Trump and Zohran Mamdani just had round two at Gracie Mansion, all smiles and charm. The IVP crew says the real story isn't the photo op, it's the primary system that manufactured two "ideological extremes" who now have to govern together.

Chad, Cara, Shawn, and Ethan open by unpacking why Trump and Mamdani's rhetoric is scorched-earth in public but strangely cordial in person, and connect it to Katherine Gehl's recent argument about incentive structures in politics. Then comes a big on-air announcement: Independent Voter Project is filing a new federal lawsuit challenging closed primaries in New York, with veteran advocate Paul Rieckhoff as lead plaintiff. Shawn also digs into a deceptive Alaska ad campaign trying to roll back the state's open primary system.

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 – Trump and Mamdani at Gracie Mansion

02:52 – Katherine Gehl and the Incentive to Be Extreme

05:17 – The Same Closed Primary Playbook, Left and Right

07:19 – How DSA and MAGA Captured Their Parties

09:50 – Prop 50, Valadao, and the Cows They Cut Out

14:11 – Announcement: Suing Over New York's Closed Primaries

16:24 – Citizenship or Party Membership?

18:28 – Alaska's Ballot Measure 2 and the Dark Money Ad

21:18 – AI, Tomatoes, and a Super PAC Run by Bots

24:52 – VoterCount.ai and Sign-Off

Trump and Zohran Mamdani just had round two at Gracie Mansion, all smiles and charm. The IVP crew says the real story isn't the photo op, it's the primary system that manufactured two "ideological extremes" who now have to govern together.
Chad, Cara, Shawn, and Ethan open by unpacking why Trump and Mamdani's rhetoric is scorched-earth in public but strangely cordial in person, and connect it to Katherine Gehl's recent argument about incentive structures in politics. Then comes a big on-air announcement: Independent Voter Project is filing a new federal lawsuit challenging closed primaries in New York, with veteran advocate Paul Rieckhoff as lead plaintiff. Shawn also digs into a deceptive Alaska ad campaign trying to roll back the state's open primary system.
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 &ndash; Trump and Mamdani at Gracie Mansion
02:52 &ndash; Katherine Gehl and the Incentive to Be Extreme
05:17 &ndash; The Same Closed Primary Playbook, Left and Right
07:19 &ndash; How DSA and MAGA Captured Their Parties
09:50 &ndash; Prop 50, Valadao, and the Cows They Cut Out
14:11 &ndash; Announcement: Suing Over New York's Closed Primaries
16:24 &ndash; Citizenship or Party Membership?
18:28 &ndash; Alaska's Ballot Measure 2 and the Dark Money Ad
21:18 &ndash; AI, Tomatoes, and a Super PAC Run by Bots
24:52 &ndash; VoterCount.ai and Sign-Off

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.

Trump & Mamdani Agree on This One Issue (NOT What You Think) - EP60

A Trump rally clip has Los Angeles and San Diego in the crosshairs, and the most shocking part is that the crowd was cheering. Cara, Shawn, and Ethan break down what he actually said, what got cut from the viral version, and why both sides keep weaponizing clips like this to deepen the divide.

The hosts open with the Iran bombing comment controversy, unpacking the full context (it came during a riff on oil prices) and whether the media's selective editing is just as corrosive as the original remark. From there they dig into IVP's new California survey, where Prop. 39's voter ID measure sits at a razor-thin 43% to 40% with Democrats making up most of the undecided 17%. 

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 – Cold Open: Trump, Iran, and a Crowd That Cheered

