Political pollster Zac McCrary interviews interesting people who work in and around the political industry. Guests come from a multitude of backgrounds and specialties within the political industry, and span the partisan spectrum. This is not a podcast for partisan squabbling or punditry about the latest issue in DC - it is hearing directly from successful people in the industry...their stories, experiences, and advice. This is a podcast for anyone who works in politics, hopes to work in pol ...
…
continue reading
1
Election 2024 Recap with Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections
55:20
55:20
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
55:20
Nathan Gonzales is the Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections, one of the foundations of American political analysis, and a frequent presence talking and writing about politics on TV and in print. In this conversation, recorded two weeks after Election Day 2024, Nathan weighs in on the headlines from the '24 campaign, surprises and lessons learne…
…
continue reading
1
Pro Politics Re-Release: Maggie Haberman on the Political Rise of Donald Trump
40:54
40:54
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
40:54
[Originally released 11/22] Maggie Haberman is, of course, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who's covered the political rise of Donald Trump for the New York Times...and her book, CONFIDENCE MAN: The Making of Donald Trump & The Breaking of America became an immediate best seller. In this conversation, Maggie dives into all things Trump...from h…
…
continue reading
1
Republican Pollster Patrick Ruffini on the Increasingly Multi-Racial GOP Coalition
53:18
53:18
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
53:18
[Initially Released 11/07/23] Patrick Ruffini, pollster at Echelon Strategies, returns to talk about his new book PARTY OF THE PEOPLE - on the transition of the Republican Party from being dominated by wealthy, suburban white voters to a more blue-collar and increasingly-multi-racial coalition. In this conversation, Patrick lays out the data behind…
…
continue reading
1
Election Day 2024 Preview with Amy Walter
1:09:46
1:09:46
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:09:46
With just hours until polling places open for the November 5th presidential election, this week's guest is analyst Amy Walter to provide her insights and instincts heading into Election Day. The editor and publisher of The Cook Report with Amy Walter, Amy has been a constant presence writing and thinking about US elections for nearly three decades.…
…
continue reading
1
2024 Election Panel: Andy Blunt, Jim Ellis, & Zac McCrary
42:33
42:33
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
42:33
This is a different type of episode this week as I have borrowed the audio from a panel I was part of last Thursday (10/24/24) to discuss the upcoming 2024 elections. This panel is hosted by the government affairs firm Husch Blackwell Strategies, and the video link can be accessed here. Moderating the discussion is Husch Blackwell CEO Andy Blunt an…
…
continue reading
1
Forrest Claypool & A Master Class in Chicago Politics
59:59
59:59
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
59:59
Forrest Claypool has one of the most impressive and varied resumes in politics...early campaign and operative work with David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel, two-time Chief of Staff to the mayor of Chicago, opposing Barack Obama in mock debates in his 2004 Senate race, running the Chicago Park District, Chicago Transit Authority, and Chicago Board of Edu…
…
continue reading
1
Senator Mark Udall & A Life in Politics
59:04
59:04
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
59:04
Mark Udall, former Democratic US Senator and House member from Colorado, comes from the famed Udall family of the Mountain West - including his father, Congressman Mo Udall, and uncle, former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall under both JFK & LBJ. But Mark Udall largely stayed away from politics until his mid 40s - having an entire career within the…
…
continue reading
1
Caleb Smith on Working for 3 GOP House Speakers
1:02:18
1:02:18
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:02:18
Caleb Smith may be the only political operative who's worked for three consecutive US House Speakers. During over a decade on Capitol Hill, he worked with Speakers Boehner, Ryan, and McCarthy. In this conversation, Caleb talks his path to politics from managing a legislative race in small-town Kentucky to working in some of the most prime real esta…
…
continue reading
1
2024 Digital Trends & Best Practices with Mark Jablonowski, President & CTO of DSPolitical
47:47
47:47
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
47:47
Mark Jablonowski is the President and Chief Tech Officer of DS Political - one of the leading digital ad firms for Democratic campaigns and progressive causes. Mark's roots in campaign tech go back to 2004 and he was deeply involved in the Obama 2008 primary and general election digital innovations. In this conversation, Mark talks his own path to …
…
continue reading
1
Bryan Bennett, of Navigator Research, on Findings from Recent Polling of 4,000 Young Voters
59:54
59:54
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
59:54
Bryan Bennett is the Senior Director for Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project and a pollster for Navigator Research who recently spearheaded a 4,000 sample survey among voters 18-34. In this conversation, Bryan talks his path to politics and polling and goes deep on this new massive project among younger Americans. This data unearths new findings…
…
continue reading
1
Re-connecting with Election Analyst David Nir for the Launch of The Downballot
1:09:48
1:09:48
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:09:48
Catching up this week with return guest David Nir, who for over a decade has been an influential election analyst and the creator of Daily Kos Elections. Within the past week, David has moved his analysis to an independent site - now called The Downballot. In this conversation, David provides an update on his transition: what is happening, why now,…
…
continue reading
1
Tucker Eskew, Political & Corporate Comms Expert
1:04:26
1:04:26
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:04:26
Communications expert Tucker Eskew has been a participant in some of the most seminal moments in American political history over the course of the past 30+ years...a protege of the famed Republican strategist Lee Atwater, senior aide to the Bush 2000 win over John McCain in the fractious South Carolina primary, working in the White House the mornin…
…
continue reading
1
Deep Inside the World of Political Donors with David Callahan
1:03:37
1:03:37
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:03:37
David Callahan is a prolific creator and thinker within Democratic politics. He helped start the progressive think tank Demos in the late 90s, founded the media outlet Inside Philanthropy as a Consumer Reports of sorts into the world of charitable giving, and more recently created Blue Tent - an advisory group to help progressive donors get the mos…
…
continue reading
1
Lisa MacLean, Founder of Moxie Media - the First Female-Founded Political Direct Mail Firm
45:48
45:48
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
45:48
Lisa MacLean, founder of Moxie Media - the first female-founded political direct mail firm in the U.S - talks her path to politics...starting in St Louis and then Vassar, to impactful DC internships, managing campaigns in California and eventually starting her own mail firm in the late 1990s that recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. In this co…
…
continue reading
1
Pro Politics Re-Release: Kinky Friedman from June 04, 2021
34:52
34:52
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
34:52
Kinky Friedman passed away yesterday, June 27 2024. This is a re-release of a Pro Politics Podcast episode with Kinky originally released June 4, 2021. Kinky Friedman wore many hats in his 79 years - country music artist, bestselling novelist, political candidate, animal welfare activist, friend of multiple US Presidents, and a Texas and American i…
…
continue reading
1
Debbie Cox Bultan, CEO of NewDEAL, on 30+ Years Working in the Center-Left
39:54
39:54
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
39:54
Debbie Cox Bultan has been working in Democratic politics for more than 30 years, including more than a decade at the Democratic Leadership Council and then helping start NewDEAL where she is now the CEO. At NewDEAL, she works to connect pro-growth progressive leaders and help raise their profiles and amplify their ideas. In this conversation, she …
…
continue reading
1
Congressman Mickey Edwards...From Conservative Insurgent to House Leadership to Nonpartisan Iconoclast
57:18
57:18
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
57:18
Mickey Edwards served 16 years in Congress, as the first Republican to represent his Oklahoma City-based district in almost 50 years. Prior to his time in the House, he'd already made a mark as a leader in early days of "New Right" conservative organizations like the Young Republicans and Heritage Foundation. In this conversation, he talks his earl…
…
continue reading
1
Heather Williams, President of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC)
45:12
45:12
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
45:12
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…
…
continue reading
1
Remembering Political Innovator Hal Malchow, with Trish Hoppey & Rich Schlackman
41:48
41:48
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
41:48
Hal Malchow was the incredibly innovative Democratic direct mail and fundraising consultant, who passed away several weeks ago. His final chapter was chronicled by Sasha Issenberg in Politico recently. Hal's was truly a creative mind, including breaking new ground on sophisticated political microtargeting and "social pressure" tactics to generate i…
…
continue reading
1
Matt Robison & Confessions of a Hill Chief of Staff
58:33
58:33
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
58:33
Matt Robison has worn many political hats, among them working in numerous positions across Capitol Hill - including serving as Chief of Staff for three members. He also managed the successful 2012 upset re-election of Rep. John Tierney, after Tierney was named the GOP's top takeover opportunity that cycle. With roots in Manhattan, Matt had formativ…
