Christina Hines

Leaving MAGA

Melissa Toufanian

On today's show
– Christina Hines, candidate for Congress in the 10th District of Michigan
– Leaving MAGA's Rich Logis and Addy Leugers
– Melissa Toufanian, former State Department deputy assistant secretary who served on the communications team for the original Iran nuclear deal under President Obama, and is now managing director at Navigator Research

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

 

Follow us:

Website: https://heartlandsignal.com

WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820

Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal

Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal 

Heartland Signal X: https://x.com/HeartlandSignal

WCPT 820 X: https://x.com/WCPT820

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal

Threads: threads.com/@heartlandsignal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal

On today's show &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christinahinesforcongress.com/">Christina Hines</a>, candidate for Congress in the 10th District of Michigan &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://leavingmaga.org/">Leaving MAGA</a>'s<a href="https://leavingmaga.org/our-team/our-founder/"> Rich Logis</a> and <a href="https://leavingmaga.org/they-left-maga/addy-leugers/">Addy Leugers</a> &ndash;&nbsp;Melissa Toufanian, former State Department deputy assistant secretary who served on the communications team for the original Iran nuclear deal under President Obama, and is now managing director at&nbsp;<a href="https://navigatorresearch.org/">Navigator Research</a>
Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew&rdquo; weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views">heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views</a>).
&nbsp;
Follow us:
Website:<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/"> https://heartlandsignal.com</a>
WCPT Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820"> https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820</a>
Heartland Signal Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
Tiktok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc"> </a><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal">https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal</a>&nbsp;
Heartland Signal X:<a href="https://x.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://x.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
WCPT 820 X:<a href="https://x.com/WCPT820"> https://x.com/WCPT820</a>
Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal/"> https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal</a>
Threads:<a href="http://threads.com/@heartlandsignal"> threads.com/@heartlandsignal</a>
YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal"> https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal</a>

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, here are full episodes of “Chew's Views” (weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central), a pragmatic radio show that focuses on moving our political, social, economic, gender and cultural conversation forward and creating a roadmap for progressives to be more involved in their political and social destinies. With "Chew's Views" the emphasis is on positive talk and solutions – but don’t get it twisted; we may bring some smashmouth dialogue to the program just to make sure you’re awake, not just “woke.”  


Richard Chew has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, initially as part of "The Family Meeting" and as a regular contributor to "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive."  He became WCPT's morning host in early 2024. 

A 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future. Richard’s primary goal is to help consumers assess what their needs are and find the right plans and programs to protect their wealth.

Richard was born and raised in Chicago and Southwestern Michigan and is a graduate of Pepperdine University; he later pursued a master’s degree from Keller Graduate School. He is proud of the fact that he has visited all 50 of the great states of the United States of America and keeps his passport current to make sure traveling the world is always a “ready to go” item. He and his wife, Anne, love the city and suburbs of Chicago and all their greatness.  

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, here are full episodes of &ldquo;<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/chewviews-with-richard-chew/">Chew's Views</a>&rdquo; (weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central), a pragmatic radio show that focuses on moving our political, social, economic, gender and cultural conversation forward and creating a roadmap for progressives to be more involved in their political and social destinies. With "Chew's Views" the emphasis is on positive talk and solutions &ndash; but don&rsquo;t get it twisted; we may bring some smashmouth dialogue to the program just to make sure you&rsquo;re awake, not just &ldquo;woke.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 Richard Chew has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, initially as part of "<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-family-meeting/">The Family Meeting</a>" and as a regular contributor to "<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive/">Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive</a>." &nbsp;He became WCPT's morning host in early 2024.&nbsp;
A 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future. Richard&rsquo;s primary goal is to help consumers assess what their needs are and find the right plans and programs to protect their wealth.
Richard was born and raised in Chicago and Southwestern Michigan and is a graduate of Pepperdine University; he later pursued a master&rsquo;s degree from Keller Graduate School. He is proud of the fact that he has visited all 50 of the great states of the United States of America and keeps his passport current to make sure traveling the world is always a &ldquo;ready to go&rdquo; item. He and his wife, Anne, love the city and suburbs of Chicago and all their greatness. &nbsp;

Chew's Views with Richard Chew (Full Episodes)

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, “Chew's Views” (weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central) is a pragmatic radio show that focuses on moving our political, social, economic, gender and cultural conversation forward and creating a roadmap for progressives to be more involved in their political and social destinies. With "Chew's Views" the emphasis is on positive talk and solutions – but don’t get it twisted; we may bring some smashmouth dialogue to the program just to make sure you’re awake, not just “woke.”  

Richard Chew has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, initially as part of "The Family Meeting" and as a regular contributor to "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive." He became WCPT's morning host in early 2024.

Richard also regularly shares his views on other podcasts and radio shows, including recent appearances on Amy McGrath's "Truth in a Barrel," "The John Fugelsang Podcast," "Endless Urgency" with Mike Nellis, and "The Politics Bar."

A 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future.

Richard was born and raised in Chicago and Southwestern Michigan and is a graduate of Pepperdine University; he later pursued a master’s degree from Keller Graduate School. He is proud of the fact that he has visited all 50 of the great states of the United States of America and keeps his passport current to make sure traveling the world is always a “ready to go” item. He and his wife, Anne, love the city and suburbs of Chicago and all their greatness.  

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, &ldquo;<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/chewviews-with-richard-chew/">Chew's Views</a>&rdquo; (weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central) is a pragmatic radio show that focuses on moving our political, social, economic, gender and cultural conversation forward and creating a roadmap for progressives to be more involved in their political and social destinies. With "Chew's Views" the emphasis is on positive talk and solutions &ndash; but don&rsquo;t get it twisted; we may bring some smashmouth dialogue to the program just to make sure you&rsquo;re awake, not just &ldquo;woke.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Richard Chew has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, initially as part of "<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-family-meeting/">The Family Meeting</a>" and as a regular contributor to "<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive/">Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive</a>." He became WCPT's morning host in early 2024.
Richard also regularly shares his views on other podcasts and radio shows, including recent appearances on Amy McGrath's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWK_o2PSptQ">Truth in a Barrel</a>," "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weekend-interviews-simon-and-julie-richard-chew/id1464094232?i=1000685443232">The John Fugelsang Podcast</a>," "<a href="https://endlessurgency.com/p/pardoning-ghislaine-maxwell-trump">Endless Urgency</a>" with Mike Nellis, and "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/is/podcast/community-vs-cankles-july-22-2025/id886656768?i=1000718522141">The Politics Bar</a>."
A 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future.
Richard was born and raised in Chicago and Southwestern Michigan and is a graduate of Pepperdine University; he later pursued a master&rsquo;s degree from Keller Graduate School. He is proud of the fact that he has visited all 50 of the great states of the United States of America and keeps his passport current to make sure traveling the world is always a &ldquo;ready to go&rdquo; item. He and his wife, Anne, love the city and suburbs of Chicago and all their greatness. &nbsp;

Chew's Views with Richard Chew

Chew's Views with Richard Chew | September 8, 2026

Richard Chew is joined by Melissa Toufanian, former State Department deputy assistant secretary who served on the communications team for the original Iran nuclear deal under President Obama, and is now managing director at Navigator Research.

The conversation examined how Americans receive information, evaluate political and AI-related developments, and respond to current economic and policy issues. Here is a brief summary of the conversation:

- Toufanian described Navigator Research as a nonprofit that publishes polling and focus-group findings on how Americans think and feel.
- News reaches people even when they do not actively seek it, often through family conversations, social media, and other people’s news consumption.
- Political professionals must weigh traditional outlets, content creators, podcasts, and AI-generated material while determining what is relevant and trustworthy.
- Rapidly expanding data centers are raising concerns about water quality, utility costs, and environmental impact.
- Navigator Research found that one in five 2024 Trump voters regret their vote; regret is higher among moms, younger voters, and Black and Latino voters.
- Americans prioritize inflation, cost of living, jobs, health care, Social Security, and Medicare, while perceiving Trump and congressional Republicans as focused on immigration and foreign conflicts. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

 

Follow us:

Website: https://heartlandsignal.com

WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820

Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal

Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal 

Heartland Signal X: https://x.com/HeartlandSignal

WCPT 820 X: https://x.com/WCPT820

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal

Threads: threads.com/@heartlandsignal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal

Richard Chew is joined by Melissa Toufanian, former State Department deputy assistant secretary who served on the communications team for the original Iran nuclear deal under President Obama, and is now managing director at <a href="https://navigatorresearch.org/">Navigator Research</a>.
The conversation examined how Americans receive information, evaluate political and AI-related developments, and respond to current economic and policy issues. Here is a brief summary of the conversation: - Toufanian described Navigator Research as a nonprofit that publishes polling and focus-group findings on how Americans think and feel. - News reaches people even when they do not actively seek it, often through family conversations, social media, and other people&rsquo;s news consumption. - Political professionals must weigh traditional outlets, content creators, podcasts, and AI-generated material while determining what is relevant and trustworthy. - Rapidly expanding data centers are raising concerns about water quality, utility costs, and environmental impact. - Navigator Research found that one in five 2024 Trump voters regret their vote; regret is higher among moms, younger voters, and Black and Latino voters. - Americans prioritize inflation, cost of living, jobs, health care, Social Security, and Medicare, while perceiving Trump and congressional Republicans as focused on immigration and foreign conflicts.&nbsp;
Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew&rdquo; weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views">heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views</a>).
&nbsp;
Follow us:
Website:<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/"> https://heartlandsignal.com</a>
WCPT Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820"> https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820</a>
Heartland Signal Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
Tiktok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc"> </a><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal">https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal</a>&nbsp;
Heartland Signal X:<a href="https://x.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://x.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
WCPT 820 X:<a href="https://x.com/WCPT820"> https://x.com/WCPT820</a>
Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal/"> https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal</a>
Threads:<a href="http://threads.com/@heartlandsignal"> threads.com/@heartlandsignal</a>
YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal"> https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal</a>

WCPT 820 Interview: Melissa Toufanian of Navigator Research

Richard Chew is joined by Leaving MAGA's Rich Logis and Addy Leugers. They explored why people enter MAGA, how they leave, and the role of empathy, accountability, and community in that transition.

Here is a summary of the conversation:
- Rich said his book describes what attracted him to MAGA, life inside the movement, and why he left.
- The response has been strongly positive, with readers finding hope that relationships with MAGA-aligned loved ones can be repaired.
- Rich emphasized not giving up on people who are privately questioning their beliefs.
- Addy described being raised in a far-right Christian homeschooling environment and becoming deeply involved in conservative politics.
- She began deconstructing those beliefs in 2021 (see below).
- Her family relationships remain strained; her father and stepmother are still far-right, while her mother and brother have moved leftward.

Key quote:
"I had just this light bulb moment of, oh my God, my own personal experiences don't dictate someone else's personal experiences. Like, who would have thought? But it was really earth shattering for me to come to that discovery on my own in a household that had never told me that. I very much was raised to believe like racism died when slavery ended, and I believed that. And as I got older, I was like, but I am seeing it around me, and you're saying it doesn't exist. So that's when it started to fall apart. And since I have had that realization, I really have just leaned into deconstructing, being open-minded, getting my news from multiple outlets and multiple sources, and just doing my own digging and running things by my friends, hearing from my community. And it really has been, honestly, a wonderful deconstruction process."

Richard Chew is joined by <a href="https://leavingmaga.org/">Leaving MAGA</a>'s <a href="https://leavingmaga.org/our-team/our-founder/">Rich Logis</a> and <a href="https://leavingmaga.org/they-left-maga/addy-leugers/">Addy Leugers</a>. They explored why people enter MAGA, how they leave, and the role of empathy, accountability, and community in that transition.
Here is a summary of the conversation: - Rich said his book describes what attracted him to MAGA, life inside the movement, and why he left. - The response has been strongly positive, with readers finding hope that relationships with MAGA-aligned loved ones can be repaired. - Rich emphasized not giving up on people who are privately questioning their beliefs. - Addy described being raised in a far-right Christian homeschooling environment and becoming deeply involved in conservative politics. - She began deconstructing those beliefs in 2021 (see below). - Her family relationships remain strained; her father and stepmother are still far-right, while her mother and brother have moved leftward.
Key quote: "I had just this light bulb moment of, oh my God, my own personal experiences don't dictate someone else's personal experiences. Like, who would have thought? But it was really earth shattering for me to come to that discovery on my own in a household that had never told me that. I very much was raised to believe like racism died when slavery ended, and I believed that. And as I got older, I was like, but I am seeing it around me, and you're saying it doesn't exist. So that's when it started to fall apart. And since I have had that realization, I really have just leaned into deconstructing, being open-minded, getting my news from multiple outlets and multiple sources, and just doing my own digging and running things by my friends, hearing from my community. And it really has been, honestly, a wonderful deconstruction process."

