Pro Politics Podcast with Zac McCrary (2025)

15/07/2025

New episode live with Yasmin Radjy, ED of Swing Left. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17496851-yasmin-radjy-ed-of-swing-left-on-grassroots-tactics-that-work-those-that-may-not

Yasmin Radjy is the Executive Director of Swing Left and Vote Forward, and was featured recently in The Atlantic after her organization released data showing some of ther field and canvassing tactics in the 2024 election did not work. In this conversation, Yasmin talks her family's path as Iranian refugees to the US, how the '08 Obama campaign shifted her perspective on practical politics, founding Resistance School in the aftermath of the 2016 election, her stints as National Political Director at Planned Parenthood and in the Biden Administration, the importance of measuring and disclosing what tactics do and do not work, and the new ideas and projects on which she's focused during an incredibly turbulent time in American politics.

IN THIS EPISODE

Yasmin talks her family's journey as immigrants fleeing the Iranian Revolution of the late 1970s...

The inherent politicization of being an Iranian-American...

Yasmin becomes active in partisan politics while in college...

Yasmin's world is turned upside down knocking doors as a Northern California liberal in small town Ohio in 2008...

Yasmin's take on what makes an effective political organizer...

Yasmin forms "Resistance School" in the aftermath of the 2016 elections - a program utilized by hundreds of thousands of activists...

Yasmin's time as Organizing Director & National Political Director at Planned Parenthood...

How Yasmin took the reins at Swing Left and the role it plays in the progressive infrastructure...

Findings highlighted in a recent Atlantic article of what Swing Left did in 2024 and what worked and didn't work...

Why Yasmin believes it's critical for organizations to publicize findings about its work, especially when programs don't move the needle as planned...

The difference in the aftermath of Trump's 2016 win versus Trump's 2024 win...

Questions Yasmin wants future research to answer to sharpen grassroots activism...

The one trait Yasmin looks for in hiring staff at Swing Left...

01/07/2025

New episode live w/Morris Katz, lead media strategist to Zohran Kwame Mamdani for Mayor of NYC. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17418875-morris-katz-lead-media-strategist-for-zohran-mamdani-for-nyc-mayor

Morris Katz, ad-maker at the Fight media firm, is the lead media strategist for Zohran Mamdani's insurgent campaign that secured the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City in a decisive upset over the long-favored Andrew Cuomo. In this conversation, Morris talks his NYC roots, coming from an artistic family, his accidental path into politics, and a deep dive into the Mamdani campaign's monumental win. We discuss the candidates, the overarching strategy, important tactical decisions, inside the memorable viral and paid media content, the role of outside groups, what is misunderstood about the race, what is replicable for others and much more with a lead operative on one of the most impressive and innovative campaigns in recent memory.

17/06/2025

New episode now live with Mike Nellis, founder of Authentic digital agency and former Senior Advisor to Kamala Harris. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17344654-mike-nellis-founder-of-authentic-digital-former-senior-advisor-to-kamala-harris-co-founder-of-white-dudes-for-harris

Mike Nellis is the founder of Authentic, a digital fundraising firm that's raised over $1 billion for it's clients including Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff and numerous Governors, Senators, and high profile organizations. He was also a Senior Advisor to Kamala Harris 2020 presidential campaign, the co-founder of White Dudes for Harris in the 2024 presidential campaign, and an active thinker and leader on how progressive politics has to evolve in a changing world.

03/06/2025

New episode now live with Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) on his path in politics, time in the House, why he publicly called on Biden to step aside after the debate, & why it remains an important conversation to have. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17268892-congressman-mike-quigley-why-he-called-on-biden-to-step-aside-why-it-remains-a-necessary-conversation

20/05/2025

New episode now live with Frank Lavin on his 8+ years working in the Reagan White House and his front row seat and involvement with some of the biggest decisions and personalities of the Reagan / Bush era. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17178398-eight-years-in-the-reagan-white-house-with-veteran-gop-staffer-frank-lavin

Frank Lavin served under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush in positions as varied as personnel, national security, international trade negotiations, Ambassador to Singapore, among others. In this conversation, we discuss his 8+ years in the Reagan White House from 1981-1989 - which is chronicled in his recent book Inside the Reagan White House. In the Reagan White House, he wore several different hats, was in hundreds of meetings with President Reagan, worked alongside some of the most influential administration officials - culminating in his stint as White House Political Director during the 1988 elections.

06/05/2025

New podcast live with Patrick McHugh, founder of Gambit Strategies & Executive Director of Priorities USA during the 2020 election. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17101449-patrick-mchugh-co-founder-of-gambit-strategies-former-e-d-of-priorities-usa

Patrick McHugh, co-founder of Gambit Strategies, was the Executive Director of Priorities USA in 2020 as the main super PAC allied with the Biden Presidential campaign. Prior to that, he had stints at the DSCC and working in the opp research department on major Democratic campaigns. In this conversation, we explore Patrick's roots in opposition research, his experiences running big organizations and on the campaign trail, and mine his deep expertise on emerging trends and best practices in digital persuasion advertising.