…
continue reading
1
Talking Washington Books, with NYT Columnist Carlos Lozada...author of The Washington Book
49:20
49:20
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
49:20
Carlos Lozada is currently an Opinion columnist at The New York Times, after spending nearly 20 years at The Washington Post - where he earned the Pulitzer Prize in 2019 for criticism as The Post's nonfiction book critic. He's also an author, with his second book - The Washington Book - recently published: a collection of essays exploring what book…
…
continue reading
1
Whit Ayres & 30+ Years as a Top GOP Pollster
58:26
58:26
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
58:26
Whit Ayres, founder and president of North Star Opinion Research, has been a leading GOP pollster for more than 30 years. First a high school teacher then an academic, he cut his political teeth as state Budget Director for South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. As a pollster, upset Senate victories for Georgia Senator Paul Coverdell in 1992 and…
…
continue reading
1
Larry Huynh & His Unconventional Path as a Digital Trailblazer
55:39
55:39
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
55:39
Larry Huynh is a Partner and founder of Trilogy Interactive, a trailblazing digital political firm. His path to politics is anything but typical...his family coming to the U.S. as refugees after the Vietnam War, his academic background in biochemistry, and early career in the finance sector. In this conversation, Larry talks his unconventional rout…
…
continue reading
1
Chancellor & Congressman Kent Hance, the Best Storyteller in Texas
43:55
43:55
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
43:55
Kent Hance served 6 years in the House from West Texas, was Chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, and had an 8-year tenure as Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System - but his most famous political accomplishment is as the only person to ever defeat George W. Bush in a political campaign. He also hosts his own podcast, The Best Storyteller…
…
continue reading
1
What Morgan Searcy Learned from 200+ Interviews with First-Time Political Staffers
37:24
37:24
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
37:24
Morgan Searcy is a graphic designer whose work has supported some of the top brands in corporate America (Nike, MTV to name a few) and has also worked in campaigns for names like Warren and Ossoff. After the 2020 cycle, she embarked on a new project to capture and record experiences of first-time political staffers - a project that turned into the …
…
continue reading
1
Jim Margolis, Founding Partner of Democratic Media Firm GMMB
54:46
54:46
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
54:46
Jim Margolis, partner at GMMB media, is a pioneering Democratic media consultant who is featured in the new documentary, The Bigger Hammer, by filmmaker Keith Gaby that focuses on the message war behind the Obama vs. McCain 2008 race (now available on Amazon). In this conversation, Jim talks his path to politics through student activism in Kalamazo…
…
continue reading
1
Pro Politics Podcast Update: New Episodes Coming Soon
1:01
1:01
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:01
Listen to a brief update about the Pro Politics Podcast, with the upshot that you should stay tuned for new episodes coming soon. For any feedback, feel free to drop me a line at mccrary.zachary(at)gmail.com. Thanks for listening.Af Zac McCrary
…
continue reading
1
Mark Z. Barabak, L.A. Times Political Columnist, on the Changing Politics of the New West
56:55
56:55
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
56:55
Mark Barabak, the veteran political reporter and columnist for the L.A. Times, has just helmed a six-part series analyzing the political evolutions across the New West - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon. In this conversation, Mark talks his recent series, touches on the politics in all six of these states, and breaks do…
…
continue reading
1
How Beshear Kept the Bluegrass State Blue, with Beshear '19/'23 Manager Eric Hyers
50:12
50:12
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
50:12
Eric Hyers, manager of both Andy Beshear's '19 and '23 gubernatorial races, goes deep on last week's election of Governor Beshear in Kentucky. Eric talks his initial theory of the race, key strategic decisions from both campaigns, how the Beshear campaign fought back against transgender attacks and leveraged the issue of abortion against GOP nomine…
…
continue reading
1
Author & Pollster Patrick Ruffini on His New Book, PARTY OF THE PEOPLE, & the Changing GOP Coalition
52:07
52:07
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
52:07
Patrick Ruffini, pollster at Echelon Strategies, returns to talk about his new book (released today, 11/7/23) PARTY OF THE PEOPLE - on the transition of the Republican Party from being dominated by wealthy, suburban white voters to a more blue-collar and increasingly-multi-racial coalition. In this conversation, Patrick lays out the data behind the…
…
continue reading
1
Fred Grandy: From Hollywood to the Halls of Congress
51:26
51:26
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