WCPT 820 Interview: Leaving MAGA's Rich Logis and Addy Leugers

Richard Chew is joined by Christina Hines, candidate for Congress in the 10th District of Michigan.

Here is a summary of the conversation: 
- Hines argued that frustrated Trump voters and working families are seeking lower costs and access to good health care options.
- She contrasted her approach with her Republican opponent Mike Bouchard's alignment with Donald Trump.
- Her priorities include reducing health care costs, ending tariffs that have harmed Michigan jobs, restoring congressional control over trade policy, and seeking an end to the war in Iran.
- Hines's campaign is preparing election-protection plans in case ICE or the National Guard appears near polling places or drop boxes.
- The district is economically and culturally diverse, requiring translated materials and outreach across communities.
- The campaign has knocked more than 25,000 doors and aims to reach 50,000 more before the election.

Key quote:
"This is one of the most competitive [districts] in the country. It's one that Democrats only lost by 1,600 votes the last time it was open like this, and so that's less than half a percentage point. We know that if we actually do the organizing work and get the message out that we're going to be able to win. But what I will also say is: We have a lot of people that voted for Donald Trump in this district that are really frustrated right now. . . . So a lot of the people that are those kind of swing voters that we always think about in Macomb County, in my home here, the home of the Reagan Democrats, a lot of those folks are really frustrated, and I think that they are looking for people who are actually going to fight for solutions."

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

 

Follow us:

Website: https://heartlandsignal.com

WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820

Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal

Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal 

Heartland Signal X: https://x.com/HeartlandSignal

WCPT 820 X: https://x.com/WCPT820

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal

Threads: threads.com/@heartlandsignal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal

Richard Chew is joined by <a href="https://www.christinahinesforcongress.com/">Christina Hines</a>, candidate for Congress in the 10th District of Michigan.
Here is a summary of the conversation:&nbsp; - Hines argued that frustrated Trump voters and working families are seeking lower costs and access to good health care options. - She contrasted her approach with her Republican opponent Mike Bouchard's alignment with Donald Trump. - Her priorities include reducing health care costs, ending tariffs that have harmed Michigan jobs, restoring congressional control over trade policy, and seeking an end to the war in Iran. - Hines's campaign is preparing election-protection plans in case ICE or the National Guard appears near polling places or drop boxes. - The district is economically and culturally diverse, requiring translated materials and outreach across communities. - The campaign has knocked more than 25,000 doors and aims to reach 50,000 more before the election.
Key quote: "This is one of the most competitive [districts] in the country. It's one that Democrats only lost by 1,600 votes the last time it was open like this, and so that's less than half a percentage point. We know that if we actually do the organizing work and get the message out that we're going to be able to win. But what I will also say is: We have a lot of people that voted for Donald Trump in this district that are really frustrated right now. . . . So a lot of the people that are those kind of swing voters that we always think about in Macomb County, in my home here, the home of the Reagan Democrats, a lot of those folks are really frustrated, and I think that they are looking for people who are actually going to fight for solutions."
Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew&rdquo; weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views">heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views</a>).
&nbsp;
Follow us:
Website:<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/"> https://heartlandsignal.com</a>
WCPT Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820"> https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820</a>
Heartland Signal Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
Tiktok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc"> </a><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal">https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal</a>&nbsp;
Heartland Signal X:<a href="https://x.com/HeartlandSignal"> https://x.com/HeartlandSignal</a>
WCPT 820 X:<a href="https://x.com/WCPT820"> https://x.com/WCPT820</a>
Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal/"> https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal</a>
Threads:<a href="http://threads.com/@heartlandsignal"> threads.com/@heartlandsignal</a>
YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal"> https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal</a>

Chew's Views with Richard Chew | September 8, 2026

In 1 playlist(s)

Chew's Views with Richard Chew

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips