Tennessee Today

Most people have opinions about how government should work, but very few are willing to put their name on a ballot and do something about it. 

In this episode, Zach Wamp and I talk about what it was like serving eight terms as U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 3rd District before running one of the most competitive governor's races in state history. He also shares what a life in public service actually asks of a person and what it looks like to walk away from it with no regrets. 

Key Takeaways:

Why the best people in politics win by not tearing the other side down

Why being a good governor and a good legislator take different kinds of people 

Why the nation survives every election, even when half the country is sure it won't

This is a great episode for anyone who’s considering running for office on the local, state, or federal level one day.

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Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

A lot of people who've moved to Tennessee assume it's always been a deeply Republican state. Randy McNally knows better, because he helped build it.

Randy McNally has served in the Tennessee legislature for 48 years, longer than almost anyone in state history. He arrived when Republicans were a small minority, helped lead the party to its first Senate majority since Reconstruction, and now serves as Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate.

In this episode, Randy and I trace that journey, from what it took to build a two-party system to the leadership philosophy that made him one of the most respected figures in state government. We also talk about the integrity that defined his early career, when he took a stand that a lot of people wouldn't have, and what nearly five decades of public service taught him about getting things done.

This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how Tennessee got to where it is today, and the kind of leadership that made it possible. 

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Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

Few Tennesseans have shaped the state like Lamar Alexander: Governor, U.S. Senator, Secretary of Education, President of the University of Tennessee. 

Unlike those who are born into it, Lamar had to forge his own path. In this episode, Lamar shares a behind-the-scenes look at the mentors who shaped him, the losses that redirected him, and the decisions that defined his career.

Along the way, you’ll hear the story of being sworn in as governor three days early to stop an outgoing administration from selling pardons, what he learned from Howard Baker about working across the aisle, and why he came to see himself as a "result achiever" rather than a politician.

Whether you work in government or just call Tennessee home, this is a rare chance to hear one of the state's most accomplished figures reflect on a lifetime of public service, and what he hopes for Tennessee's future.

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Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

Do you want a manager who keeps things running smoothly, or a founder who's willing to tear up the rulebook and rebuild from scratch?

Arthur Herman is the author of Founders Fire, which traces a single mindset across 250 years of American history. 

In this episode, Arthur and I discuss how real progress only happens when founders are willing to disrupt the status quo, and why this matters for Tennessee right now. We cover everything from our investment in quantum computing and nuclear technology to the upcoming legislative session and a new governor.

Key Takeaways:

Why Tennessee's growth in quantum computing and nuclear technology fits squarely into Arthur's founder framework

Why starting a business doesn't make you a founder, and why disruption doesn't either 

What Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and Abraham Lincoln reveal about who actually gets remembered as a founder

Why most people prefer managers day-to-day, but only remember founders fondly in hindsight

About the Guest:

Dr. Arthur Herman is a New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist who brings 35 years of experience as a historian, defense and tech policy analyst, and national security official. He is the author of ten books, most recently Founders Fire: From 1776 to the Age of Trump, as well as the New York Times and Washington Post bestseller How the Scots Invented the Modern World; the Pulitzer Prize Finalist Gandhi and Churchill; and Freedom’s Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, which The Economist named one of the Best Books of 2012 and which has been on the recommended reading list of Secretaries of Defense, Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, key members of Congress, and across the defense industry, since its publication.

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Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

Tennessee is one of the most conservative, most Republican states in the nation. But that hasn't always been the case, and if Republican voters aren't careful, it won't be the case going forward.

With so many people moving to Tennessee, I think it's important we discuss who they are, what they believe, and what that means for our state's political future. I also break down how redistricting really works (not the political narrative you've heard, but the legal and historical reality), and why this election season matters more than most people realize.

Key Takeaways:

Who is moving here from blue states (it's not who you think)

What 150 years of political history tells us about what could happen next

Why redistricting is more straightforward than the controversy around it suggests

Why Republican voters can't afford to make the same mistake Democrats made

Times Free Press article: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/may/26/california-is-chattanoogas-top-source-of-new-out/

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Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!