Elon Musk just quietly put $1.5 million behind a network aimed at killing Alaska's top-four open primary. The kicker: the same measure would repeal the transparency law that let anyone find out he paid for it.

Then the crew digs into Musk's money in Alaska: who's really behind the repeal, why MAGA wants Alaska's system gone, and why Chad argues closed primaries are voter suppression on a scale that dwarfs every voter ID fight in the country. Cara's back from the California Politico Agenda Summit in Sacramento with a Nancy Pelosi scoop about what she actually told Joe Biden before he dropped out - and Chad refuses to let Pelosi off the hook. Along the way: a New York poll where a third of Democrats admit they're not really Democrats and Abdul El-Sayed's viral shot at John Fetterman. 

The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:

https://ivn.us

https://independentvoterproject.org

Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155

Chapters:

0:00 Elon Musk & Alaska's Open Primary

1:03 Welcome Back & Cara's Sacramento Recap

4:19 Chad's Take: Pelosi Ripping Trump's Speech

6:42 Musk, the Aurora Network & Alaska's Primary Fight

10:15 The Case Against Closed Primaries

14:01 New York's Primary Fight & the NAACP Clash

18:05 Abdul El-Sayed, Fetterman & "Electability by Looks"

23:13 Trump, Musk & Gerrymandering: The Devil's Advocate

24:45 Trump's Secret Plane Switch & Congrats to Lina

28:29 Wrap-Up & Where to Follow the Show

 

Elon Musk just quietly put $1.5 million behind a network aimed at killing Alaska's top-four open primary. The kicker: the same measure would repeal the transparency law that let anyone find out he paid for it.
Then the crew digs into Musk's money in Alaska: who's really behind the repeal, why MAGA wants Alaska's system gone, and why Chad argues closed primaries are voter suppression on a scale that dwarfs every voter ID fight in the country. Cara's back from the California Politico Agenda Summit in Sacramento with a Nancy Pelosi scoop about what she actually told Joe Biden before he dropped out - and Chad refuses to let Pelosi off the hook. Along the way: a New York poll where a third of Democrats admit they're not really Democrats and Abdul El-Sayed's viral shot at John Fetterman.&nbsp;
The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: <a href="https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast">https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast</a>
Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:
<a href="https://ivn.us">https://ivn.us</a>
<a href="https://independentvoterproject.org">https://independentvoterproject.org</a>
Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R">https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155</a>
Chapters:
0:00 Elon Musk &amp; Alaska's Open Primary
1:03 Welcome Back &amp; Cara's Sacramento Recap
4:19 Chad's Take: Pelosi Ripping Trump's Speech
6:42 Musk, the Aurora Network &amp; Alaska's Primary Fight
10:15 The Case Against Closed Primaries
14:01 New York's Primary Fight &amp; the NAACP Clash
18:05 Abdul El-Sayed, Fetterman &amp; "Electability by Looks"
23:13 Trump, Musk &amp; Gerrymandering: The Devil's Advocate
24:45 Trump's Secret Plane Switch &amp; Congrats to Lina
28:29 Wrap-Up &amp; Where to Follow the Show
&nbsp;

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we.
The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today’s political narratives. We focus on two things:
 (1) Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and
 (2) Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.

We’ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians—even anarchists. And depending on the article, they’re all true.
We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you’re in the right place.
This the Independent Voter Podcast..

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we. The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today&rsquo;s political narratives. We focus on two things: &nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and &nbsp;(2)&nbsp;Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.
We&rsquo;ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians&mdash;even anarchists. And depending on the article, they&rsquo;re all true. We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you&rsquo;re in the right place. This the Independent Voter Podcast..

Independent Voter Podcast

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we.
The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today’s political narratives. We focus on two things:
 (1) Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and
 (2) Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.

We’ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians—even anarchists. And depending on the article, they’re all true.
We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you’re in the right place.
This the Independent Voter Podcast.

