In March 2021 I published my novel, “The Nation We Knew.” It’s built around a simple question: What would happen if a new president came into power, a president with a commitment to the people, not the party, a president consumed with the idea of building progress on a platform of common sense. How might this president reinvent healthcare, infrastructure, education, corrections, foreign policy, transportation, and the government itself, if she (that’s right—she) could get Washington to leave the elephants and donkeys outside to tear up the lawn and focus on where the nation needs to be, not where it is? What would that look like? Happily, the book became a best-seller.

A month after the book came out, I received a call from Randell Hynes. Randy is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District. He told me that he had read my book, and that it aligned very much with his goals as a political candidate—to focus on people, not party, and do the right thing for the nation by doing the right thing for its citizens.

A few days ago, I interviewed Randy. I hope you enjoy our conversation.