Let's Pod This

An electoral "blue tsunami" has hit America, and the political world is still in shock. Political scientist Keith Gaddie joins Andy to discuss what happened nationally, particularly in Texas, Mississippi, and the South broadly.

Andy is joined by Grant Hermes, independent political journalist and host of ⁨@MIMSnewspod⁩, to discuss the state of the election nationally and what trends he'll be watching for as results come in.

We're joined by Cole Allen, policy analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute, to discuss SQ845, which would make significant changes to the voter-created Judicial Nominating Commission. Read OK Policy’s SQ 845 Fact Sheet: https://okpolicy.org/sq845/ Watch OK Policy's SQ 845 explainer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wpxcZy1-d8

We're joined by Mary Kate Cary, executive director of the Miller Academy at the University of Denver, acclaimed political analyst, and former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush, to speak about the burgeoning revolution in America back toward a more deliberative and productive of civil discourse.

Check out the "Greatest Speeches" series she mentioned: https://engagement.virginia.edu/learn/2026-america

We're joined by Aanahita Ervin, policy analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute, to discuss SQ847, which is one of two state questions the legislature placed on the November ballot.

Andy and Emily zoom out, beginning with state Rep. Danny Williams being asked to resign by the Rules Committee and scaling up to what's happening with Congressional approval ratings (and why they may be important in Oklahoma).

With Governor Stitt attempting to put a state question on the ballot to ask voters if they want to call a constitutional convention, we decided to do a deep dive into the origins of the Oklahoma Constitution, its composition and structure, and how it stacks up against other states.

Andy and Emily discuss the results of the August primary run-off election, including the crushing defeat of SQ844, the oh-so-close win by Mike Mazzei, and the better-than-expected turnout overall, as well as what this potentially means for the general election in November.

There were no shortage of consequential cases during the most recent SCOTUS term, so we invited Christine Pappas to help give us a summary of the major (and a few minor) cases.

Andy and Emily reiterate that American elections are very secure, and we discuss the recent revelations about Oklahoma Rep. Danny Williams, who is under investigation for "improper behavior."

We say again: Voter fraud is virtually nonexistent—the bigger issue is voters not participating in them.

Andy is joined by Erika Wright (Oklahoma Appleseed & Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition) to discuss SQ844 & SQ846 that will be on the August 25th ballot. What seems complicated on the surface may in fact be quite harmful to local government and school board budgets!

Andy and Emily discuss the Republican run-off between gubernatorial candidates Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei and the impact of Governor Stitt making an endorsement in the race.

Andy is joined by Sarah Blaney, the new VP of Development & Strategy at Let's Fix This, and then later he speaks with Tracey Halley-Terrell, president of the Oklahoma Bondsman Association, about a new wave of scams that is sweeping the state (and the country).

Andy and Emily review the results of the 2026 Oklahoma primary election and see if their predictions came true!

Andy & Emily share their predictions for the outcomes of statewide & congressional races for the primary and their "theory of the case" for most of them.

Now that we have a little distance from the legislative session, Shawn Ashley from QuorumCall rejoins the show to discuss what happened in the second half of session, the unique forces at play in Republican primary elections, and how the landscape of Oklahoma politics may shift over the next few years.

With the legislative session behind us and the primary election looming ahead, Andy and Emily discuss the "horse race" of it all and wonder if the current crop of television ads are actually persuading any voters.

The interview table gets turned this week as Erika Wright, founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, interviews Andy about why voting in the primary election matters so much.

Andy & Emily discuss the fallout of SCOTUS' Callais decision as Republican-controlled state legislatures rush to gerrymander their Congressional maps ahead of (or in some cases during) the primary election. Also joining the show is Shanisty Whittington, senior political science major at Rose State College, to discuss her research on prison gerrymandering.

Andy and Emily discuss the Callais decision announced today by SCOTUS and it's potential impact on gerrymandering and voting rights more broadly. Plus some reflection on CIVICS CON and questioning exactly why the Oklahoma legislature is referring so man state questions to the ballot in August. 

This episode is the keynote address delivered by former Congressman and founder of Groundwork Project, Joe Kennedy III, at CIVICS CON 2026. Joe speaks about Oklahoma, about democracy, and about a shared vision for the future.

Oklahoma lawmakers are sending some of the biggest ballot questions in state history to an August election most voters won't know is happening. Andy breaks down the joint resolutions targeting Medicaid, TSET, and the state Constitution — and why the date is the point. Then: candidate filing just closed, and the numbers reveal a democracy where 68% of races are already decided before November. Two stories, one system.

