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Season 2 of Burn the Talking Points kicks off at a pivotal moment for Maryland.

As the 2026 legislative session begins, we sit down with Joseline Peña-Melnyk Maryland’s new Speaker of the House, for a candid conversation about leadership, priorities, and the work ahead.

In this episode, Speaker Peña-Melnyk shares more about her political career, her vision for the General Assembly, and what it means to lead during a consequential session.

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In this special episode of Burn the Talking Points, Executive Director Karen Darkes sits down with the legendary White House Correspondent and political analyst, April Ryan for a conversation on what it takes to report from one of most powerful offices in the world.

With over 25 years of experience covering five presidential administrations, April Ryan shares candid insights on the pressures, responsibilities, and pivotal moments that have defined her career. From navigating high-stakes press briefings to staying grounded as a Black woman in political journalism, this episode peels back the curtain on the life, legacy, and lessons of one of America’s most enduring voices in media. Whether you’re a political junkie, aspiring journalist, or everyday citizen curious about how power is covered and questioned, this episode is a must-listen.

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In this episode, Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier returns to unpack the results of the 2025 election cycle. From Virginia to California, Democrats dominated. We talk about what happened and why - and what these results reveal about voter sentiment heading into 2026.

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In this week’s episode of Burn the Talking Points, we’re joined by two key voices in Maryland’s 2025 mayoral races: Democratic candidates Jared Littmann (Annapolis), and incumbent Mayor Michael O’Connor (Frederick City).

We dive into what’s at stake in each city, how local dynamics are echoing national conversations, and why these elections could set the tone for Maryland (and the country) in 2026.

Annapolis: https://www.jaredforannapolis.com/get-involved

Frederick City: https://www.mobilize.us/?address=Frederick%2C%20MD%2C%20USA&lat=39.41426879999999&lon=-77.4105409&org_ids=948

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In this special episode of Burn the Talking Points, we go beyond Maryland and take a look at the political battlegrounds shaping America’s future. We sit down with New Jersey Democratic Party Executive Director and Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair to break down what’s at stake ahead of the 2025 election. Then we dive into VA and why every race matters as we fight back against the extremist Republican agenda.

Pennsylvania:

1. Make Calls: mddems.org/PACalls

2. Canvass on Sunday: mddems.org/PACanvassSun

3. Canvass on Saturday: mddems.org/PACanvassSat

New Jersey:

1. Canvass in NJ: mddems.org/NJCanvass

2. Calls to NJ: mddems.org/NJCalls

Virginia:

1. Bus to VA: mddems.org/VABus

2. Call VA: mddems.org/VACalls

Annapolis:

1. Canvass launch with Gov. Moore: mddems.org/Annapolis

Frederick City:

1. Canvass: mddems.org/FrederickCanvass

2. Phone Bank: mddems.org/FrederickPhones

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Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman joins Burn the Talking Points to break down the real-life impact of the Republican shutdown, what it means for Marylanders, and how she’s thinking about building winning teams in politics and for the O’s next season.

Catch Comptroller Brooke Lierman on her Four More Tour - https://brookelierman.com/fourmore/

Contest Every Seat with the Maryland Democratic Party - mddems.org/run

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Rep. Jamie Raskin joins to break down the MAGA shutdown chaos, expose Republican corruption, and share how we fight back, win in 2026, and what Chair Raskin will fight for leading the Judiciary Committee.

Learn more about Democracy Summer at https://jamieraskin.com/democracy-summer/

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This week on Burn the Talking Points, we go Beyond the Feed with Maryland content creators Tiffany (@CandidlyTiff), and Kenny (@2RawTooReal). These digital voices are informing the masses, building communities, and holding leaders accountable!

In this episode, we talk about what it means to use your platform for impact, the challenges of cutting through disinformation, and why digital creators are a vital part of today’s political movement.

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• facebook.com/MarylandDemocraticParty
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