Y'all, the Republican machine wants you to think Tennessee's 7th Congressional District is theirs for the taking. They're dead wrong.

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Briefs, the Boston-bred, immigrant-raised campaign manager who's helping Aftyn Behn turn what everyone called a "safe red seat" into a battlefield. This ain't your typical campaign —this is grassroots organizing with teeth, stretching from Clarksville to the Alabama border across 14 counties.

Kate pulls back the curtain on how they're building something real in just six weeks—not with political mercenaries and consultants, but with organizers working out of homes, volunteers skipping Thanksgiving to knock doors, and folks from across the planet making calls in the middle of the night because they believe Tennessee deserves better.

We're talking about the campaign that's got Republicans scrambling, national media finally paying attention, and Tennessee Democrats remembering what hope feels like. This is what it looks like when progressives stop asking permission and start taking ground—one door, one call, one vote at a time.

Because here's the truth: The South isn't lost. It's not permanently red. It's full of people hungry for leaders who see them, who fight for them, who refuse to let hate and apathy win. Aftyn Behn is that voice. This campaign is that movement.

So buckle up and listen to what real resistance sounds like when it's forged in cast iron and tempered in Southern fire.

Special election is December 2nd. Get off your ass and get involved at aftynforcongress.com

In the wake of Charlie Kirk's shocking assassination, we sit down with Kevin Jenkins—a young Black man running for Congress in Tennessee's blood-red 1st district, where he's one of the few faces that don't look like the overwhelming majority. From the poorest county in Tennessee, Kevin's doing the hard work of building bridges in Trump country while folks on the right try to paint progressives as bloodthirsty monsters.

We dig into the real aftermath of political violence—not the manufactured outrage, but the genuine horror felt by decent people across the political spectrum. Kevin breaks down what it's like organizing in rural Appalachia, fighting for universal healthcare and affordable housing in places where Diana Harshbarger votes against her own constituents' interests, and why the real enemy isn't your Republican neighbor—it's the billionaires keeping us all down.

This isn't about left versus right. It's about top versus bottom, and it's time we started acting like it. Because the South isn't just red, y'all—it's hurting, and it deserves better than the politics of division and cruelty.

From Alaska to Marshall County: How One Woman is Building a Progressive Resistance in Rural Tennessee

In this powerful episode, the Cast Iron crew sits down with Jess Limbird, the Democratic Party chair in Marshall County, Tennessee—a place so red it went 78% for Trump in 2024. But don't let those numbers fool you. Jess, who spent two decades in Alaska working with Native students and fighting broken systems, came home to Tennessee with a fire in her belly and a clear mission: prove that progressives aren't isolated blue dots drowning in a red sea. From organizing "Bearing Witness" protests every Saturday on the town square to mobilizing the community to save their beloved Black city manager from a racist firing, Jess is showing rural Tennessee what real grassroots power looks like.

This isn't your typical political organizing story—it's about finding joy in the fight and building relationships that transcend party lines. Whether she's talking about the "blue dot syndrome" that keeps progressives feeling defeated or sharing how rural values are actually progressive values when you strip away the Fox News talking points, Jess embodies the Cast Iron spirit: standing sturdy, speaking truth, and refusing to let the South slide into hate. As she gears up to run for city council, her message is clear—we crawl before we run, we show up for our neighbors, and we never forget that resistance starts at the kitchen table, not in Washington D.C.

When Boots-on-the-Ground Meets Policy Hell

This week, Steve sits down with Nathan "Narcan Nate" Smiddy, a fellow traveler from the rooms who went from small-town Tennessee addict to one of the most respected harm reduction advocates on the West Coast. Nate's story cuts deep—from growing up in a cop family in Jellico to chasing that first devastating high, to finding his calling keeping people alive on the streets of San Diego. He doesn't sugarcoat the reality: people use meth to stay awake and safe on dangerous streets, they lose their cars to $600 parking tickets while living in them, and the system is designed to punish rather than heal. But Nate shows up anyway, carrying Narcan, treating wounds, and testing drug supplies because he knows that staying alive is the first step toward getting better.

The Fight Gets Harder Under Trump's New Order

Just as harm reduction efforts were starting to show real results—national overdose deaths finally dropping in 2023—Trump's new executive order threatens to drag us back to the failed "tough love" approach of the 1980s. Nate breaks down how the administration plans to gut funding for evidence-based programs, reward cities for criminalizing homelessness, and push people toward RFK Jr.'s dystopian farm camps instead of proven treatments like MAT. It's the same old story: politicians who've never lived it making moral judgments about medical problems. But as Nate says, this isn't the time to back down—it's time to get louder, show up at city council meetings, and take care of our own communities the way harm reduction activists have been doing since the beginning.