24/04/2025

New episode checking back in with Dr Michael Cohen - pollster, academic, operative, & author - about the new edition of his book Modern Political Campaigns. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/17010846-checking-back-in-with-dr-michael-cohen-on-the-new-edition-of-his-book-modern-political-campaigns

Catching up this week with return guest Dr. Michael Cohen, who just released a new edition of his book Modern Political Campaigns this month. He studied under iconic pollster Bill Hamilton as a student, worked in the trenches in Republican campaigns, spent time at Gallup, apprenticed under renowned GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio and worked with famed Dem strategist Mark Penn when Michael was an in-house pollster at Microsoft. Along the way, Michael started his own firm (Cohen Research Group), built the successful Congress in Your Pocket tech app, and wrote Modern Political Campaigns to bring the campaign literature up to speed with the ever-evolving political industry - including a new edition that includes a focus on the role AI is playing in political campaigns. This is a great nuts-and-bolts conversation on the political industry with a smart pollster, tech entrepreneur, and author.

08/04/2025

New episode now live with former US Senator Pat Leahy. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/16840764-senator-pat-leahy-the-third-longest-serving-senator-in-us-history

Pat Leahy is a giant of the US Senate...the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Vermont...the third longest serving Senator in US history...the Senate President Pro Tem...Chair of Appropriations, Agriculture, and Judiciary...and 8 terms in the US Senate. In this conversation, we talk his roots in small town Vermont, overcoming the state's deep Republican roots in a 1974 upset, entering the Senate in his mid 30s, and his favorite stories, lessons, and proudest moments from nearly 50 years in the US Senate.

25/03/2025

New episode now live with documentary filmmaker Yoav Attias discussing his latest project Fault Lines, examining the American housing affordability crisis through interconnected stories in San Francisco - where the housing crisis is especially acute. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/16794371-documentary-filmmaker-yoav-attias-the-american-housing-crisis

Yoav Attias is a documentary filmmaker whose projects include Brick City chronicling the inner-workings of Newark, NJ under then-Mayor Cory Booker and CNN's Chicagoland featuring then-mayor Rahm Emanuel. His most recent role is as Director on the new documentary film Fault Lines - which examines the issue of affordable housing in American cities through the prism of several storylines in San Francisco where the housing crisis is especially acute. In this conversation, Yoav talks starting a legal career in South Florida before following his passion to become a documentary filmmaker...what he learned about the politics and challenges facing major American cities working closely around Mayors Cory Booker and Rahm Emanuel...the origin of the Fault Lines film project set in the Bay Area...and a deep dive on the challenges and complexities surrounding the American housing crisis.

11/03/2025

New episode live with Karen Anne Defilippi, former Hill Chief of Staff, senior positions at DCCC & Emilys List, & now a media consultant launching Versus Media Group. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/16761152-karen-defilippi-democratic-campaigns-the-launch-of-versus-media-group

Karen Deflippi is launching Versus Media Group, after nearly 20 years in politics - including running campaigns, being a House Chief of Staff on the Hill, senior positions at Emilys List and the DCCC, and her current role as a media consultant for Democratic candidates and progressives causes. In this conversation she talks her path in politics from a Catholic family in swing Western PA to helping run some of the most impactful political organizations in the country and now putting a stamp on campaigns as a media consultant.

25/02/2025

New episode now live with Taegan Goddard, founder of Political Wire - on working in and out of politics, in both federal and state government, why he never ran for office, & building and growing a political news site that earns 10M+ visitors a month. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/16669444-taegan-goddard-founder-of-political-wire-on-the-intersection-of-politics-tech-media

Taegan Goddard is the founder and editor of Political Wire, one of the most widely-read political news sites over the last 25+ years. He created Political Wire in the late 1990s after stints as a Senate staffer on Capitol Hill and several years in state government in his home state of Connecticut. In this conversation, he talks his own development as a rabid political ju**ie, setting out early goals in the public and private sector, both encouraging and disheartening stints in government, why he decided against running for office, and starting Political Wire initially as a hobby - which has now grown into a site that is a regular stop for 10+ million readers a month.

28/01/2025

New episode now live w/former Congresswoman Mary Bono - 15 years in the House as a moderate Republican, crusader against Rx drug abuse, & widow of legendary singer Sonny Bono. https://propolitics.buzzsprout.com/1704139/episodes/16499894-the-ballad-of-mary-bono

Mary Bono served 15 years in the House, representing a Palms Springs-based seat in Riverside County, CA. She initially entered politics and the House after the tragic passing of her late husband Sonny Bono - the world-famous singer / TV star turned mayor and ultimately congressman. In this conversation, she talks the political rise of Sonny Bono, running for and winning a seat in the House amidst tragedy, getting her bearings as a member herself, putting her own stamp on her service, taking tough votes as a moderate, championing the cause of prescription drug abuse prevention, and much more in an illuminating conversation with someone who's had one of the most unique and fascinating careers in congressional politics.

Pro Politics Podcast with Zac McCrary