You know David Axlerod...the chief strategist for President Obama, CNN commentator, and founder of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. The Obama years come up a bit in this conversation, but we focus mostly on his 20+ years as a working political media consultant before connecting professionally with then-State Senator Obama. We talk cutting his teeth in NYC, how the appeal of Chicago politics drew him to the Windy City, why he made the jump from political journalist to political operative, & stories, lessons, and insights from his 40+ years in and around 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….David’s early political memories growing up in NYC…The political appeal that drew David to Chicago for college…David tells the story of Chicago machine politics through 3 influential figures…What made David make the jump from journalism to become a political operative…The story behind David’s first campaign working for Congressman Paul Simon…The Axelrod approach to political ads…David talks his time working for iconic Chicago Mayor Harold Washington…The historic 1992 Illinois Senate race that might not have happened without Axelrod agitation…How the 1992 Illinois Senate race foretold the 2004 rise of Senator Barack Obama…David’s take on the “self doubt” present among many who work in politics… AND Jill Abramson, Paul Begala, Jessie Berry, Madison Brown, bullshit meters, Jane Byrne, Mike Calabrese, James Carville, cashing in stamps, the Chicago Tribune, chiseling, civilian review panels, Forrest Claypool, Cardiss Collins, George Collins, colorful Chicago lore, the Commissioner of Rodent Control, Rich Daley, Richard J. Daley, Bill Dawson, Alan Dixon, David Doak, Lloyd Doggett, dopes, Stephen Douglas, Rahm Emanuel, Carter Eskew, Jerry Finkelstein, Erwin France, gambling syndicates, Newt Gingrich, golfing with Dan Quayle, hammer-and-tong battles, Fred Hampton, Henry Henderson, Anita Hill, Al Hofeld, homespun wisdom, Hyde Park, impostor syndrome, Ben Lewis, John Lindsay, luminescent figures, JFK, RFK, the Jewish Kennedys, Vince Larkin, Jerry Liebner, Jim Ross Lightfoot, Abraham Lincoln, Little Rock, machine cogs, Jane Mayer, Mark McKinnon, Ralph Metcalfe, Kiki Moore, Carol Moseley Braun, Mike Murphy, Dr. Odom, Jesse Owens, PS 40, Deval Patrick, pastry and cash, Charles Percy, quixotic races, the Reagan Revolution, realpolitik, Republican golden boys, Dan Rostenkowski, Joe Rostenkowski, Mrs. Roth, secret sauces, Bill Singer, slate-making, Bob Squier, Andrew Stein, Stuyvesant Town, Tammany Hall, Clarence Thomas, unerring noses, the University of Chicago, Tom Vilsack, ward bosses, the wheel of history, David Wilhelm, the Wigwam, the Wizard of Oz Syndrome & more!

