Crashing The Political Party

For this episode, we're joined by Greg Ballard, the Lincoln Party's nominee for Indiana's Secretary of State. AJ and Greg talk about his background, why he's running what a Secretary of State does, his policy priorities, what it took to get on the ballot, book recommendations, questions from listeners, and more!

AJ is joined this week by Dave Bushaw, an independent candidate running for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. They talk about why he’s running as an independent, his top campaign priorities and proposed solutions, what he believes he can offer that his opponents can’t, growing voter interest in the labor movement, his admiration for Eugene V. Debs, his organization Real Men’s Circles, book recommendations, and more!

This week’s episode features Michael Bridgeford, an independent candidate running for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District. AJ and Michael talk about why running as an independent makes sense for him, his three biggest policy priorities and proposed solutions, what it’s like running to represent such a diverse congressional district, his major-party opponents’ refusal to participate in debates, the questions he’d ask his opponents, book recommendations, and more!

Senator Rick Bennett, an independent running for Governor of Maine, joins the show this week to talk about his background, switching from being a Republican to being an independent, his policy priorities and proposed solutions, his experience cutting through partisan conflict as Senate President, changes needed in the Maine government, Maine's history as friendly territory for alternative candidates, book recommendations, and more.

Colt Shelby, the 2026 Libertarian Party nominee for Arkansas Governor joins the show this week to talk about who he is, his top policy issues and solutions, what he hopes his kids learn from his campaign, and to take listener questions.