51:26
Fred Grandy spent 8 years in the US House as a Republican from Northwest Iowa, but remains best known for the decade he spent playing the character Gopher on the iconic 70s/80s hit television show "The Love Boat". In this conversation, he talks how his small-town Iowa roots mixed with matriculating at tony Eastern boarding schools, how he came to s…
…
continue reading
1
Remembering Dianne Feinstein, with her former Chief Media Strategist Bill Carrick
44:17
44:17
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
44:17
Bill Carrick was the longtime chief media strategist for Senator Dianne Feinstein, as well as helping elect President Bill Clinton, multiple LA mayors, Congressman Jim Clyburn, and many more. In this conversation, Bill discusses his early political roots in South Carolina, his time working for Senator Ted Kennedy, his pivot to political media, and …
…
continue reading
1
Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, co-founder of Way to Win, on Effective Progressive Messaging
48:54
48:54
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
48:54
Jenifer Fernandez Ancona is a co-founder of Way to Win, a progressive donor hub that has helped direct nearly $300M since 2018. Jenifer talks her early experiences in journalism, what pulled her into political activism in the early 2000s, why Way to Win was needed, and the work and research and guidance Way to Win is providing to help Democrats mes…
…
continue reading
1
Liam Donovan Returns to Talk the Toppling of Kevin McCarthy, Odds on the Next Speaker, & State of the GOP Presidential Primary
42:06
42:06
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
42:06
Liam Donovan, a principal at Bracewell and longtime insider and observer of the Hill GOP, returns to weigh in on a chaotic couple of weeks in the House - including the surprise sidestepping of a government shutdown, the toppling of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and the budding race to fill his shoes. In this conversation, Liam talks the factors that led …
…
continue reading
1
Ed Blakely: GOP Media Trailblazer & Trendsetter
53:18
53:18
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
53:18
Over the course of a career focused on political media, Ed Blakely helped innovate within Republican politics that led to the modernization of the media arms of campaign committees of both parties. After a stint in US Amry intelligence, Ed spent nearly 20 years at the NRCC before joining the GOP media firm of Smith & Harroff. In this conversation, …
…
continue reading
1
Remembering Governor Bill Richardson, with his former Campaign Manager & Chief of Staff Dave Contarino
1:04:28
1:04:28
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
1:04:28
Dave Contarino was Bill Richardson's 2002 gubernatorial campaign manager, his first term Chief of Staff, and manager of his 2008 presidential campaign. Very few are better equipped to remember the life and legacy of Governor Richardson than Dave. In this conversation we talk Dave's own path to politics and mine his expertise specifically about New …
…
continue reading
1
Best of Pro Politics: Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman to serve in Congress
48:28
48:28
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
48:28
[Originally released October 2021] Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has a truly American story: born in Cuba, emigrates to Miami with her family at age 8, works as a teacher before being elected to the Florida legislature - and then makes history as the first Hispanic woman in American history to be elected to Congress. This is a great conversation about her on…
…
continue reading
1
Rich Schlackman, Democratic Direct Mail Pioneer
55:44
55:44
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
55:44
Rich Schlackman is best known as a pioneer of all things direct mail - and he continues to hit the mail box and also spearheads important efforts as a GC and has expanded his reach to digital messaging. In this conversation, Rich talks his early activist roots at the '68 Democratic Convention and with names like Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden...why he g…
…
continue reading
1
Barry Goldwater Jr. on Growing up Goldwater, 7 Terms in Congress, & A Life in Politics
47:19
47:19
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
47:19
Barry Goldwater Jr. grew up in politics as the son of the influential Senator and '64 GOP Presidential Nominee. He has a one-of-a-kind story of witnessing his father's political rise and then his own political career with his House tenure spanning parts of 3 decades. In this conversation, he talks his early memories in a political household, key mo…
…
continue reading
1
Bill Knapp, Partner at SKDK, on 40+ Years as an Admaker
54:41
54:41
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
54:41
Bill Knapp is in his fifth decade as a top Democratic media consultant and is the first K in the mega-media firm SKDK. In this conversation, Bill talks his NYC roots, the 1980 Senate campaign that launched his professional career, lessons from his mentor & eventual partner Bob Squier, key races in his development as a strategist, the '96 Clinton re…
…
continue reading
1
Diana Hwang: Founder & Executive Director of the Asian American Women's Political Initiative