Rebecca Lambe is often described as the architect of Nevada’s “Reid Machine” that has shaped politics in the state over the past 20 years. In this episode, she talks cutting her teeth in Missouri politics with both Governor Mel Carnahan and Senator Jean Carnahan and then moving west to Nevada to build the state Democratic political organization with Senator Harry Reid...plus co-founding Senate Majority PAC to build and protect a Democratic Senate Majority. This conversation contains both Rebecca's memorable campaign stories and case studies, as well as incredibly practical nuts-and-bolts insight into successful electoral politics. IN THIS EPISODE…Rebecca grows up in Alaska as the only girl in a large family…The movie that inspired Rebecca’s career path toward journalism and ultimately politics…Campus activism at the University of Missouri sparks Rebecca’s career toward politics…Rebecca’s entry into the world of Mel and Jean Carnahan…The future US Senator Rebecca knew at Mizzou…Rebecca talks early political lessons learned from Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan…Rebecca’s memories of the tragic Carnahan plane crash in October 2000…What Rebecca learned from managing a very narrow loss for Senator Jean Carnahan in 2002…The non-political reason why Rebecca moved west from Missouri after the 2002 race…Rebecca’s intersection with Senator Harry Reid & early days growing the Reid Machine…Rebecca demystifies what (and who) the Reid Machine is…Rebecca’s thoughts on what made Harry Reid such an effective political operator…The story behind Harry Reid winning a tough 2010 re-election…Rebecca breaks down the 2022 re-election of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto…A post-mortem on the much-discussed Nevada congressional redistricting…Rebecca on the 2022 Governors race and legacy of Steve Sisolak…How Rebecca approaches her role on IE races at Senate Majority PAC…Some of the advice gives to younger operatives…Two of Rebecca’s favorite spots to visit in Nevada… AND 30% unemployment, 428 votes, Alaska drivers' licenses, Sharron Angle, John Ashcroft, Carl Bernstein, Joe Biden, Bob Bigelow, the Bootheel, James Browning, Randy Carnahan, Robin Carnahan, Citizens United, Club for Growth, computer programmers, constant deluges, controversial student curators, Culinary 226, Tom Daschle, deep-pocketed benefactors, Paul Dunn, durable boots on the ground, Marc Farinella, Scott Fairchild, fellow travelers, Julie Gibson, Al Gore, Martin Heinrich, John Kerry, Adam Laxalt, the Legion of Black Collegians, the long game, Sue Lowden, Ty Matsdorf, Mizzou, Mike Muir, Barack Obama, the PTA, Planned Parenthood, JB Poersch, precipitous drop-offs, Jon Ralston, Rolla, Karl Rove, Searchlight, Saul Shorr, Chris Sifford, spade work, straight arrows, Roy Temple, Dina Titus, Harry Truman, Mark Twain, whistlestop tours, Roger Wilson, Bob Woodard, Fred Yang…& more!

Josh Wolf managed his first race at age 19, spent 10 years on the road running top House, Governor, and Senate races before becoming a media consultant & partner at AL Media. He also is the founder of Warchest, the innovative campaign budgeting software that - in a few short years - has become omnipresent on Democratic campaigns. In this conversation, Josh talks managing races from Maryland to Massachussetts, Florida to California...as a media consultant, helping elect Governors Katie Hobbs and Dan McKee...plus his theories on effective campaign managers, impactful media, and smart campaign budgeting. IN THIS EPISODE…Josh’s path to politics at a very young age from Baltimore MD…The story of Josh managing a competitive State Senate race at age 19…How Josh become an itinerant campaign manager on the road for nearly a decade…The 2012 Wisconsin Senate recalls become an inflection point for Josh…Josh’s take on what makes an effective campaign manager…The 3 types of errors on campaigns & 2 most important things for a manager…Josh breaks down his work in campaigns in California, Massachusetts, and Florida…Josh’s path into media consulting…Josh goes deep on how his client Katie Hobbs beat Kari Lake to win the high-profile AZ Gov race in 2022…Josh on the political trajectory of Arizona…Josh tells the story of one of the more memorable, effective ads from the ’22 cycle in the Rhode Island Governor’s race…Josh talks how and why he founded the innovative campaign budgeting software Warchest…Josh’s best practices on how a campaign should decide to spend “early” or not…Josh’s take on how traditional and digital media should integrate…Josh explains one his most controversial, heterodox opinions…Josh gives a travel hack and movie recommendation…AND Eric Adelstein, Andover caucus meetings, Ami Bera, the best spreadsheet, Joe Biden, John Bivona, broken formulas, budget gaps, cable-news parents, the campaign’s fastest runner, James Carville, clusters of talent, Heather Colburn, comically early starts, Shelbi Dantic, Bob Dole, Dominican baseball prospects, Russ Feingold, friendly insiders, gas station TV ads, germaphobia, Steve Grossman, the Harvard Business Journal, high-leverage mistakes, important incubators, Conner Johnston, King Oscar, Kory Kozloski, Roger Lau, Kari Lake, Hannah Ledford,  Ann Liston, living in the minutia, Dan Lungren, the MAGA brand, Dan McKee, Matt McKee, Andy Meyer, moments of self-reflection, Mike Muir, Patrick Murphy, the Newport Gulls, Trey Nix, Pikesville, Robert Redford, Harry Reid, roaming the halls in Annapolis, sardine-heads, Bill Scher, throwing shirts out the window, toxic work cultures, Bobby Zirkin & more!