00:03:23 – Iran's Real Capabilities and the Troll Presidency

00:07:10 – Both Parties Spin It: Trust and the New IVP Poll

00:11:30 – Prop 39 Wording, Free IDs, and India's 130 Million Purge

00:15:13 – Texas Suspends a Million Voters, and November Turnout

00:18:30 – The Insurance Commissioner Test: How Framing Moves Voters

00:22:38 – Tom Steyer, Bernie Sanders, and the DSA's California Map

00:27:34 – Prop 50, Gerrymandering, and the Fight for CA-22

A Trump rally clip has Los Angeles and San Diego in the crosshairs, and the most shocking part is that the crowd was cheering. Cara, Shawn, and Ethan break down what he actually said, what got cut from the viral version, and why both sides keep weaponizing clips like this to deepen the divide.
The hosts open with the Iran bombing comment controversy, unpacking the full context (it came during a riff on oil prices) and whether the media's selective editing is just as corrosive as the original remark. From there they dig into IVP's new California survey, where Prop. 39's voter ID measure sits at a razor-thin 43% to 40% with Democrats making up most of the undecided 17%.&nbsp;
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; Cold Open: Trump, Iran, and a Crowd That Cheered
00:03:23 &ndash; Iran's Real Capabilities and the Troll Presidency
00:07:10 &ndash; Both Parties Spin It: Trust and the New IVP Poll
00:11:30 &ndash; Prop 39 Wording, Free IDs, and India's 130 Million Purge
00:15:13 &ndash; Texas Suspends a Million Voters, and November Turnout
00:18:30 &ndash; The Insurance Commissioner Test: How Framing Moves Voters
00:22:38 &ndash; Tom Steyer, Bernie Sanders, and the DSA's California Map
00:27:34 &ndash; Prop 50, Gerrymandering, and the Fight for CA-22

How Trump’s LA Bombing “Troll” EXPOSES Our Broken Elections (Politics Explained) - EP62

Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America and now the face of a growing independent-veteran movement, just became the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against New York State's closed primary system, and he's joined by his attorney (and IVP host) Chad Peace to explain why.

Rieckhoff tells the personal story that pushed him into this fight: walking his kids to their New York City public school on primary day and having to explain to his seven-year-old why dad, a combat veteran and 9/11 first responder, isn't allowed to vote. Chad, Cara McCormick, and Shawn Griffiths connect that story to the bigger picture, including how Zohran Mamdani's administration and the Democratic Socialists of America have blocked open primary reform through New York's Charter Revision Commission, and how Texas Republicans are now trying to close their own primaries for the opposite partisan reason. 

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

To sign on to the New York lawsuit, go to https://letvetsvote.org You can learn more about his organization, Independent Veterans of America, at https://independentveteransofamerica.org and find his own show, Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff, at https://www.IndependentAmericans.us.

Chapters:

0:00 The Veteran Who Can't Vote – Suing New York

2:25 From the GI Bill to Independent Veterans of America

4:47 45% and Growing – Why Independents Won't Build a Party

7:12 In New York, the Primary Is the Whole Ballgame

9:17 "Dad, How Come You Can't Vote?" – New York as the Beachhead

11:29 What You Can Actually Do – LetVetsVote

13:42 The Real Spoilers – How the DSA Slammed the Door

16:04 The Parties Did This to Themselves – The Charter Revision Fight

18:18 Shame Them Into Action – The Full Spectrum Fight

21:09 Demographics Is Destiny – The Future Is Independent

Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America and now the face of a growing independent-veteran movement, just became the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against New York State's closed primary system, and he's joined by his attorney (and IVP host) Chad Peace to explain why.
Rieckhoff tells the personal story that pushed him into this fight: walking his kids to their New York City public school on primary day and having to explain to his seven-year-old why dad, a combat veteran and 9/11 first responder, isn't allowed to vote. Chad, Cara McCormick, and Shawn Griffiths connect that story to the bigger picture, including how Zohran Mamdani's administration and the Democratic Socialists of America have blocked open primary reform through New York's Charter Revision Commission, and how Texas Republicans are now trying to close their own primaries for the opposite partisan reason.&nbsp;
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:&nbsp;<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>
To sign on to the New York lawsuit, go to <a href="https://letvetsvote.org">https://letvetsvote.org</a> You can learn more about his organization, Independent Veterans of America, at <a href="https://independentveteransofamerica.org">https://independentveteransofamerica.org</a> and find his own show, Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff, at <a href="https://www.independentamericans.us">https://www.IndependentAmericans.us</a>.
Chapters:
0:00 The Veteran Who Can't Vote &ndash; Suing New York
2:25 From the GI Bill to Independent Veterans of America
4:47 45% and Growing &ndash; Why Independents Won't Build a Party
7:12 In New York, the Primary Is the Whole Ballgame
9:17 "Dad, How Come You Can't Vote?" &ndash; New York as the Beachhead
11:29 What You Can Actually Do &ndash; LetVetsVote
13:42 The Real Spoilers &ndash; How the DSA Slammed the Door
16:04 The Parties Did This to Themselves &ndash; The Charter Revision Fight
18:18 Shame Them Into Action &ndash; The Full Spectrum Fight
21:09 Demographics Is Destiny &ndash; The Future Is Independent