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we. The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today&rsquo;s political narratives. We focus on two things: &nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and &nbsp;(2)&nbsp;Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.
We&rsquo;ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians&mdash;even anarchists. And depending on the article, they&rsquo;re all true. We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you&rsquo;re in the right place. This the Independent Voter Podcast.

Elon Musk's $1.5 Million Attack on Ranked Choice Voting in Alaska - EP52

IVP's own producer just became a U.S. citizen, and she's sitting down with Chad and Cara to talk about what it actually took, and what it felt like the moment she finally got to register to vote.

Lina Alvarez walks Chad and Cara through her path from a marriage-based green card to studying all 128 U.S. civics questions to passing her citizenship test this month, including the multi-year "removal of conditions" process most Americans never hear about.  She describes how the naturalization process changed under the second Trump administration, including processing delays, lost visibility into her case, and a tense moment of being pulled aside for extra document checks at the U.S. border. From there, Chad connects her story to the data driving IVP's coverage all year: nearly 650,000 No Party Preference voters who had never cast a ballot in an off-year primary turned out this cycle, an unprecedented surge. The conversation turns personal and sharper when Cara adds her own gut-punch comparison and a story about a sitting California state senator who still carries her passport everywhere just in case. 

The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:

https://ivn.us

https://independentvoterproject.org

Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155

Chapters:

00:00:20 – Lina, our Producer Steps Out From Behind the Camera

00:01:40 – Mastery of 128 Questions: The Civics Exam Journey

00:02:43 – Marriage-Based Paths and the Long "Removal of Conditions" Wait

00:04:48 – Analyzing the Surge of Latino Participation in California

00:05:51 – A New Voter’s Dilemma: Party Choice and Independence

00:07:24 – Immediate Registration: The Unique California Experience

00:09;23 – Mobilizing 650,000 NPP Voters through IVP’s Massive Outreach

00:19;05 – Navigating Processing Delays and Visibility Gaps Under Trump

00:21:30 – Tense Encounters: Pulled Aside for Extra Border Checks

00:28:39 – More Choice California Gains LA Times Front-Page Spotlight

IVP's own producer just became a U.S. citizen, and she's sitting down with Chad and Cara to talk about what it actually took, and what it felt like the moment she finally got to register to vote.
Lina Alvarez walks Chad and Cara through her path from a marriage-based green card to studying all 128 U.S. civics questions to passing her citizenship test this month, including the multi-year "removal of conditions" process most Americans never hear about.&nbsp; She describes how the naturalization process changed under the second Trump administration, including processing delays, lost visibility into her case, and a tense moment of being pulled aside for extra document checks at the U.S. border. From there, Chad connects her story to the data driving IVP's coverage all year: nearly 650,000 No Party Preference voters who had never cast a ballot in an off-year primary turned out this cycle, an unprecedented surge. The conversation turns personal and sharper when Cara adds her own gut-punch comparison and a story about a sitting California state senator who still carries her passport everywhere just in case.&nbsp;
The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: <a href="https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast">https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast</a>
Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:
<a href="https://ivn.us">https://ivn.us</a>
<a href="https://independentvoterproject.org">https://independentvoterproject.org</a>
Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R">https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155</a>
Chapters:
00:00:20 &ndash; Lina, our Producer Steps Out From Behind the Camera
00:01:40 &ndash; Mastery of 128 Questions: The Civics Exam Journey
00:02:43 &ndash; Marriage-Based Paths and the Long "Removal of Conditions" Wait
00:04:48 &ndash; Analyzing the Surge of Latino Participation in California
00:05:51 &ndash; A New Voter&rsquo;s Dilemma: Party Choice and Independence
00:07:24 &ndash; Immediate Registration: The Unique California Experience
00:09;23 &ndash; Mobilizing 650,000 NPP Voters through IVP&rsquo;s Massive Outreach
00:19;05 &ndash; Navigating Processing Delays and Visibility Gaps Under Trump
00:21:30 &ndash; Tense Encounters: Pulled Aside for Extra Border Checks
00:28:39 &ndash; More Choice California Gains LA Times Front-Page Spotlight

Border Patrol STOPPED Her: Becoming a US Citizen LEGALLY is Harder Than Ever - EP54

Rick Bennett climbed to the top of Maine's Republican Party - President of the Senate - and now he's running for governor without a party at all. His reasoning is blunt: the parties themselves are a major reason government stopped working.