Who's lived a more varied, interesting political life over the last 6 decades than Jeff Greenfield? Aide and speechwriter to Senator Robert Kennedy...staffer for NYC Mayor John Lindsay...successful political consultant with the famed David Garth...and then as an omnipresent political commentator at CBS, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN...5 time Emmy Award Winner...author of several books. This is a great, wide-ranging conversation with one of the most respected, enduring, and distinctive voices in American politics.IN THIS EPISODEHow the New York Yankees are responsible for Jeff’s political obsession…The serendipitous path that led Jeff to become an aide to Senator Robert Kennedy…Jeff’s memories of the U.S. Senate of the 1960s…Jeff on the political savvy of RFK…The stories behind two of RFK’s most memorable speeches in the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr’s Assassination…Jeff talks how the 1968 election might have played out had Senator Kennedy lived…What it was like writing a speech for Robert Kennedy…Jeff’s theory on the right match of speechwriter and speaker…Jeff’s time working with famed political consultant David Garth…The ad Jeff wrote as a media consultant of which he’s most proud…Jeff talks his connection with longtime friend William F. Buckley…The story of Margaret Thatcher insulting Jeff on national TV…Jeff’s move from political consulting to working in television…The media job Jeff held that was the most fun…Jeff's approach to interesting television commentary…Four of Jeff’s pet peeves about contemporary political punditry…The “single most powerful event” Jeff ever attended…Recommendations from one of Jeff’s favorite restaurants and favorite band…AND  Aeschylus, Muhammad Ali, Barney Greengrass, the Beatles, Tom Bettag, Beyonce, Big Pink, Tom Bradley, the Bronx High School of Science, Ron Brown, Buggs Bunny, bullshit measurements, Hugh Carey, William Sloane Coffin, communist cigars, computer manuals, Daffy Duck, Richard Daley, doo wop, Fred Dutton, Peter Edelman, Dwight Eisenhower, elephants, Firing Line, Joe Frazier, John Kenneth Galbraith, John Glenn, the Grateful Dead, Averell Harriman, Lester Holt, Hubert Humphrey, Inspector Javert, Irving Ives, Jacob Javits, journalistic utopias, jut jaws, Murray Kempton, Henry Kissinger, Ted Koppel, John Lindsay, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Lil Nas, losing altitude, Russell Long, the longest slogans in the world, Al Lowenstein, the Making of the President, Eugene McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, George McGovern, Stephen Miller, mock primaries, Bill Moyers, the National Review, The New York Times, Richard Nixon, Lee Harvey Oswald, particle physics, personal antipathy, Ronald Reagan, Robbie Robertson, Howard Samuels, Ted Sorensen, Aaron Sorkin, Adlai Stevenson, Norman Thomas, Donald Trump, two doses of herpes, Unconventional Wisdom, the unit rule, V-E Day, the violence of institutions, Adam Walinsky, wartime correspondents, Watergate, Billy Wilder, wretched ironies, Sam Yorty & more!

Ghida Dagher came to the U.S. at age 9 seeking asylum after she and her family fled their home in Sierra Leone amidst civil war. Soon after locating in Dearborn, MI the 9/11 attacks created more instability in her Arab-American and Muslim community and helped forge her own budding political conscioussness. Her focus on politics and public service led her to become Director of Appointments for Governor Gretchen Whitmer and, more recently, to take the helm as President & CEO of New American Leaders - an organization committed to preparing first and second generation Americans to run for political office. In this conversation, Ghida talks her amazing story as an immigrant and refugee and how it motivates her work with New American Leaders to change the face of US politics. IN THIS EPISODEGhida’s roots as both 3rd generation Sierra Leonese AND 100% Lebanese…The amazing story behind Ghida’s family held hostage in a burning hotel before escaping war-torn Sierra Leone…Ghida’s early memories of the US as a 9 year-old…Ghida talks about the impact of 9/11 on her community and political consciousness...Ghida gives a flavor of Dearborn, MI – “the Arab American Capital of the US”…Ghida’s 101 on the multi-faceted Arab American community…Ghida’s path changes from focusing on the medical profession to working in politics…Ghida’s entry in the political orbit of Gretchen Whitmer….Ghida talks the nuts-and-bolts of being a senior aide and Director of Appointments for Governor Whitmer…Ghida talks important advice she received from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, and her influence as a trail-blazer…The impact of the organization New American Leaders on Ghida & her path to eventually becoming its President / CEO…Going deep on the work Ghida and New American Leaders are doing to elect more 1st and 2nd Generation Americans…Ghida talks her leadership strategies and best practices in running a big political operation… AND Munira Abdullahi, Alter Road, apple committees, Bill 1070, Blood Diamond, George W. Bush, Ron DeSantis, Ford Motor Company, Al Gore, green zones, Shahana Hanif, Orville Hubbard, John Kerry, Shekar Krishnan, magic sauce, Mammy Yoko, Maronites, Genevieve Mina, Steven Raga, the Red Cross, Suzanne Sareini, Nabeela Syed, taboos, Raquel Terán, third culture kids, unusual suspects, visitors’ visas & more!

Congressman David Price served 34 years representing North Carolina's Research Triangle, leaving the House just this January. Beyond his time as an institution in the House, he's lived a remarkable political life...present on the Washington Mall during the MLK "I Have A Dream" speech...a Senate staffer witnessing key civil rights votes in the mid 1960s...a leading political scientist at Duke University...a Democratic Party leader who helped devise the primary reforms now known as "super delegates"...and an influential House member who's served across parts of five decades in the House and been a witness to - and a part of - some of the most important political moments of the past half century.IN THIS EPISODE...Growing up in the unique political culture of small-town East Tennessee...The Civil Rights Movement inspires an awakening for public service...Memories of being on The Mall during the March on Washington and the MLK "I Have A Dream" Speech...His time as a Senate staffer during the critical 1964 vote to break the filibuster on civil rights... How he merged teaching Political Science at Duke with activity in real-world politics...His time in state party leadership and as part of The Hunt Commission reforming the Democratic Presidential Primary process...The political skill and legacy of North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt...North Carolina's legacy as a progressive Southern state...Remembering the 1984 Senate "race of the century" of Jesse Helms vs. Jim Hunt...His path to running and winning his first race for Congress in 1986...Memories of his first few terms in the House...The story of his loss in the 1994 GOP wave and comeback win in 1996...His thoughts on the legacy of the Newt Gingrich Revolution of the 1990s...His proudest accomplishments from 30+ years in the House...The toughest two votes he took...His analysis on the leadership success of Speaker Nancy Pelosi...The closest Congressman Price came to a statewide race...The advice he gives to new House members...His current work and focuses in his post-House career...AND Lamar Alexander, Howard Baker, Bob Bartlett, Joe Biden, Jack Brooks, C-Span after hours, cabals, Tom Carper, Chapel Hill, church suppers, Joe Clark, Bill Clinton, Jim Clyburn, committee barons, the Confederate Cause, the Contract with America, Harold Cooley, Thomas Dewey, John Dingell, down-home types, Clair Engle, existential questions, Bill Ford, the Gang of Eight, Albert Gore Sr., Jerry Grinstein, Phil Hart, Helms' proteges, Hope VI, Steny Hoyer, inherited Republicanism, inner clubs, the Iran Nuclear Agreement, Jacob Javits, Warren Magnuson, Mars Hill, Kevin McCarthy, the McGovern Commission, metal aprons, Bob Michel, midterm effects, moral suasion, Morehead Scholarships, Mountain Republicans, Ed Muskie, Bill Nelson, Barack Obama, PLEOs, peer pressure, pep talks, Mike Pertschuk, the Political Science Caucus, Edward Pugh, Ronald Reagan, Dan Rostenkowski, rump conventions, Terry Sanford, the Sanford School of Public Policy, Saul Shorr, shouting matches on the House floor, sit-ins, Sputnik, Freddy St. Germain, super-delegates, talk radio, the Tea Party, Donald Trump, turbulent townhall meetings, turnaround artists, Jamie Whitten, Jim Wright, Yale Divinity School, yeoman farmers & more!

