The Campaign Strategist
Dive into the world of advocacy with The Campaign Strategist. Each episode features in-depth conversations with activists and experts who break down their approaches to planning, executing, and winning campaigns. Learn about the strategies that have shaped policies, changed minds, and mobilized communities. Perfect for anyone looking to amplify their impact and drive meaningful change.
New episodes on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month.
Episodes
22 episodes
Defying Fascism and Building Narrative Power with Dr. Jiggy Geronimo
In this episode, Pete talks with Dr. Jiggy Geronimo, a neuroscientist-turned-strategist and founder of JG Insights, about building powerful progressive narratives. Jiggy shares why poll-tested messaging often fails—and how an “emotions first, c...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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48:40
How Progressives Win in the Modern Media Age: Jenifer Ancona of Way to Win
In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Pete talks with Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist at Way to Win, and co-host of
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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52:07
Shilpi Chhotray on Media, Power, and Climate Justice
In this episode, Pete Altman talks with media strategist and Counter Stream Media founder Shilpi Chhotray, who makes a powerful case for rethinking how we build power for climate justice. Shilpi shares why she’s stepped back from the mai...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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38:57
The Democratic Party Isn’t Coming to Save Us: Tara Buss on Competitive Authoritarianism and the Path Forward
Tara Buss, Senior Director of Research at the Research Collaborative, joins The Campaign Strategist to unpack what she calls "competitive authoritarianism" in the U.S.—a state that mimics democracy while systematically undermining it. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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39:13
A Progressive Art of War with Eric Hensal
What can Sun Tzu teach us about winning political power in 2025?In this new episode of The Campaign Strategist, I talk with Eric Hensal—veteran progressive strategist, author of
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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40:52
Say It Like You Mean It: Narrative Strategy with Anat Shenker-Osorio
Messaging maven and strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio joins Pete to unpack the mechanics of narrative, the seductive power of repetition, and why too much progressive messaging sounds like it came from a law school textbook. From “Florida fascism ...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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46:43
How the People of NC Stopped Mark Robinson | Durrell Johnson on The Campaign Strategist
Durrell Johnson helped lead the campaign to stop Mark Robinson’s run for governor in North Carolina—and in doing so, created a roadmap for defeating far-right extremism. In this episode, he explains how local groups built trust, cen...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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42:45
The Art of Understanding and Connecting with Voters with Liz Kazal
Liz Kazal of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy joins The Campaign Strategist to talk about why Republican members of Congress are starting to feel real political risk over their support for Trump’s tax and budget bill—and how ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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35:46
Nick Ahamed on How Progressives Can Win the Internet
Nick Ahamed, Deputy Executive Director of Priorities USA, joins Pete to break down the changing media landscape and what progressives must do to keep up. From the emotional resonance of abortion ads to why YouTube is essential for reaching youn...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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39:52
Indivisible's Dani Negrete on the Urgency of Building Power Before It’s Too Late
In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Pete talks with Dani Negrete, National Political Director at Indivisible. Dani shares why “we don’t have four years to fix things,” drawing on lessons from recent campaigns and historical tre...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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46:45
Messaging Without Emotion or Risk = Political Failure — Saeed Mousavi
Pollster and strategist Saeed Mousavi joins The Campaign Strategist to explain why Democrats are losing emotional traction—and what it takes to reconnect. From risk-averse messaging to outdated research models, Saeed makes the case for...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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49:12
Why Restoring the Old Order Won’t Save Us | Michael Podhorzer Explains
Michael Podhorzer joins host Pete Altman to talk about what really happened in the 2024 election—and why the fight ahead isn’t about restoring the old order, but building a new one. From the failures of civil institutions to the importance of u...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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40:57
How Activists Stopped Fracking in NY—And What We Can Learn From It
In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Rich Schrader and Kate Sinding Daly take us inside the eight-year campaign that led New York to ban fracking—making it the first state with significant gas deposits to stop the practice. Rich...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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44:09
The Art of Organizing Clean Businesses with Bob Keefe
What happens when clean energy jobs face a political headwind—and how can business leaders fight back? In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Bob Keefe of E2 joins Pete for a two-part conversation. First, they discuss how the Trump adminis...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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41:17
Why Democrats Are Losing the Working Class | Chuck Rocha Explains
Political strategist and labor organizer Chuck Rocha, founder of Solidarity Strategies, joins Pete Altman on The Campaign Strategist to talk about why progressives are losing touch with working-class voters—and how to fix it. From his start as ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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36:48
The Art of Prep and Story with Melissa Waage
On this week’s pod, I had the joy of talking with the wonderful Melissa Waage — a brilliant strategist, long-time environmental advocate, and now VP of Advocacy & Engagement at Sandy Hook Promise.We dig into campaign strategy fundamenta...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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33:38
Leadership and long-term thinking with Mark Magaña
Environmentalist, strategist and leader Mark Magaña joins The Campaign Strategist to talk about the need for long-term vision and investments in growing progressive political power, how to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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37:35
The Power of Questions with George Rakis
Friend and colleague George Rakis joins The Campaign Strategist today as we talk about his role leading the Climate Action Campaign from 2011 - 2018, which resulted in the first national carbon standards ever to be promulgated in the U.S. That'...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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35:43
The Art of Focus with Danielle Droitsch
In this episode of 'The Campaign Strategist,' host Pete Altman interviews Danielle Droitsch, an environmental advocate and executive coach. Danielle shares her journey into environmental advocacy, beginning with a college protest against Exxon....
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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36:29
The Power of Culture with Reverend Lennox Yearwood
Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about culture, advocacy and much more. President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus and host of The Coolest Show podcast, Yearwood's activism was spurred by Hurricane Katrina...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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38:15
The Art of Organizing with Tom "Smitty" Smith
In this episode, Pete interviews Tom "Smitty" Smith, a seasoned advocate who shares insights and personal stories from decades of organizing, advocating, and lobbying. The discussion covers the essential elements of successful advocacy, includi...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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35:20