48:50
48:50
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
48:50
Diana Hwang is the Founder and Executive Director of the Asian American Women's Political Initiative. In this episode, Diana talks growing up in Houston in a Taiwanese-immigrant family, her political awakening after college in Boston, what led her to start the AAWPI, how the organization has grown over the past 10+ years, her analysis of partisan t…
…
continue reading
1
Navigating the Future: Unraveling A.I. in Politics with Media Consultant & AAPC Board Member Kelly Gibson
42:42
42:42
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
42:42
Kelly Gibson is the founding partner of Stronger Than Communications, where she works to elect Democratic candidates and advance progressive causes - and is a board member of the American Association of Political Consultants and faculty member of the Campaign School at Yale. Through the AAPC, she has helped lead conversations and spearhead recommen…
…
continue reading
1
Democratic Pollster Lisa Grove on the Power of a Question Mark
45:36
45:36
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
45:36
[EPISODE ORIGINALLY RECORDED FEBRUARY 2021] Lisa Grove has been a leading Democratic strategist and pollster for 25+ years, helping elect a President, Senators, Governors, and more. She also developed a reputation for winning tough ballot measures and helped refine messaging to advance the cause of marriage equality. In this conversation (recorded …
…
continue reading
1
Paul Johnson: Manager of 2 Presidentials, 8 Winning Senate Races, DSCC Exec Dir, Senate Chief & More
51:48
51:48
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
51:48
Paul Johnson's resume reads like it should cover three careers...managing multiple presidentials, manager/general consultant on twelve Senate races, DSCC Executive Director over two cycles, and several years on Capitol Hill as a Senate Chief of Staff. In this conversation, we talk his roots in Minnesota politics, rising up the ranks through Mondale…
…
continue reading
1
Chris Mottola, GOP Media Consultant, on Four Decades Making Ads
54:31
54:31
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
54:31
Chris Mottola is in his fifth decade as a Republican media consultant, with nearly 400 campaigns under his belt - including seven presidential campaigns and working with eleven US Seantors and six governors. His client list includes the highest echelons of GOP names like Bush, Dole, McCain, Giuliani, Specter, Rubio, Pataki, Sununu, Frist & many mor…
…
continue reading
1
Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman: From Vanquishing a Political Institution to Becoming One
52:19
52:19
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
52:19
Elizabeth Holtzman is best known for her legendary primary upset of the Dean of the House in 1972, making her the youngest woman elected to Congress and propelling her to national notice as part of the House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings of Richard Nixon. Even beyond that specific era, the diversity and duration of her public service is …
…
continue reading
1
Michael Rowan & A Political Journey from Bethel, Alaska to Caracas, Venenzuela
57:12
57:12
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
57:12
Michael Rowan's political career started in a small Alaksan fishing village in the 1960s and has ascended to heights of helping elect Presidents, Senators, Governors, and working in 17 countries. Michael was a contemporary and colleague of some of the most influential political minds in the modern era - Larry O'Brien, Joe Napolitan, Tony Schwartz, …
…
continue reading
1
Andi Johnson, Trailblazing Democratic Media Consultant & Partner at GPS Impact
53:55
53:55
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
53:55
Andi Johnson, a partner at GPS Impact, is a veteran Democratic media strategist who has been a trailblazer as one of the first women in Democratic media. She's worked for leading Democratic political figures for over 30 years...names like Obama, Klobuchar, Leahy, Inslee, Bob Casey Jr, and many more. In this conversation, Andi talks growing up in a …
…
continue reading
1
Dick Gephardt, former Democratic House Leader & Two-Time Presidential Candidate
55:17
55:17
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
55:17
Dick Gephardt served 30 years in the House, including 10 years as Democratic Leader - and ran for President in both 1988 and 2004, winning the '88 Iowa Caucus. In this conversation, he talks his working class roots in St. Louis, what drew him to public service, his early days in city government, coming to the House in his 30s, and how he quickly ro…
…
continue reading
1
Analilia Mejia, co-Exec Dir of The Center for Popular Democracy & Bernie Sanders' 2020 Political Director
49:33
49:33
Afspil senere
Afspil senere
Lister
Like
Liked
49:33
Analilia Mejia is currently the co-ED of The Center for Popular Democracy...and prior to that she was Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign Political Director with stints in the Biden Administration, with the Working Families Party, & deep roots in union organizing. In this conversation, she talks being raised in working class Elizabeth, NJ as …
…
continue reading