For nearly 40 years, Mark Mellman has been an industry leader in Democratic polling. In this conversation, he talks the serendipitous start of his consulting firm, stories from his iconic clients Al Gore, John Glenn, and Harry Reid, and lessons as lead pollster from John Kerry's '04 Presidential campaign. Mark also talks his founding of Democratic Majority for Israel and the work DMFI is doing to help mold the Democratic Party  and shape American policy toward Israel.IN THIS EPISODE….Mark talks his roots in a politically interested family in the Columbus, OH area…The serendipitous phone call while at Yale that gave Mark the opportunity to become a pollster…The 1982 House upset that kicked off Mark’s consulting career….How Mark grew his new firm in the 1980s among the established “Big 3” Democratic pollsters…Mark compares the polling process of his early days to the current approach…Mark shares stories of some his iconic clients, including Al Gore, Harry Reid, John Glenn, and Steny Hoyer…Mark on the good and bad as lead pollster from Kerry’ 04 vs George W. Bush…What led Mark to found Democratic Majority for Israel…Mark gets under the hood of the Nina Turner vs Shontel Brown special election primary & the role of DMFI…Mark’s 101 on how Israeli politics work…Mark on what makes a good pollster… AND Yasser Arafat, Atari Democrats, Joe Biden, Pat Caddell, Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton, Congressional Quarterly, Tom Daschle, Doak Shrum & Donilon, dominant troikas, Elizabeth Drew, Carter Eskew, giant hypodermic needles, John Gilligan, Bill Hamilton, Kamala Harris, Peter Hart, IBM cards, institutionalists, Yair Lapid, Carl Levin, long-haired college students, Joe McCarthy, Meretz, Walter Mondale, Bruce Morrison, Benjamin Netanyahu, Newsweek, Barack Obama, Ohio State University, the Oslo Agreement, Reaganomics, regression analysis, Bernie Sanders, sine qua non, Adlai Stevenson, Bob Squier, Swift Boat Veterans, Harry Truman, UW-Oshkosh, the UK Labour Party, unknown legal aid lawyers, Tim Wirth, Dick Wirthlin & more!

Liam Donovan, a principal at Bracewell PRG, is a regular presence on cable news, in print, and on twitter as an expert explainer of what's going on in Congress and in the Republican Party. With a background both in GOP campaign politics and government relations, Liam's expertise on the intersection of politics and policy gives him tremendous insight to distill what really matters in Washington from the rest of the Beltway din. In this conversation, we talk Liam's path to politics, his time in GOP campaigns, his shift to government relations, and get his insights into the chaos of last week's (eventual) ascent of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker...what to expect from Congress over the next two years...and his early takes on Trump vs. DeSantis '24 & the future of the Republican Party. IN THIS EPISODELiam’s upbringing as a Navy Brat who went to high school in DC…Liam’s stint working in GOP politics and at the NRSC…The iconic GOP Senator Liam served as an aide to at the Senate committee…Liam’s shift to government relations and lobbying…Liam’s initial take on the chaotic House GOP process to anoint Kevin McCarthy as Speaker…Liam on why it was probably inevitable for McCarthy to cave to the hard-right members…Liam unpacks how McCarthy peeled off the different factions to earn the Speaker’s gavel…Why the GOP center-right members never wavered for McCarthy…Liam on why there was never a real chance of a few Republicans working with  Democrats to elect a coalition Speaker…Liam's thoughts on the risk McCarthy could be deposed mid-term…The Trump impact on the Speaker’s race and the Trump-McCarthy relationship…Liam analyzes the CLF / Freedom Caucus “truce”…Liam’s insight on what to expect on the debt ceiling…Liam’s early handicapping of Trump vs DeSantis 2024…The origin story of Liam’s unusual twitter profile photo…Liam shouts out one of his favorite twitter accounts… AND AOL IM, almost congresspersons, Justin Amash, beating the previous question, Bill Bennett, Joe Biden, Lauren Boebert, John Boehner, John Bolton, Bracewell PRG, Scott Brown, Al Bundy, Alex Burns, George W. Bush, the CLF, Liz Cheney, Chris Christie, John Cornyn, Tom Cotton, Eli Crane, Ted Cruz, determined rumps, David Dewhurst, discharge petitions, Empower America, John Ensign, Al Franken, the Freedom Caucus, frozen budgets, Matt Gaetz, Georgetown, getting your teeth kicked in, Bob Good, Al Gore, Maggie Haberman, Nikki Haley, Andy Harris, Orrin Hatch, hot mic moments, Amo Houghton, Wesley Hunt, Hakeem Jeffries, Jim Jordan, Jack Kemp, kissing the ring, Mike Lee, letter-writing campaigns, Morgan Luttrell, Joe Manchin, Mar-a-Lago, Jonathan Martin, max-out donors, Ted McGinley, Mark Meadows, the meaty middle, Mitch McConnell, Tim Miller, non-privileged motions, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Scott Perry, Politico Pro, Mike Pompeo, the precipice of failure, Punchbowl, Ringwiss, Mike Rogers, Chip Roy, Paul Ryan, Rick Santelli, Pete Sessions, shoe-leather lobbying, shooting down the rule, the side of chaos, Aaron Sorkin, Arlen Specter, the Sword of Damocles, Marjorie Taylor Greene, turning the screws, the Trevor Project, Truth Social, trust deficits, the Uniparty, Fred Upton, West Wing story arcs & more!

Tom O'Neill is a legendary political figure in his own right - operative, legislator, statewide official, government relations juggernaut - and is, of course, the eldest son of former US House Speaker Tip O'Neill. In this conversation, Tom talks early memories growing up in a political household, lessons from his father, time spent around figures like John Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, the ups and downs of his own political career, and great stories and insights as an observer and participant at the highest level of politics.IN THIS EPISODEEarly memories, political and otherwise, growing up in North Cambridge, MA in the 1940s and 50s…The impact of Tom’s mother Millie on his father’s and his own political career…The role opposing the Vietnam War played in his father’s career…Remembering the “last of the great Irish vs Italian” primaries when Tip O’Neil replaced John Kennedy in the US House…The impact of his grandfather Tom O’Neill Sr…Breaking down the political skills and career of Tip O’Neill…Tom recalls his time around John F. Kennedy…Tom recounts running campaign for and with Ted Kennedy…Tom talks the significance of another Massachusetts House Speaker, John McCormack…Tom on his own path of running and winning political office…Tom remembers the energy in the Massachusetts legislature of the 1970s…Tom’s successful elections running for Lt Governor…The story behind his final run for office in 1982…How Tom was thinking of his future after being out of office before the age of 40…Highlights and insights from nearly four decades in government affairs…How close he came to running to succeed his father in 1986…Tom talks the importance of the Big Dig in modernizing Boston…Tom's recommendations of the best sites of Boston, including his favorite Irish pub and Italian restaurant… AND American metaphors, Back Bay, Birch Bayh, Beacon Hill, the Bellevue Hotel, bocce courts, the Boston telephone directory, Jimmy Breslin, the Bricklayers Union, Brighton, Jimmy Carter, Silvio Conte, Charles De Gaulle, William Delahunt, Delaware North, the Department of Sewers, Paul Dever, Leo Diehl, Brian Donnelly, Mike Dukakis, Donald Dwight, Charlie Flaherty, Gerald Ford, Barney Frank, Newt Gingrich, the Green Necklace, Harvard, John Hume, Joe Kennedy, Ed King, Paul Kirk, Ed Markey, Joe McCarthy, Mike Neville, Middlesex County, Richard Nixon, Mrs. O’Brien, the Odessa Sea, old Italian matriarchs, Regulars, John Rhodes, FDR, Jimmy Roosevelt, Blanche Rufo, Fred Salvucci, Frank Sargent, Haile Selassie, self-righteousness, Al Smith, Sovereign Bank, steel jungles, street corner games, thumbing to Washington, Donald Trump, Paul Tsongas, Watergate, white Xs & more.

Christie Roberts is the DSCC Executive Director, coming off of the first cycle since 1962 when Senate Democrats expanded their majority while holding the White House...during a cycle when many observers assumed a "red wave" was imminent. Christie talks her path to politics, the importance of learning her craft in Montana politics, and managing Jon Tester's 2018 re-election. And, of course, going deep on all things 2022 Senate races...her original theory of the case of how to succeed in a tough cycle, how the DSCC tried to mold the GOP primary fields, the impact of the Dobbs' decision, the big difference in Dem vs GOP fundraising, and the message & strategic decisions that led to Democrats virtually running the table in the closest Senate races. IN THIS EPISODE…The well-known political figure Christie partnered with to help win an 8th grade election…The first campaign Christie ever worked…Christie talks how her background in political research prepped her to run big campaigns and orgs…Christie talks managing Tester 2018 and what makes him a different type of political figure…Christie’s theory on why Montana produces so many talented Democratic operatives…Christie on the political tenacity of Chuck Schumer…Christie talks the leadership of DSCC Chair Gary Peters…Christie lays out the DSCC’s initial theory-of-the-case as to how to hold the majority…Christie talks how the DSCC tried to dissuade GOP Govs Sununu and Ducey from  running for Senate…Christie talks the “pivotal impact” of the Dobbs Supreme Court decision…Christie's expectations heading into Election Day…Christie on the GOP spin that Colorado and Washington were in play…The role that competitive losses in North Carolina and Ohio played in protecting the Democratic majority...Christie gets under the hood of the critical Democratic candidate fundraising advantages…Christie talks how Catherine Cortez Masto pulled off the cycle’s closest Senate victory…Christie's take on how the Georgia runoff win in 2022 was different than in 2021…Christie's surprising similarities between Raphael Warnock and Jon Tester…Christie on some of the smart strategic decisions by the NRSC…Christie on how the “friction” between the NRSC and McConnell PACs likely hurt GOP candidates…Her lessons from 2022 to take to the 2024 cycle…What might surprise people about the day-to-day role running the DSCC…AND….300 clips a day, Samuel Alito, Tom Allen, Cheri Beasley, boot camps, Campaign Corps, Jay Carson, the Clinton Foundation, Susan Collins, dirt farmers, EMILYs List, earned media oxygen, Ebenezer Baptist Church, English Lit, entering field data at 11PM, flip phones, free advice, hands in the dirt, Maggie Hassan, hybrid ads, Mark Kelly, Brian Kemp, knife fights, red waves, Matt Rosendale, Tim Ryan, shooting distance, [solidcore], strong visibility gains, Sharla Tester, true alignment, JD Vance, Herschel Walker, Dave Wasserman, workhorses & more