Kansas Helen Podcast

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley and Helen discuss Kansas teacher shortages, the strain on educators, and the reality of people entering classrooms without traditional education backgrounds. Epley talks about his own education degree, student teaching, licensure, and how alternative paths into teaching can be both necessary and a sign that the system needs course correction. The section also covers associate’s degrees, technical education, for-profit programs, building education pathways in two-year increments, and the idea of an associate’s-level education route for people who want to teach.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley discusses gun policy as an issue where he supports stronger safety measures while also thinking about state-sponsored violence and the purpose of the Second Amendment. He says he does not personally own a firearm and talks about the need for gun policies that have a real safety purpose. The conversation focuses heavily on safe storage, children accessing unsecured guns, school shootings, possible federal guidelines around registering weapons and safes, and the difference between responsible ownership and careless access.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

The conversation turns to education as a way to help people understand science, propaganda, politics, and public policy. Helen discusses writing in plain language so more people can understand political information, and Epley reflects on how that applies to campaign communication. They also talk about the value of lifelong learning, public education as an important national achievement, and Epley’s view that public education remains resilient even though it can be improved.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley and Helen discuss Job Corps and what it meant for young people who needed housing, structure, and a path into a trade. Epley says he saw kids moved out of Job Corps, and Helen reflects on people she knew whose lives were changed by the program. The section focuses especially on foster youth aging out without parents or support systems and how losing that option affects their future.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley and Helen discuss education as something that affects children across state lines and debate the role of federal standards with states allowed to exceed them. Epley talks about wanting stronger guidelines around school funding, more equitable support across districts and ZIP codes, and a public education system families can trust. The section also connects education to foster youth, young adults leaving care, homelessness, college, technical training, and the limited options some young people see when they are trying to build a stable future.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley discusses foster care reform in detail, especially the rights of foster youth, teenagers aging out of care, and the way children can be treated more like property than people. He explains that he wrote a proposed bill to create federal minimum guidelines for foster youth rights across states, drawing from existing state models and aiming for a child-welfare approach that could be bipartisan. The conversation also covers the limits of what a first-term member of Congress can lead, Tennessee’s approach to placing foster children in detention-like settings, cross-state placements, and how federal foster care policy is tied into the Social Security Act.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

This section focuses on what a grassroots progressive campaign looks like in practice. Helen and Epley discuss door knocking, talking directly with voters, the difference between corporate PACs and good-faith PACs such as unions or issue-based groups, and the basic costs of campaign materials like yard signs and shirts. Epley talks about the campaign being very in-house, while the conversation also connects his foster care background with other Kansas candidates focused on child welfare.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley and Helen discuss how Kansas voters do not always fit neatly into party labels, including unaffiliated voters, Republicans uncomfortable with MAGA politics, and rural voters who may register Republican because that is where local races are decided. The conversation covers the Democratic Party, progressive organizing, Bernie Sanders, the Kansas abortion vote, precinct committee positions, and the possibility of third-party or fusion-voting approaches. Epley says he does not expect to run personal attack ads against other Democratic candidates.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley shares a personal story about his father losing insurance for several months after retiring from the Army Reserve and later dying of a heart attack after struggling to get care. He describes the issue as personal and connects it to his lack of sympathy for insurance corporations. The conversation also includes his fiancée’s ICU work, families facing large medical bills, and the broader anger both he and Helen express about profit-driven healthcare.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley discusses why the primary feels more uncertain than the general election and how he thinks candidates can distinguish themselves without personal attacks. He argues that past campaigns have relied too heavily on money and moderation, while his approach is to organize and mobilize volunteers. He talks about having a smaller fundraising total, a volunteer list, the importance of canvassing and VoteBuilder, and his ability to work full time on the campaign with support from his partner. The section ends with a discussion of healthcare messaging and why he rejects simply saying healthcare should be made “more affordable.”

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote