The Midpod: The Midterms Podcast

We see a wave of reform-minded candidates running for congress in 2018. There are real parallels with the group of Democrats elected to congress after Watergate in 1974. John Lawrence tells their stories and describes their political legacy.

Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Sonenshein gives us the skinny on this epic year in California politics.

This is Trump country, but the Democrat in the race has strong numbers. Opioids are devastating this district, but we learn an even darker side to the national opioid story. In this Special Election March 13th, working class America will tell us what they think of the President's first year in office.

John Lawrence worked on Capitol Hill for 38 years, most recently as Chief of Staff for Rep. Nancy Pelosi. He offers thoughts on Congress as a whole, on Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi, and he's got advice for candidates and voters.

Terry Madonna is the Professor of Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College and a veteran pollster and observer of politics in the Keystone State. He shares his insights on this crucial midterms battleground where a special election is coming on March 13th.

Meet Pam Keith and Lauren Baer, both running for U.S. House. We have some meaningful citizen stories in this episode, and we learn about toxic blue green algae. Listen, and join the "River-lution!"

Stevenson, a Professor of History at UCLA, has written extensively on the slave experience and the black family, as well as the events that led to the LA rebellion of 1992. She shares her insights into the legacy of slavery in our society and potential pathways to progress in race relations and for the black community.

We get lost in the Texas Hill Country and find a new generation of leaders.

Jacob Heilbrunn, Editor of "The National Interest" magazine and website shares the history behind Congress' shrinking role in national security. He makes the case that we should be asking tough and specific questions of our representatives and those who are challenging them in 2018.