Chad and Cara sit down with the independent candidate for Governor of Maine to talk about why a lifelong Republican with the credentials to play the party game decided to walk away from it. Rick lays out Maine's affordability crisis, the endorsements rolling in from Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, and why he thinks the "spoiler" question is the wrong argument entirely. From there it goes places most election-reform conversations don't: no-bid contracts, a state auditor's report on MaineCare violations, spending up nearly 80% in a decade, and a legislature that hasn't held a public hearing on the budget in six years. Then Cara and Rick get into the federal lawsuit they're both intervening in - and what the other side actually argued out loud in front of the First Circuit.

The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:

https://ivn.us

https://independentvoterproject.org

Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155

Chapters:

00:00:45 – Full Disclosure: Why Chad Broke His Own Rule

00:01:47 – Rick Bennett: From Republican Senate President to Independent Candidate

00:03:25 – Maine's Political Tradition & The Affordability Crisis

00:04:47 – Cara's Origin Story: How the Spoiler Problem Led Her to RCV

00:06:20 – Independent Governors in Maine: It's Been Done Before

00:08:03 – Spoiling for Whom? The Whole System Is Corrupt

00:09:48 – Beyond RCV: Inspector General, No-Bid Contracts & the Public Purse

00:13:19 – Should the Secretary of State Be Nonpartisan?

00:15:32 – Super PAC Reform & The First Circuit Court Fight

00:19:35 – The California Initiative That Could Work in Maine Too

Rick Bennett climbed to the top of Maine's Republican Party - President of the Senate - and now he's running for governor without a party at all. His reasoning is blunt: the parties themselves are a major reason government stopped working. Chad and Cara sit down with the independent candidate for Governor of Maine to talk about why a lifelong Republican with the credentials to play the party game decided to walk away from it. Rick lays out Maine's affordability crisis, the endorsements rolling in from Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, and why he thinks the "spoiler" question is the wrong argument entirely. From there it goes places most election-reform conversations don't: no-bid contracts, a state auditor's report on MaineCare violations, spending up nearly 80% in a decade, and a legislature that hasn't held a public hearing on the budget in six years. Then Cara and Rick get into the federal lawsuit they're both intervening in - and what the other side actually argued out loud in front of the First Circuit.
The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: <a href="https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast">https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast</a>
Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:
<a href="https://ivn.us">https://ivn.us</a>
<a href="https://independentvoterproject.org">https://independentvoterproject.org</a>
Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R">https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155</a>
Chapters:
00:00:45 &ndash; Full Disclosure: Why Chad Broke His Own Rule
00:01:47 &ndash; Rick Bennett: From Republican Senate President to Independent Candidate
00:03:25 &ndash; Maine's Political Tradition &amp; The Affordability Crisis
00:04:47 &ndash; Cara's Origin Story: How the Spoiler Problem Led Her to RCV
00:06:20 &ndash; Independent Governors in Maine: It's Been Done Before
00:08:03 &ndash; Spoiling for Whom? The Whole System Is Corrupt
00:09:48 &ndash; Beyond RCV: Inspector General, No-Bid Contracts &amp; the Public Purse
00:13:19 &ndash; Should the Secretary of State Be Nonpartisan?
00:15:32 &ndash; Super PAC Reform &amp; The First Circuit Court Fight
00:19:35 &ndash; The California Initiative That Could Work in Maine Too

Why Rick Bennett Left the GOP to Run for Governor of Maine (NOT What You Think) - EP53

Missouri voters showed up and shut down the legislature's attempt to gut citizen initiatives - and then, hours before polls closed, the Secretary of State went in front of a camera and declared their 300,000-signature people's veto unconstitutional anyway.