Oklahoma Watch story referenced: https://oklahomawatch.org/2026/04/03/choose-your-own-voters-republican-lawmakers-send-high-stakes-ballot-initiatives-to-low-turnout-election/

NonDoc has several stories on candidate filing: https://nondoc.com/category/civics/politics/

Andy & Emily discuss how late-night lawmaking and budget maneuvers reduce transparency, then unpack a pressing—and persistent—Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services funding gap that prompted agency heads to hold a “premature” press conference about consolidating ODMHSAS into the Department of Health, despite concerns that consolidation won’t solve a roughly $20–30 million shortfall. They also talk property tax sticker shock, strategic party registration for the gubernatorial primary, and promote CIVICS CON (April 9–10 at Rose State College).

Almost no one living person has spent more time at the Oklahoma State Capitol than longtime capitol reporter Shawn Ashley. From being a public television journalist to owning a bill tracking and news service (Quorum Call), Shawn has spent 30 years listening, writing, and laughing about what happens in those halls of power, and he joined us this week to reflect on his tenure and discuss what's unique about this session.

We're joined by Dr. Christine Pappas, Professor and Chair of the Department of Politics, Law and Society at East Central University, to discuss the SAVE Act (aka the SAVE America Act, aka the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act) and it's potential impact on elections in Oklahoma and across the country.

Dr. Emily Stacey returns to the show, but this time as our new co-host. This episode is really about getting to know her so that listeners have some background for future episodes.

We're back for a lightning-round episode to catch you up on the State of the State, voter registration numbers, election dates, and even a little bit of national politics (which is insane).

Andy visits with Colleen McCarty, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, about the role and responsibilities of District Attorneys. Hint: They're more important than you think.

We take a look back at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of 2025, and lay the groundwork for the year ahead.

Keith and Andy discuss the electoral reform movement, Oklahoma Independents being blocked from participating in ALL primary elections, and, somewhat surprisingly, the great state of Texas.

As 2025 begins to wind down, Andy reflects on what he's thankful for and offers some encouragement for the year ahead.

Keith Gaddie returns to give us the history of White House architecture, how it connects to grievance politics, and how we can help ensure your fellow Americans have access to food when Congress fails.

Andy visits with Kyle Loveless of EyesOver, a data analytics firm that monitors public sentiment on the internet and uses it to analyze and predict electoral outcomes, to discuss how polling has worked in the past, why that model is struggling, and what the future of the industry may look like.

[Editor's note: Sorry about the audio. One of the mics - mine, actually - malfunctioned in this episode.]

In the spring 2025, the Oklahoma legislature passed SB1207 which made sweeping changes to the state's initiative petition process. A legal challenge was filed, and oral arguments are set to be heard on November 18, 2025. Andy speaks with local political operative Amber England has been involved in multiple initiative petition campaigns.

Let's talk about hope - where to find it, and why we need it. And hey OKC - don't forget to vote on Oct 14th!

Keith Gaddie returns to discuss the rise of grievance politics, how it plays out with different groups of voters, and whether or not a return to hopeful politics is possible.

On October 14th, voters in Oklahoma City will vote on a new general obligation municipal bond to fund city operations. New city councilperson representing Ward 7, Camal Pennington, joins Andy to explain why this is important.

Visit vision.okc.gov for more information on the GO bond.

Andy talks with Rachael Crawford, executive director of the Plaza District Association and Plaza Business Alliance, about how arts-driven small business districts build belonging, counter apathy, and strengthen civic life in OKC. They also preview the 26th Annual Plaza District Festival

 Hi friends, Andy Moore here with Let's Fix this. Um, like many of you, I've been sitting in front of my computer on my phone for the last several days, um, reading news about political violence in America again. Um, on Wednesday when Charlie Kirk was murdered. I was in Washington DC um, in a meeting, uh, of organizations, uh, organizational leaders from, uh, cross partisan networks who work on everything from electoral reform to, uh, bridge building to university presidents, to um, uh, young legislators, state and congressional legislators across the country.

There were. A wide ra...

Keith Gaddie returns to the Democracy Den Studios to discuss the evolution of liberalism and conservatism in American politics from the New Deal to present day, exploring identity politics, economic challenges, and the shift towards club goods.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:14 A Conversation on American Politics

03:25 The New Deal and Its Legacy

07:31 Challenges of Modern Liberalism

14:45 Evolving Political Coalitions

21:57 Fearmongering and Political Strategies

22:15 Liberalism and the Abundance Mindset

24:02 Public Goods and Externalities

28:19 Conservatism and Community Responsibility

37:29 The Era of Club Goods