Breaking Battlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds Chuck Warren and Sam Stone are joined by George Khalaf, founder of The Resolute Group, First Day PR, and Data Orbital, who discusses his campaign for Arizona State House in LD 3 and why he decided to move from political consulting to running for office. Khalaf breaks down the issues facing voters in Anthem, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and Carefree, including water, affordability, school choice, and growing distrust in elected officials. He also explains the fight over Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and why he believes protecting ESAs is critical for families across the state.
Then, Henry Thomson, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University, joins the show to discuss his book Watching the Watchers, which explores how communist dictatorships used secret police to maintain control. Thomson also compares historical surveillance systems to modern authoritarian regimes and discusses his research on off-cycle elections in Arizona, where major bond decisions can be made with extremely low voter turnout.
Then, John Rogers, Executive Director of America First Works, joins Chuck and Sam to talk about the upcoming election cycle, Republican strategy, redistricting, the fight to hold the House majority, and what voters can do to help shape the political conversation heading into 2026.
Plus, in B's Crime Corner, the hosts cover the viral Mackenzie Shirilla case, involving a 17-year-old who killed her boyfriend and his friend in a deadly crash while claiming she blacked out due to POTS disorder. The segment breaks down the disturbing evidence, including toxic text messages, drugs found in the car, and black box data showing 100% acceleration with no brake usage.
 
The episode wraps with Gary Gygi, President and CEO of Gygi Capital, who shares his outlook on the economy, inflation, the job market, investment strategy, and what economic indicators Americans should be watching in the months ahead.
George Khalaf
Website: https://georgekhalaf.com/
X: @George_Khalaf
Volunteer for Arizona ESAs: https://azlovesesas.com/
Henry Thomson
X: @HenryRThomson
Watching the Watchers: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/watching-the-watchers/3E1D781ED93CB15D4324ED2B3EAF68C4
Food and Power: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/food-and-power/A2035AC3A20EE54E9B45183D4C1D2801
John Rogers
X: @itsjohnrogers 
America First Works: https://americafirstworks.com/
Gary Gygi                                                                                                                                      President & CEO of Gygi Capital                                                                                                Website: https://gygicapital.com/                                                                                               X: @GaryGygi
 
Tune in to Breaking Battlegrounds, the radio show covering the latest news, politics, culture, crime, and the stories shaping America.
Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.
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This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone are joined by Congressman Dusty Johnson to discuss U.S.-China trade, rare earth minerals, energy policy, gas prices, South Dakota agriculture, data centers, and his campaign for governor.
Then, Noah Rothman joins the show to discuss his new book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, and explains why he believes left-wing political violence has often been downplayed, excused, or mischaracterized in American discourse.
Next, Chuck Flint, President and CEO of the Alliance for IRS Accountability, breaks down a new national poll on taxpayer concerns, including unrealized gains taxes, IRS asset appraisals, customer service failures, and proposals to reform the agency.
Plus, B's Crime Corner debuts its new jingle and covers the tragic 2007 murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, along with an update on the Alex Murdaugh case and the Supreme Court's decision to overturn his conviction.
Finally, comedian and commentator Lou Perez joins the program to discuss a disturbing legal case involving a convicted child sex offender who was reportedly able to father a child through surrogacy, raising serious questions about gaps in current laws, parental rights, and child protection.
Follow the guests: Congressman Dusty Johnson: @RepDustyJohnson Noah Rothman: @NoahCRothman Chuck Flint: @ChuckAFlint Lou Perez: @LouPerez
Tune in to Breaking Battlegrounds, the radio show covering the latest news, politics, culture, crime, and the stories shaping America.
Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.
 
Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:
• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds
• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote
• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news
• X: https://x.com/breaking_battle
• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds
• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

On this episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam Stone and Chuck Warren dive into the biggest legal, education, and border security stories shaping America today.
First, Ilya Shapiro of the Manhattan Institute joins the show to break down the Supreme Court's major 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Calais and what it means for race-based redistricting, judicial independence, and the future of constitutional law. The conversation also explores Justice Clarence Thomas's influence on the Court, upcoming landmark cases involving birthright citizenship and presidential powers, and why public confidence in America's institutions continues to decline.
Follow Ilya Shapiro Here:
X: https://x.com/ishapiro
Substack: https://ilyashapiro.substack.com
Check out Ilya's book "Lawless: The Miseducation of America's Elites"
https://manhattan.institute/book/lawless-the-miseducation-of-americas-elites
Then, school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis joins the program to discuss the growing momentum behind education freedom initiatives across the country. Corey explains why even Democrat governors are beginning to embrace school choice programs, examines the ongoing failures of the Chicago Teachers Union, and argues why parents are increasingly rejecting the traditional public school system in favor of alternatives that put students first.
Corey A. DeAngelis
X: https://x.com/deangeliscorey?lang=it
Later, retired Pinal County Sheriff and Arizona Congressional candidate Mark Lamb joins the podcast to discuss the realities of border security from firsthand experience on the front lines. Lamb shares stories about cartel activity, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and the enormous strain illegal immigration has placed on local law enforcement. He also outlines his campaign priorities for Congress, including border security, election integrity, constitutional rights, and restoring accountability in Washington.
Mark Lamb
X: https://x.com/sherifflamb1?lang=en
Website: https://marklamb.us/home
Plus, in B's Corner, the hosts revisit the disturbing D4vd and Celeste case as new evidence emerges involving dismemberment, child abuse material, and chilling foreshadowing hidden within music and social media posts.
Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.
 
Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:
• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds
• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote
• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news
• X: https://x.com/breaking_battle
• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds
• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone are joined by Manhattan Institute Cities policy analyst Santiago Vidal Calvo and Washington Free Beacon editor and Middle East Forum junior fellow Alex Welz, plus a special radio edition of B's Corner true crime.
Santiago Vidal Calvo Born in Caracas and now leading the Manhattan Institute's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) efforts, Santiago opens with an on-the-ground report from Venezuela following the capture of Maduro — including the first American Airlines flight back to Caracas in nearly a decade — and explains why Trump must press for elections in Venezuela before the U.S. midterms if his policy is to survive a potential shift in Congress. He walks through how government agencies have weaponized "privacy" exemptions and bureaucratic stonewalling to block public records requests, and why Manhattan Institute is willing to take these fights to court when ordinary citizens cannot. Santiago then breaks down his Daily Wire piece on New Jersey Transit's $150 train ticket from Penn Station to MetLife for the 2026 World Cup — versus a $60 Uber on the same route — and contrasts New Jersey's mismanagement with Kansas City's pro-tourism approach of expanded bar and restaurant hours. In the second segment, he unpacks Mayor Zohran Mamdani's "racial equity plan" and the redefinition of poverty in New York City through a $150,000 "true cost of living" benchmark — which conveniently labels two-thirds of the richest city in America as unable to afford it, justifying a massive expansion of government with 400 new indicators and 600 goals. Santiago argues the real diagnosis isn't race but housing supply, the rent freeze, and the cost of opening a business.
Follow Santiago on X: @SantiVidalC
B's Corner B brings the 1981 disappearance and murder of 6-year-old Adam Walsh from a Sears in Hollywood, Florida — a case that took 27 years to officially close, briefly entangled Jeffrey Dahmer as a suspect, and was ultimately tied to serial killer Ottis Toole. Out of unimaginable tragedy, Adam's father John Walsh launched America's Most Wanted, founded the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and helped drive the creation of the Amber Alert system. The team also revisits the era of the Sears catalog and what that brand once meant to American life.
Alex Welz, an editor at the Washington Free Beacon and a junior fellow at the Middle East Forum with a master's in national security from the University of Haifa, walks through the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, why disarming Hezbollah remains a generational challenge despite UN Resolution 1701 and the Taif Agreement. On Iran, Alex argues the regime turned out far less fragile than Venezuela-style optimists hoped, but ballistic missile capacity, the navy, and oil revenues have all been dramatically degraded, and the latest wave of protests could still force a fold. In the podcast segment, the conversation deepens and Alex shares his prediction for where Iran stands by November 2026.
Follow Alex on X: @WelzAlex
Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.
Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:
Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds
Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote
News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news
X: https://x.com/breaking_battle
Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds
Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we cover everything from Supreme Court power struggles and election reform to the Arizona governor's race and the policies shaping America's future.
We start with Robert McClure, President and CEO of the The James Madison Institute, who breaks down Florida's rising property taxes and the reforms being considered to rein in local government spending, including homestead exemptions, levy caps, and truth-in-taxation laws. He also discusses a proposal requiring 50% voter turnout for tax increases, the impact of Florida's SAVE Act on voter ID and election integrity, and how school choice policies are expanding opportunity while improving public education outcomes. You can follow Dr. McClure on X at https://x.com/drbobmcclure and learn more about his work at https://jamesmadison.org.
We're then joined in-studio by Andy Biggs, who is running for Governor of Arizona. Congressman Biggs discusses his campaign, Arizona's growing affordability challenges, water and resource concerns, and the need for accountability in government. He also weighs in on the recent Southern Poverty Law Center controversy, student debt policy, and what reforms he believes are needed to get the state back on track. Follow Congressman Biggs on X at https://x.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ (official) and https://x.com/andybiggs4az (campaign).
Next, Gary Gygi, President and CEO of Gygi Capital, joins the podcast to explain why the U.S. may be experiencing a "stealth manufacturing boom," with productivity and output rising despite fewer jobs in the sector. He also dives into global energy markets, the impact of international conflicts on oil prices, and what's ahead for tariffs and supply chains, including the evolving tariff-refund process. You can follow Gary on X at https://x.com/GaryGygi and learn more at https://gygicapital.com.
We also sit down with Mollie Hemingway, Editor-in-Chief of The Federalist, to discuss her new book, Alito: The Justice Who Reshaped the Supreme Court and Restored the Constitution. Mollie shares the inside story of Justice Samuel Alito's influence on the modern Supreme Court, including his role in major decisions like Dobbs, the internal dynamics among justices, and the increasing public pressure and threats facing the Court. She also explains the philosophy of originalism and how it contrasts with more activist approaches to constitutional interpretation. Follow Mollie on X at https://x.com/MZHemingway and check out her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Alito-Justice-Reshaped-Restored-Constitution/dp/1541607139.
We wrap things up with another wild installment of B's Corner, diving into a shocking true crime case out of Wisconsin involving disturbing charges that you won't believe.
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