Jonathan Bonner is making his case for Georgia House District 68 — and this conversation gets into the real reasons why.He opens up about navigating life as a single parent and losing his father last August, and how grief brought elder care from an abstract policy issue to something deeply personal. That lived experience shapes the way he talks about what government should actually do for people.We dig into labor rights and union organizing, chronically underfunded schools, and the idea that food, housing, and financial stability shouldn’t feel like luxuries. Jonathan also weighs in on cannabis legislation and the stark contrast between extreme wealth in Georgia and the reality most people are living.The throughline: stop thinking in terms of left versus right, and start asking who actually holds the power — and who it’s being used for.

Jyot Singh is running for Georgia House District 97, and we get into what led him here. He’s been organizing since 2016 with 10 years of experience actually showing up and doing the work. If elected, he’d be the first Indian and Sikh in Georgia’s state legislature.

In this episode - We talk about why he believes the House can flip in the next two cycles and what it’ll take to make that happen.

Some issues go beyond party lines and it’s time to rethink who we’re trying to reach.

Josh McLaurin represents State Senate District 14 and is running for Lieutenant Governor, and we get into what that role actually does. It’s the second highest office in Georgia and has real power over what moves forward.

We talk about how he uses facts and humor to reach people, and how his approach has shifted as politics has gotten more extreme, including calling out what’s happening at the federal level and how it shows up here in Georgia.

He breaks down his bill to stop predatory booting, plus why local issues like that matter more than people think.

We also get into messaging, staying authentic, and actually meeting voters where they are. And where there’s already common ground, like expanding Medicaid, restoring reproductive freedoms, and tackling income inequality.

This conversation with Danielle Bell, running for Georgia House District 44, gets into how her approach to this race has changed and what that means for how she’s running now.
She talks about what’s driving her campaign, especially how rising costs are hitting people across the board. From everyday expenses to healthcare, she connects those pressures to bigger decisions being made about profit and corporate influence, and how those decisions show up in people’s daily lives.
She also shares her personal experience with the healthcare system and how it impacted her family. That, along with her 16 years as a social worker, shapes how she approaches leadership and what she prioritizes.
The conversation covers her focus on affordable housing, access to healthcare, and accountability, and how those priorities come from both lived experience and the work she’s done in the community.
It’s about how she’s running, what she’s running on, and what she’s focused on changing.

This episode dives into what it actually looks like to get involved early and stay involved.In this conversation with Nico Parra, we start with how civic engagement can begin young, and how those early, hands-on experiences can shape the way someone sees politics long term. From there, we move into what it means to consistently show up in your community, not just during big election moments, but in the day-to-day work that keeps things moving.We also get into identity and perspective, and how personal background can shape the way someone approaches public service and representation.A big part of the episode focuses on money in politics, especially how corporate PACs and special interests can outweigh the voices of everyday people, and what that means for the decisions being made.There’s also a strong emphasis on local politics, why these races matter so much, who actually holds power at that level, and how often they’re overlooked. The role of “super volunteers” comes up too, and how much impact a small group of consistent people can really have.The conversation wraps around what it would actually take to move policy in a different direction, including the idea of building a real working-class majority to push change forward.Overall, it’s a grounded look at participation, power, and what it means to stay engaged beyond just voting.

Chris Harden sat down and from the start you could tell this was going to be an honest conversation. We talked about accountability early on, including impeachment and the kind of votes that actually define who someone is when the pressure is on. He’s very direct about it, and you can tell he takes that responsibility seriously. If you’re in power, you should be held accountable, no exceptions.What really comes through in this conversation is where he comes from and how that shaped him. He’s from Rossville, a small town, and he talks openly about how access to education changed the direction of his life. Now he’s a lawyer, but he’ll also tell you he can still drive a forklift, and that mix of lived experience and professional success shows up in how he sees the world.We spent a lot of time talking about what people are actually dealing with right now. Families trying to get by, kids going to bed hungry, and the reality that some people are making meals out of whatever they can find just to get through the week. The conversation around food insecurity and veterans stays grounded in this idea that people aren’t looking for handouts, they’re looking for a fair shot and the chance to stand on their own.There’s also a real sense of frustration that builds as we get into politics more broadly. We talk about division, leadership, and the feeling a lot of people have that those at the top are more focused on themselves than the people they’re supposed to represent. At times it really does feel disconnected from everyday life in a way that’s hard to ignore.We also get into where things could be headed, from taxing the ultra wealthy to the impact of key races that are coming up and what it would take to see real change that people can actually feel in their day to day lives.There are some lighter moments in here too, a few laughs and a couple of those moments where you just have to shake your head because you know exactly what’s being said without it needing to be spelled out.It’s honest, it’s grounded, and it goes a little deeper than what you usually hear.

What does it actually look like to lead a county like Cobb… and not lose sight of the people who need help the most?

In this episode, Dr. Chheda sits down with Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid for a candid conversation about leadership, growth, and staying rooted in community. As Cobb continues to rank among the top counties to live in the U.S., Lisa talks about the responsibility that comes with that—and who those outcomes are really serving.

A core theme of this conversation is simple: if you don’t intentionally focus on the people most in need, they will get left behind. Lisa shares how that principle shapes her approach to governing, from day-to-day decisions to long-term policy.

They also discuss:

• ​The challenges and shortcomings of MSPLOST
• ​Why grassroots-driven legislation leads to stronger, more effective policy
• ​How staying connected to community voices impacts real outcomes
• ​The balance between growth, infrastructure, and affordability in Cobb County

Lisa also reflects on her personal path—from studying mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech to leading one of Georgia’s most dynamic counties—and how her faith continues to guide her through the pressures of public service.

If you’re interested in how local leadership shapes everyday life in Cobb County—from housing to infrastructure to opportunity—this conversation offers a thoughtful, behind-the-scenes look.

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Keywords: Cobb County, Georgia politics, local government, Lisa Cupid, MSPLOST, public transit, housing affordability, leadership, community voices, grassroots policy, metro Atlanta

Interviewing Matt Stigall This episode digs into how local decisions shape daily life in Marietta—often in ways most people don’t realize until things stop working.We start with how and why ABC was formed, what problem it was meant to solve, and what community-led planning can actually look like when residents have a seat at the table. From there, we zoom in on the Marietta Square parking crisis—why it feels impossible, what’s really causing it, and how outdated assumptions about cars are clogging up the future of the city.We talk honestly about suburban sprawl, why it’s squeezing infrastructure and affordability. We discuss how walkability, bike safety, and mixed-use development are necessities for a city that wants to function. Sidewalks, bike lanes, and safer streets are about access, safety, and who gets to fully participate in the community.We also break down why knowing your local officials matters more than ever—what powers they actually have, what they can do for you, and how local government decisions ripple out faster than state or national politics ever will.Finally, we pull back the curtain on the Sam Foster campaign—the people behind it, the work it takes to build something from the ground up, and the journey of turning community frustration into organized, people-powered action.If you care about how Marietta grows, who decisions are made for, and how residents can stay informed and involved, this episode is for you.