Resources:

https://nextdistro.org/

https://metrodrug.org/

https://www.hellbenderharmreduction.org/

https://www.asapofanderson.org/

In this episode, hosts Steve Wildsmith, Nathan Higdon, and Jeremy LaDuke welcome Lee Jones, Middle Tennessee Regional Vice Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party and Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus, for a deep dive into what Democrats need to do to win—and it's not what you might think.

Opening with the stunning upset victory of democratic socialist Zoran Mamdani in New York's mayoral primary, Steve sets the stage for a crucial question: Can authentic progressive candidates win in the rural South? Mamdani ran on a $30 minimum wage, rent freezes, and taxing the rich—and won with 43.5% of the vote, powered by young people and first-time voters who were energized by his refusal to moderate his message.

Key Topics:

• Why authenticity beats focus-grouped messaging every time
• How Democrats have been gaslighted into thinking they need to move right
• The corporate money vs. grassroots values tension within the party
• Why progressive values are actually rural values—and how to communicate that
• The upcoming Tennessee District 7 special election and what it means for the future
• How Lee transformed a Republican stronghold in West Nashville into a Democratic powerhouse

In this episode of Cast Iron Resistance, we are joined by Jesse Mayshark Executive Director at the Progressive South and host of the Headlights podcast as we discuss the current geopolitical climate, particularly the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, and the role of media in shaping public perception and accountability. We explore the challenges faced by journalists in today's fast-paced information environment, the impact of right-wing media on political discourse, and the importance of local engagement and activism. The conversation emphasizes the need for progressive voices and narratives in the media landscape, encouraging listeners to stay informed and involved in their communities.

takeaways

• The current geopolitical climate is precarious, especially in the Middle East.
• Media struggles to keep up with the rapid flow of information.
• Local engagement is crucial for grassroots activism.
• Right-wing media has created a self-contained ecosystem that influences public opinion.
• There is a need for more progressive voices in the media.
• Journalism should provide context and actionable information to the public.
• The importance of breaking out of echo chambers to understand diverse perspectives.
• Transparency and accountability in media are essential for democracy.
• Engaging with local communities can lead to meaningful change.
• The future of journalism requires adapting to new challenges and narratives.

This is not a drill.

This episode kicks down the door with Southern fire and righteous fury. Hosts Steve, Jeremy, and Nathan celebrate unexpected wins—like a young Black Democrat flipping a deep-red South Carolina seat and Georgia’s youngest lawmaker stepping into the fight for justice. Even the return of North Carolina’s blue ghost fireflies gets its moment as a symbol of hope.

Then comes the main event: Tennessee State Rep Aftyn Behn. She doesn't sugarcoat it—the latest legislative session was a dystopian circus. The GOP supermajority passed cruel, anti-democratic laws while ignoring real problems like infrastructure, healthcare, and education. Behn lays it bare: Tennessee’s government is bought by corporations, indifferent to its people, and obsessed with punishment over progress.

Still, there’s grit in the cracks. Aftyn shares small victories—like stopping a bill that would’ve kicked undocumented kids out of school—and reminds us that organizing, not despair, is the path forward. She urges folks to get local, stay loud, and build the next generation of leaders.

Oh, and yes—Doug the Pug makes an appearance, because even revolution needs a mascot.

Bottom line: This isn’t politics as usual. It’s a call to action from a South that’s still got fight in it.

Find a June 14 protest near you at nokings.org

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Cast Iron Resistance, a new podcast for Southern progressives who refuse to let their region be defined by hate and division. Hosts Steve Wildsmith, Jeremy LaDuke, and Nathan Higdon introduce their mission: reclaiming Southern identity from fear and fanaticism while building real political momentum in red counties across the South.

In this episode, the hosts sit down with Nathan Higdon, Vice Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, who shares his journey from political awakening in 2017 to organizing in Tennessee's most rural counties. Nathan breaks down the practical work of resistance—from making strategic phone calls to legislators to building mutual aid networks that strengthen communities from the ground up.

Key Topics:

• Why organizing starts in small towns, not Washington D.C.
• How to turn everyday anger into effective political action
• The real work of movements: feeding the hungry, connecting neighbors, and building hope
• Why running Democratic candidates everywhere matters, even in deep red counties
• Practical tips for political engagement, including phone scripts and timing strategies

Nathan explains why the path to changing Tennessee runs "right down Main Street in every rural county" and how showing up is literally half the battle. The hosts also tackle the economic anxieties driving political frustration and why building community is essential political work.

Whether you're a lifelong activist or someone just getting started, this episode offers concrete steps for making a difference in your community—because the South isn't going blue overnight, but like cast iron, it gets stronger with every use.