The Veteran Suing New York for the Right to Vote (Paul Rieckhoff) - EP61

California's top-two primary was built for exactly this moment: DSA-backed Democrats facing off against the party's moderate wing in front of the entire electorate, not just a partisan base. The man who wrote that law, former state senator Steve Peace, joins Cara McCormick to break down whether his system is working the way he designed it.

Steve Peace, author of California's top-two primary, walks through the wave of Democrat-on-Democrat races reshaping the state, including Orange County's AD68 fight between DSA-recommended Jesse Lopez and moderate David Penaloza (who finished the primary within a thousand votes of each other) and the South Bay's AD66 battle between Paul Seo, known for his weekly town-hall "coffee klatches," and DSA-backed Sara Dean. Peace argues these races are the real test of nonpartisan primaries, since Republicans and independents, not just Democratic insiders, now get a say in who wins. He digs into why "moderate" candidates often struggle to define a positive agenda, cites polling showing a striking share of Democrats say they'd back a candidate their own party did NOT endorse, and lays out his core argument that partisan primaries, not the parties themselves, are the root cause of Congress's dysfunction.

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 – Why Four Democrat vs. Democrat Races Matter

2:28 – Top Two Sends Both Democrats to a Bigger Electorate

4:59 – Orange County, Muddy Platforms and What Are You For

8:59 – Where Progressive Came From and Why Finality Is Anti-Democratic

11:28 – AD66 and the Case for Listening Over Talking

15:26 – Why Republicans Might Vote for DSA Candidates

18:43 – A Third of Democrats Skip the Party's Pick

22:01 – Fear, AI Panic and Solving Everything in a Week

25:56 – Partisan Primaries Are the Problem

31:46 – The Imperial Presidency and a Congress That Stopped Legislating

California's top-two primary was built for exactly this moment: DSA-backed Democrats facing off against the party's moderate wing in front of the entire electorate, not just a partisan base. The man who wrote that law, former state senator Steve Peace, joins Cara McCormick to break down whether his system is working the way he designed it.
Steve Peace, author of California's top-two primary, walks through the wave of Democrat-on-Democrat races reshaping the state, including Orange County's AD68 fight between DSA-recommended Jesse Lopez and moderate David Penaloza (who finished the primary within a thousand votes of each other) and the South Bay's AD66 battle between Paul Seo, known for his weekly town-hall "coffee klatches," and DSA-backed Sara Dean. Peace argues these races are the real test of nonpartisan primaries, since Republicans and independents, not just Democratic insiders, now get a say in who wins. He digs into why "moderate" candidates often struggle to define a positive agenda, cites polling showing a striking share of Democrats say they'd back a candidate their own party did NOT endorse, and lays out his core argument that partisan primaries, not the parties themselves, are the root cause of Congress's dysfunction.
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 &ndash; Why Four Democrat vs. Democrat Races Matter
2:28 &ndash; Top Two Sends Both Democrats to a Bigger Electorate
4:59 &ndash; Orange County, Muddy Platforms and What Are You For
8:59 &ndash; Where Progressive Came From and Why Finality Is Anti-Democratic
11:28 &ndash; AD66 and the Case for Listening Over Talking
15:26 &ndash; Why Republicans Might Vote for DSA Candidates
18:43 &ndash; A Third of Democrats Skip the Party's Pick
22:01 &ndash; Fear, AI Panic and Solving Everything in a Week
25:56 &ndash; Partisan Primaries Are the Problem
31:46 &ndash; The Imperial Presidency and a Congress That Stopped Legislating

Trump & Mamdani Agree on This One Issue (NOT What You Think) - EP60

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