Season 3 Premiere! AJ kicks things off with George Foreman IV, entrepreneur, educator, minister, son of the legendary heavyweight champion, and now independent candidate for Texas’s 18th congressional district. They dive into everything from growing up as a Foreman, to why he’s stepping into politics, his top three policy priorities, and how he plans to stand out in a crowded race. George also shares how he’d approach working in Congress, some of his favorite books, and perhaps most importantly, whether he ever flipped the Monopoly board as a kid.

To mark the end of Season Two, Dr. AJ Simmons fires up the Time Machine once again, this time landing in the chaotic presidential election of 1968. His focus is the third party presidential campaign of Alabama Governor George Wallace.

Joining AJ is Dr. Aram Goudsouzian, Bizot Family Professor of History at the University of Memphis and author of The Men and the Moment: The Election of 1968 and the Rise of Partisan Politics in America. Together, they explore why Wallace is often called the “Most Influential Loser” in American politics and how his campaign shaped the political landscape we live in today.

This week, Dr. AJ Simmons sits down with City Councilmember Josh Michtom and School Board Member Shontá Browdy, elected officials in Hartford, Connecticut, and members of the Working Families Party. They discuss what the party stands for, breaking through in a city dominated by a major party, campaigning as third-party candidates, building coalitions, and staying true to their values in office.

This week on Crashing the Political Party, we're joined by Jim Walden, an independent candidate for mayor of New York City. We dive into his vision for the city, what it means to run outside the two-party system, and how he plans to build a governing coalition in a deeply Democratic stronghold. Walden also shares his take on the biggest challenges facing New York, and how he thinks real change can happen.

It’s International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, and AJ is diving into the politics of the Socialist Party USA. In this episode, he sits down with Greg Pason, National Secretary of the SPUSA, and Pat Noble, a local elected SPUSA official, to explore the the party, their platform, why local elections matter for third parties, and what governing outside the two major parties looks like.

In this episode, host Dr. AJ Simmons is joined by Dustin Pieper, a city councilmember in Batavia, Illinois and a member of the American Solidarity Party (ASP). They talk about what drew Dustin to the ASP, how the party’s "whole life" philosophy shapes his approach to local policymaking, and what it’s like to campaign and win outside the two major parties. Dustin also shares his insights on building unusual coalitions, navigating a nonpartisan council, and whether third-party candidates can gain real traction with voters.

In this episode, we sit down with Christina Henderson, an Independent member of the Washington, DC City Council. We dive into the unique structure of DC’s government and how it creates space for candidates outside the two major parties. Christina shares her thoughts on ranked choice voting, her policy priorities, what it was like to run in a race with 23 opponents, and more!

Hey there, bud! This week Crashing the Political Party goes Canadian! We’re joined by Dr. Richard Johnston, Professor emeritus of political science at the University of British Columbia, to discuss Canada’s multiparty democracy, upcoming election and why (and how) it got moved up several months, comparisons to America, and what Kiefer Sutherland has to do with Canadian politics.

In this unlocked Patreon-exclusive episode Dr. AJ Simmons answers political questions and discusses season 1 and what's to come in season 2. If you'd like to join our Patreon and ask your own questions for Office Hours head over to https://www.patreon.com/c/CPPShow

Kickstarting Season Two, we sit down with Dr. Linda Moore, an independent candidate for Mayor of Quincy, Illinois. Tune in as we discuss her policy priorities, campaign journey, and what it means to run for office as an independent in today’s polarized landscape!