York and how an internship set her on a path to work in politics…Kati’s memories as a 21-year old working with iconic US Senators…How early work in research and press prepped Kati to work in digital politics…How Kati pivoted to work in digital and what digital politics looked like in 2015…How running a digital operation differs on a campaign versus as part of an official Senate office…The most digital-savvy Senators Kati has been around…Kati shares memories and stories of what makes Senators Reid, Cortez Masto, and Schumer unique…The 90s jam band about whom Chuck Schumer is surprisingly conversant…Kati speaks to the strength of leading Democratic operatives Scott Fairchild and Christie Roberts…How Kati synced up with her current firm, MissionWired…Kati breaks down who low-dollar Democratic donors are, what they look like, where they get their information, and how they like to give…Why Twitter is indeed real life for digital fundraising staffers…The best time of day and best day of the week to make digital fundraising appeals…Kati’s best practices and myth-busting about digital fundraising…Will digital fundraising continue to spike on campaigns?The Trump factor among Democratic low-dollar donors…The Dobbs impact on 2022 (and beyond) digital fundraising…Kati’s “biggest takeaway” on GOP digital fundraising appeals…Kati’s thoughts on the types of operatives who are best-suited for digital politics…Kati’s crystal ball on trends in digital fundraising…Kati’s strangest work habit…AND Cory Booker, CNN, James Carville, cash crops, Hillary Clinton, dark money, the Dobbs’ Decision, Tammy Duckworth, faxing tweets, John Fetterman, the Finger Lakes, following the floor, Lindsay Graham, Jamie Harrison, Maggie Hassan, Ted Kennedy, Carl Levin, Ann Lewis, Anne Lewis, MSNBC, Dave Matthews, Mitch McConnell, Amy McGrath, Chris Murphy, the New York Times, Mehmet Oz, response rates, SMS, Bernie Sanders, the Senate Democratic Policy and Communication Center, silly TV, teams of one, technical complexities, total goofballs, turning 30, Raphael Warnock, Elizabeth Warren, the Washington Post…& more!

Antonio Villaraigosa is the 41st mayor of Los Angeles and arguably the most impactful Latino elected official in American history. In this conversation, he talks his roots as blue-collar kid in East LA, how public schools offered him a second chance after early struggles, cutting his teeth as a union organizer and in the civil rights and farm workers’ movements, his rapid ascent from freshman legislator to California Assembly Speaker over three years, how his 2001 mayoral loss set the stage for a 2005 win and two successful mayoral terms, the 2018 race for Governor, his current role as Infrastructure Advisor to the state and Governor Newsom, and much more from one of the most unique stories in American politics.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com) IN THIS EPISODE…Overcoming struggles growing up in East LA…The issues and political struggles that first engaged him…Cutting his teeth in union organizing and the civil rights, anti-war, and farm workers’ movements…His path from activism to running for office himself in 1994…His path from a freshman legislator to Assembly Speaker in 3 short years…Lessons from his mentor, iconic CA Speaker Willie Brown…Highlights of his time as Assembly Speaker…The decision to run for mayor in 2001…The difference in his 2001 mayoral loss and 2005 blowout win…The 4 core areas of his focus as mayor…His leadership style that led to not losing a single vote to the city council in 8 years…On whether the job of mayor has become harder over the last few years…Looking back of the 2018 Governors’ race and why Southern California Democrats have a hard time winning statewide…Other positions and races he’s considered from US Senate to President Obama’s Transportation Secretary…How mayors across the country network and share ideas…His approach on tackling big issues facing American cities…His current role as an Infrastructure Advisor to Governor Newsom… AND 7th & Broadway, 224 languages, the ACLU, a million trees, Actum, affirmative action, America Fast Forward, Aztlan, Xavier Becerra, Tom Bradley, Boston Consulting, Cathedral High, Cesar Chavez, cheap red wine, Richard M. Daley, Manny Diaz, dog whistles, finding the bathroom, firebrands, freshman football, the Griffith Observatory, Jim Hahn, Kamala Harris, the Hollywood sign, Delores Huerta, Herman Katz, Martin Luther King Jr, the LA Times, the MEChA movement, Measure R, Mt. Baldy, Gavin Newsom, Rosa Parks, quixotic efforts, Simon Rodia, Roosevelt High,  Edward Roybal, SEIU, the Santa Monica Freeway, streamlined permitting, United Teachers of LA, the US Conference of Mayors, the USEOC, the Watts Towers, Pete Wilson…& more!

