Chew's Views with Richard Chew (Featured Interviews)

Richard Chew leads a town hall-style conversation with candidates for U.S. House in Illinois Donna Miller (2nd District), Patty García (4th District), and La Shawn Ford (7th District). 

The candidates discussed priorities for representing their districts and responding to national issues if elected to Congress on November 3. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- All three candidates said young people should have a meaningful role in congressional offices and policy discussions.
- They highlighted college affordability, workforce opportunities, voting participation, and youth involvement in policy development.
- The candidates emphasized building on the legacies of retiring Reps. Danny Davis, Robin Kelly, and Chuy Garcia, while bringing new ideas and maintaining accessibility to constituents.
- They discussed women’s representation and the importance of reflecting communities’ experiences in policymaking.
- They talked about holding individuals in the Trump administration accountable for their actions, including some who have already vacated their offices.
- They urged voter participation in the upcoming election.

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Richard Chew is joined by William Elliott Hazelgrove, author of "Dead Air: The Night Orson Welles Terrified America," on the 88th anniversary of Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast (October 30, 1938).

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Richard Chew is joined by Emily Waggoner, director of political strategy at The States Project. 

The discussion highlighted the role of state legislatures in shaping everyday life and the importance of competitive state elections. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Waggoner described how state legislators influence public schools, taxes, personal freedoms, and other daily concerns. The States Project advises state legislative candidates on campaigns and their work in office.
- First-time candidates often need guidance navigating campaigns and connecting with voters; experienced legislators can mentor new candidates.
- Voters are emphasizing affordability, including lower costs and strong public schools. Potential state-level measures discussed included paid family and medical leave, prescription drug affordability, and free school meals.
- Waggoner identified Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota as opportunities for Democratic legislative control, and discussed Iowa legislative races as important to a potential governor’s ability to uphold vetoes. Opportunities in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina were also noted.
- Fair legislative and congressional maps, checks on political power, and independent oversight were discussed as important levers of accountability. 

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Richard Chew is joined by Lisa Stark, former ABC News reporter and founder of Press4Democracy, a new organization "dedicated to defense of the First Amendment, freedom of the press, and working journalists across the country."

Stark discussed the launch of Press4Democracy and the challenges facing press freedom and journalism. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- The new organization, made up mostly of veteran journalists, aims to speak out on threats to press freedom, which Stark described as essential to democracy and not a partisan issue.
- Journalists serve the public by asking difficult questions and scrutinizing those in power; reporters should remain accurate, hear all sides, and correct mistakes, she said.
- Stark said White House reporters facing insults often maintain composure and continue their work rather than engage in confrontations that could serve the president’s preferred narrative.
- Other networks declined to replace CNN in the travel pool when it was excluded, demonstrating support for colleagues, she pointed out.
- She expects continued legal and political conflict over press access, including CNN’s travel-pool exclusion, and said pressure on the media could intensify after the midterms.

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Richard Chew is joined by "Chew’s Views" contributor Kurt Mullett, AKA HoosierBlue63, and Victoria Martz, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 55. 

Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Martz said affordability is a central concern, linking it to wages, public school funding, and how current tax revenue is spent.
- Residents across party lines have raised concerns about hyperscale data centers, local control, and proposed power-line construction.
- Martz's campaign began as one of Indiana’s least competitive House races, but she believes it can become competitive. 
- She criticized state leaders’ response to flooding in her district last August, saying residents were left without enough assistance to rebuild.
- She said she would bring constituents’ concerns to the legislature and continue advocating even when facing a legislative majority opposed to her priorities.
- Mullett criticized the state party’s allocation of campaign resources and praised Martz’s direct conversations with voters.

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Richard Chew is joined by Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC).

The discussion focused on state legislative races, campaign strategy, and sustaining electoral momentum ahead of the November 3 midterms. Here are a few highllghts from the conversation:
- Williams described opportunities in battleground states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and New Hampshire, as well as legislative gains to pursue in states such as Missouri, Ohio, and South Carolina.
- Population shifts and future redistricting shape the DLCC’s long-term strategy; Georgia Democrats’ legislative gains have made challenging the Republican majority a possibility by 2030, with opportunities emerging sooner.
- Competitive legislative chambers in the Upper Midwest are expected to remain important amid population changes.
- Williams emphasized learning from recent elections, carrying effective approaches into future cycles, and maintaining direct, authentic conversations with voters.
- Early voting showed continued enthusiasm, but she cautioned against assuming victory before polls close.
- The discussion supported grassroots fundraising while recognizing that candidates may also need other funding sources to remain competitive.

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Richard Chew is joined by Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer for the ACLU. 

The discussion focused on the ACLU’s efforts to protect civil liberties through state and federal advocacy. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Schifeling described efforts to defend reproductive rights in Missouri and Montana, including opposition to measures that could reverse voter-approved protections or make judicial races partisan.
- She cited a successful Kansas campaign to defeat a ballot measure that would have made judicial races partisan.
- The ACLU opposes partisan gerrymandering and supports a federal ban, which Deirdre said could provide a consistent national safeguard.
- She argued that civil liberties should not depend on where someone lives, including access to reproductive health care.
- She identified democracy reforms, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, reproductive rights protections, and immigration reform as key priorities.
- She called for a more functional immigration system, faster processing, and a path to citizenship for long-term residents.
- Schifeling connected accountable government with workers’ rights, fair jobs, health care, and education.

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

 

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Richard Chew is joined by Danah Boyd, Geri Gay Professor of Communication at Cornell University and author of the new book “Data Are Made, Not Found.” She will be speaking in Chicago for University Press Week, November 9-13. The Boyd events will take place at UIC on November 9 and at Northwestern November 10.

The discussion focused on Boyd’s book about the politics and civil servants behind the 2020 U.S. Census. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Boyd said the 2020 census produced high-quality data despite the pandemic, natural disasters, and political pressure, though earlier censuses may have been stronger.
- The census anchors political representation and federal funding, making reliable data essential to democracy.
- She described “Jenga politics”: weakening administrative capacity while placing greater pressure on civil servants.
- Census workers built a backup technical system after concerns about an outsourced vendor; they ultimately used it.

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Richard Chew is joined by Robert Pape, professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago specializing in international security affairs, and author of The Escalation Trap on Substack. His new book, “Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism,” came out last month. 

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Richard Chew is joined by Allan J. Lichtman, distinguished professor of history at American University and author of the new book "Great American Presidents: The Twelve Who Transformed the Nation."

The interview focused on Lichtman’s new book and lessons for democracy and elections. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- Lichtman described "Great American Presidents: The Twelve Who Transformed the Nation" as a nonpartisan historical work intended to offer hope during a democratic crisis.
- His 10 keys to presidential greatness—including crisis, moral vision, stewardship, and adaptability—let readers assess presidential greatness in historical context.
- Lichtman said Washington, Lincoln, and FDR offer examples of holding the country together; he highlighted Theodore Roosevelt’s stewardship, antitrust efforts, and conservation legacy.
- He emphasized that future leaders must help heal polarization and inspire belief in a shared future.

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