Cara McCormick, Ethan Handelman, and Shawn Griffiths break down what actually happened in Missouri: the legislature's repeat attempts to raise thresholds and choke off petition drives, the mid-cycle gerrymander that made Missouri the third state to redraw its maps in 2025, and the pile-on that followed — a third of signatures thrown out, an ICE referral aimed at petition circulators, a Black Friday mass text campaign, and a map that never got suspended the way the law says it should. From there it's the DNC's August 15 vote to bar ranked choice voting from the delegate process, a Maine primary where 72% of voters picked a nominee the party swapped out anyway, and the case for a mandatory retirement age that applies to everyone on the taxpayer's dime (inspired by Mitch McConnell’s 50 day Senate absence). 

The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:

https://ivn.us

https://independentvoterproject.org

Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Missouri Voters Reject the Legislature's Power Grab

00:05:06 – People Not Politicians vs. Secretary Hoskins

00:09:07 – The DNC's War on Ranked Choice Voting

00:14:12 – How Parties Override Their Own Primaries

00:17:36 – Mitch McConnell, Age Limits & Term Limits

00:21:17 – Trump's Poll Numbers & Truth Social Pay-to-Play

00:25:14 – Two-Thirds of Americans Don't Trust Elections

00:28:03 – Elon Musk's $120M Super PAC Midterm Bet

00:30:32 – Maine's Question 1: Capping Super PAC Contributions

00:35:16 – Money Equals Speech? The Supreme Court's Call

Missouri voters showed up and shut down the legislature's attempt to gut citizen initiatives - and then, hours before polls closed, the Secretary of State went in front of a camera and declared their 300,000-signature people's veto unconstitutional anyway.
Cara McCormick, Ethan Handelman, and Shawn Griffiths break down what actually happened in Missouri: the legislature's repeat attempts to raise thresholds and choke off petition drives, the mid-cycle gerrymander that made Missouri the third state to redraw its maps in 2025, and the pile-on that followed &mdash; a third of signatures thrown out, an ICE referral aimed at petition circulators, a Black Friday mass text campaign, and a map that never got suspended the way the law says it should. From there it's the DNC's August 15 vote to bar ranked choice voting from the delegate process, a Maine primary where 72% of voters picked a nominee the party swapped out anyway, and the case for a mandatory retirement age that applies to everyone on the taxpayer's dime (inspired by Mitch McConnell&rsquo;s 50 day Senate absence).&nbsp;
The Independent Voter Podcast now has its own YouTube channel! If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to our dedicated channel for full episodes, interviews, and future content: <a href="https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast">https://youtube.com/@IndependentVoterPodcast</a>
Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at:
<a href="https://ivn.us">https://ivn.us</a>
<a href="https://independentvoterproject.org">https://independentvoterproject.org</a>
Follow and subscribe on audio platforms:
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R">https://open.spotify.com/show/1VnqtqjZh9EbmDtVxvHF3R</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-voter-podcast/id1680559155</a>
Chapters:
00:00:00 &ndash; Missouri Voters Reject the Legislature's Power Grab
00:05:06 &ndash; People Not Politicians vs. Secretary Hoskins
00:09:07 &ndash; The DNC's War on Ranked Choice Voting
00:14:12 &ndash; How Parties Override Their Own Primaries
00:17:36 &ndash; Mitch McConnell, Age Limits &amp; Term Limits
00:21:17 &ndash; Trump's Poll Numbers &amp; Truth Social Pay-to-Play
00:25:14 &ndash; Two-Thirds of Americans Don't Trust Elections
00:28:03 &ndash; Elon Musk's $120M Super PAC Midterm Bet
00:30:32 &ndash; Maine's Question 1: Capping Super PAC Contributions
00:35:16 &ndash; Money Equals Speech? The Supreme Court's Call

Elon Musk's $1.5 Million Attack on Ranked Choice Voting in Alaska - EP52

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