Brandon Davis is a media consultant and partner at Technicolor Political – and the senior media strategist for the winning campaign of Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson. In this conversation, we go deep on the Chicago race – how Johnson emerged from a crowded field, the role of public safety & crime, the contrasts that defined the runoff, key strategic decisions made by both Johnson & Vallas, & political lessons that can apply to other races and places. Beyond Chicago, we also talk Brandon’s political roots in the Midwest and insights from a career as a campaign manager, SEIU political director, DNC Chief of Staff, & now a top Democratic media consultant.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODEBrandon’s early life growing up in East St. Louis, IL…The two moments that motivated Brandon toward civic engagement…Brandon’s time working for Senator Claire McCaskill…Brandon de-mystifies what a campaign’s Political Director does…Brandon’s experience running races and rules of thumb on effective campaign managing…Lessons learned running $80M campaigns for SEIU…Brandon’s role as DNC Chief of Staff during the tumultuous 2016 cycle…What motivated Brandon to move into media consulting & start Technicolor Political…Brandon talks the political strengths of Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson…Why Mayor Lightfoot struggled…Brandon on the role public safety and the "Defund the Police" narrative played in the race…How Johnson broke from the pack after starting at 2% and then handled a sprint in the 5-week runoff…Strategic decisions of the Paul Vallas campaigns that surprised Brandon…Brandon’s breaks down the winning Johnson coalition…Lessons from Chicago 2023 that can be applied more broadly in 2024…Best practices on finding ways to communicate with hard-to-reach voters…Brandon’s advice to budding political operatives… AND the 5th floor, JJ Balaban, banks of TVs, big tents, Donna Brazile, George W. Bush, CTU, Cabrini-Green, captive audiences, Jean Carnahan, Mel Carnahan, George Washington Carver, Hillary Clinton, cudgels, WEB Du Bois, Fisk University, Chuy Garcia, Gen X lifestyles, Al Gore, gymnast techniques, Bob Holden, Hurricane Katrina, Jesse Jackson, John Kerry, Jim Kottmeyer, Rebecca Lambe, Mary Landrieu, Barack Obama, Greg Pratt, Ronald Reagan, sledgehammers, Snapchat, Jim Talent, Talladega College, Roy Temple, TikTtok, Donald Trump, Tuskegee University, the University of Missouri, vicissitudes, Wendi Wallace, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Youtube…& more!

Jono Kupferberg spent 10 years running his start-up, small business sneaker company before revisiting his early passion of politics to become CEO of Hubdialer - a predictive dialer tool that works with progressive candidates and organizations, including Bernie Sanders for President, Everytown for Gun Safety, the DCCC, major unions, and more. In this conversation, Jono demystifies what "predictive dialing" is, gives case studies of how it can work, and best practices on integrating it into a successful volunteer program.IN THIS EPISODE…Jono’s roots in Chicago politics…The two experiences that crystallized Jono’s interest in working in politics…Jono’s experience as a teenager as part of the lockdown in DC on September 11, 2001…                                                                                                     Before working in politics Jono starts a 10-year business selling athletic-team branded sneakers…How Jono’s politics changed (and didn’t change) in 10 years running his own start-up small business…How Jono becomes CEO of Hubdialer…What is “predictive dialing” anyway?Jono breaks down relevant FCC regulations that impact political phone programs…The role that text messaging plays in an effective program…Jono’s case study of how the Vermont Democratic Party and Everytown for Gun Safety use this tool to leverage their strength…Best practices for high volunteer engagement over the phone…Jono’s strangest work habit…

Gary Hart has perhaps the most unique political career of his generation...staffer for Robert Kennedy's Justice Department...manager of George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign...two-term US Senator...nearly becoming the Democratic nominee for President in 1984...starting 1988 as the Democratic frontrunner before leaving the race amid a media frenzy...and 5+ decades as a forward-looking thinker on the challenges facing the U.S. and the world.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODE…Growing up in a farming town in Eastern Kansas and his roots in the Church of the Nazarene…How a connection to Robert Kennedy leads to managing the McGovern campaign in 1972…The Iowa strategy that helped McGovern win the ’72 Democratic nomination…The one word that defined the success of the McGovern primary campaign…Inside the chaotic Tom Eagleton / Sargent Shriver '72 VP process…How he made the jump from campaign manager to a winning first-time US Senate candidate…Senator Hart remembers his Colorado Democratic colleague, the late Congresswoman Pat Schroeder…Early memories as a 36-year old U.S. Senator…How he forged a path as a new breed of Democrat…What led him to run for President in 1984 and how he nearly won the nomination….Who might have been Gary Hart’s 1984 VP choice?Why he didn’t run for re-election in 1986?What he will and won’t say about the short-lived '88 campaign and why the “true story” may never come out…How he tackled his career after leaving the national stage as a candidate…The current issue Senator Hart believes is most under-discussed…Reflecting on his 50+ year friendship with Joe Biden…His confusion over the current state of US politics…His lifelong affinity for used-book stores… AND Atari Democrats, Matt Bai, Michael Bennet, Brumus, Carnegie libraries, clever journalistic shorthands, Bill Clinton, cool and aloof, Walter Cronkite, Detroit, Eisenhower Republicans, The Fairness Doctrine, Geraldine Ferraro, generational friction, Dick Gephardt, Newt Gingrich, John Glenn, Al Gore, Happy Days, hinges of history, Hubert Humphrey, Hugh Jackman, Jacob Javits, JFK, Pat Leahy, Mike Mansfield, Mac Mathias, the McGovern Army, Ed Muskie, the Military Reform Caucus, the National Security Division, The New York Times, Richard Nixon, peanut butter sandwiches, Warren Rudman, the Sermon on the Mount, Silicon Valley, super-delegates, Rick Stearns, Stu Symington, tremendous ferment, Stewart Udall, Watergate, Theodore White, Tim Wirth & more!

Holly Harris, founder & president of The Network, has one of the most unique careers in politics. Starting as a local TV news reporter in Lexington, KY…becoming a GOP political operative for names like Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, James Comer…then trading in her partisan spurs as part of the coalition to reform the U.S. criminal justice system - including helping pass the landmark First Step Act. In this conversation, Holly talks her one-of-a-kind path in politics, lessons learned from Mitch McConnell, what drew her to the criminal justice reform effort, how a bipartisan coalition formed to make big changes, and how she’s taking those same lessons to tackle other big problems facing America. IN THIS EPISODEHolly grows up in conservative, small town Kentucky…The story of Holly as a “baby reporter” on local TV news in Lexington…Holly’s tips on how campaigns can get their story on local news…How Holly made the transition to working in politics…What Holly learned working around Senator Mitch McConnell…Holly on the two things you have to win to “win McConnell”…Holly’s connections to the increasingly high-profile Kentucky Congressmen James Comer…What led Holly to take a leadership role in the criminal justice reform movement…What went into passing the landmark federal criminal justice reform First Step Act…Holly weighs in on how criminal justice reform advocates should engage in times of rising crime…The tools used to build a bipartisan coalition on a tough issue…Holly on the importance of expecting and embracing failure…How Holly juggles life in politics as a single parent…AND…100:1 disparities, ACLU, Julie Raque Adams, Laura and John Arnold, beta tapes, Matt Bevin, Len Bias, Cory Booker, Boston Celtics, bucket lists, bypassing security, Center for American Progress, Matthew Charles, the Cincinnati Bengals, Jack Conway, Tom Cotton, Cut 50, Sheryl Delozier, Kirsten Dunst, Dick Durbin, E-Town, Easy Street, John Bel Edwards, Julie Emerson, The Equal Act, evidence-based policies, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Charles Grassley, Trey Grayson, Jordan Harris, Whitney Hignite, industrial hemp, Jessica Jackson, Lebron James, the Justice Cabinet, Kim Kardashian, Lincoln Day Dinners, Paul Patton, the Human Popsicle, Rand Paul, prodigal daughters, RINOs, Ronald Reagan, the Reform Alliance,  Steve Robertson, Rolling Stone, Diane Sawyer, Jeff Sessions, strategic political giving, system-impacted individuals, taking bullets, throwing spaghetti, Donald Trump, University of Kentucky, Harris VonLuehrte, WKYT & more!

Guy Cecil recently announced his plans to step down as Chair of Priorities USA - the major Democratic super PAC - after being at the helm for 8 years. In this conversation, he talks his time in the ministry before moving to politics…learning important political lessons amid personal tumult and tragedy…working with big personalities like Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, and Fritz Hollings…running the DSCC…four cycles helping win elections and innovate campaign strategy at Priorities…plus ideas he’s kicking around in considering his next professional chapter.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODEGuy grows up in a blue-collar family in South Florida…Guy’s time as a Baptist minister before moving into politics…The tumultuous personal time that led Guy to work in politics…Guy talks the role of faith in his political career and how Democrats can better connect with people of faith…Guy’s take on why working in political field is great preparation for a thriving career in politics…Guy’s memories as a junior organizer working for South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings…Guy witnesses some of the positive side of campaign politics amid personal tragedy…Guy remembers being the Field Director on Mel Carnahan’s tragic 2000 US Senate race…Why running the DSCC was his favorite job in politics…Guy tells some of his favorite Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer stories…The underrated political acumen of Senator Michael Bennet…Guy’s hindsight on the 2016 Clinton presidential campaign…Guy talks his work at Priorities USA over 4 cycles + the two things he’s most proud of…How Guy improved his skill set around raising money…Guy’s passion for helping Democratic messaging move past caricaturizing the electorate…How Guy is thinking about his next professional chapter…Guy’s analysis on what makes an effective campaign manager…The advice Guy gives those seeking to thrive in politics… AND $5M asks, Joyce Aboussie, the Baptist Student Union, bedwetters, Joe Biden, book worms, Sherrod Brown, Danielle Butterfield, Anne Caprara, Jean Carnahan, Jimmy Carter, Lawton Chiles, Bill Clinton, Color of Change, complete enigmas, cultural Christians, Ron DeSantis, Joe Donnelly, Quentin Fulks, fully-formed human beings, G-D skunks, Geoff Garin, Gator football, Julie Gibson, Peter Gomes, Al Gore, Franklin Graham, Helly Hansen, Hialeah, Jim Hodges, Bob Inglis, Kim Kauffman, the Keane family, Martin Luther King, LCV, marine mechanics, Clair McCaskill, mindless television, Robby Mook, Patty Murray, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Barack Obama, the opposite of Miami, John Podesta, JB Pritzker, The Real Housewives, the Reitz Union, relentless human beings, Christie Roberts, Craig Schirmer, Josh Shapiro, Saul Shorr, Structure, terrible old flip phones, Jon Tester, Thursday afternoon movies, Donald Trump, the two most dreaded two words on campaigns, Type A people, walking around like Mother Theresa, white Catholic women in Wisconsin, Gretchen Whitmer, wiki-leaks…& more!

Greg Speed is President of America Votes, the infrastructure hub of the progressive community - which coordinates 400+ organizations nationally and in 20+ states. In this conversation, Greg talks how the anti-apartheid movement piqued his political interest, diving into campaigns at the University of Wisconsin, lessons learned on Capitol Hill, and 16+ years as, first-E.D. and now, President at America Votes. In addition to demystifying the origin and operation of AV, Greg gives his analysis on the '22 midterms and the dueling turnout vs. persuasion post-election narratives.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODEThe issue that first engaged Greg’s interest in politics…Greg sinks his teeth in the 1992 President election while at UW-Madison…Why Greg gravitated to the communications role in politics…and then away from it…Lessons learned from his Hill boss, Congressman Martin Frost…Greg on the 2003-04 origin story of America Votes…The concrete role America Votes plays in politics and campaigns…Greg uses Minnesota as an example of how America Votes operates at the state level…Greg talks both building consensus and avoiding groupthink…Are there corollaries to America Votes on the right?Greg gives his analysis on the 2022 elections…Greg weighs in on the 2022 turnout vs. persuasion narratives…                     Greg talks the latest research on effective messaging and tactics to turn out voters…Greg talks how he’s become a more effective manager over the years at America Votes…Greg’s professional tips to young people in politics…AND the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Americans Coming Together, Matt Angle, Apartheid, Les Aspin, Peter Barca, the Big Ten, Stephen Biko, The Blue Surge, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, James Carville, Catalist, Chicagoland, circus tents, Bill Clinton, Nate Cohn, the coin of the realm, Deerfield, Tom Delay, The Democracy Alliance, the Dobbs Decision, Rahm Emanuel, embarrassing wide shots, John Fetterman, the Finger Lakes, Joan Fitz-Gerald, hitching posts, hopium, intentional lists, Joan of Arc, the Koch Brothers, MAGA, Bob Matsui, McCain-Feingold, The Media Fund, mental erogenous zones, messaging oracles, Mother Theresa, nerve nets, neutral convening infrastructures, no brainers, Ronald Reagan, Nicole Roe, Steve Rosenthal, Sara Schreiber, social pressure, George Soros, Donald Trump, the University of Wisconsin, vote tripling, The War Room, Joe Wineke, Yankee Republicans & more!

The 2024 open-seat US Senate race in California is the most wide open Senate race in the state since 1992. To dive deep into next year's monumental race, I'm joined by veteran CA strategist Rose Kapolczynski - manager of the winning campaign from that very 1992 Senate race for Barbara Boxer. In a previous episode, Rose talked through her career managing all four successful Boxer Senate races...plus her time as a Hill staffer, working in presidential campaigns, and leading the effort on important statewide races (in California and beyond) over 3+ decades as an influential strategist. Now in her triumphant return, she's setting the table and breaking down the candidates, campaigns, and coalitions behind what promises to be the most interesting California Senate race in decades.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com) IN THIS EPISODERose talks the political & policy legacies of retiring Senator Diane Feinstein...Rose weighs in on parallels between the 2024 race and the first winning Boxer race she managed in 1992...Rose's take on at least a couple of the reasons why Northern California candidates are historically so dominant in statewide elections...Rose sets the table on preliminary 2024 turnout projections and electoral math...Rose diagnoses both strengths and weaknesses of leading Democratic candidates Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, & Adam Schiff...Rose on the impact Republican voters could have in this race...Rose's expectations on the entry of additional strong candidates...Rose's expertise on the role of endorsements in CA politics...Rose on the right mix of television vs. other media in a CA statewide campaign...Will the Democratic candidates go negative?Rose highlights the importance of both women and Latino voters...... & much more!