Nancy is joined by guest host Betsy Morgan on this episode featuring superstar activist Jess Piper speaking about how Democrats can win with rural voters. Jess has become a prominent voice for rural Democrats and in her work at Blue Missouri, she and her colleagues are working to run a Democrat in every race in the state. Jess, Betsy and Nancy talk about the desperate state of affairs in rural Missouri where infrastructure has been gutted by the Republican state supermajority; what Democrats get wrong when it comes to rural voters; and how a relatively small increase in Democratic turnout in those areas can have outsize impacts on top of ballot races.

To learn more about Jess and her work, check out her Substack newsletter and to support Blue Missouri, you can do so here.

The University of New Hampshire study that Jess refers to in the podcast can be found here.

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This episode features Jackie Payne of Galvanize Action, an organization that focuses on moderate women living in rural, small town and suburban areas. These women want progress on key issues but aren’t reliably playing a role to get us there. Galvanize Action helps them connect with their values in a way that impacts their civic behavior. Nancy and Jackie talk about the neuroscience and behavioral psychology underlying the work at Galvanize Action; the nuanced concerns of this group of women that constitute the largest voting bloc in the country; and the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation. To learn more about Galvanize Action and see examples of their top-performing messaging, check out their highlights page.

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This episode features a conversation with Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District. Founded in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Sister District is a women-led grassroots political group that is dedicated to building lasting Democratic power in state legislatures. The group is powered by volunteers in blue districts that pair or “sister” up with key swing districts where their efforts can really move the needle. Unlike some other groups that have petered out over the years, the folks at Sister District have taken their mandate and run with it, expanding their operations to much more than just elections. Sarah and Nancy talk about the secret sauce that makes Sister District different, their work with local grassroots groups, and the community that people can find within the local chapters. Sister District is doing really interesting, smart and multifaceted work; you can check out their website to learn more and get involved.

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This episode features a conversation with Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy, a cross-ideological nonprofit devoted to stopping authoritarianism. Nancy first featured Protect Democracy on this podcast four years ago, shortly after the January 6th insurrection. Given the rollercoaster that we have been on since then, and the new and dangerous threats that we face as a country, this seemed like a good time to check back in. Amanda and Nancy discuss the challenges of imposing political consequences without political power, and how the pro-democracy coalition must channel the energy and anger of the current moment into meaningful pressure from the outside in and the bottom up. They also talk about he ways in which Trump is following the authoritarian playbook to dismantle democratic institutions, as well as specific, concrete actions that we can all do to protect democracy.

Mentioned in the episode:

Sign up for the If You Can Keep It newsletter

The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025

How *You* Can Protect Democracy

How to Pay Attention

Thank you for being a listener!

• Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.

If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.

• If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
• Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Is registering Democrats the key to saving the world? That’s the premise behind Field Team 6 whose founder Jason Berlin is Nancy’s guest on this episode. Jason and Nancy first spoke five years ago when Field Team 6 was registering voters in parking lots. Now the group has grown into a grassroots powerhouse that is reaching millions of unregistered voters online and in person and getting out the vote in swing states and districts around the country. Jason and I talk about the massive volunteer army that powers his organization, with teams of experts in their fields; and the measurable impact of their work in winning elections with the slimmest margins of victory; and their initiative to combat ballot rolloff. In a time when it feels hard to smile, Jason and his great sense of humor make resistance fun.

And one last thing – we are excited to announce that New Faces of Democracy is now a member of the Democracy Group, a network of podcasts and organizations that create educational content about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse. Check it out!

Here is the New Faces of Democracy profile of Jason from 2020.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.

If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.

If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

This episode features a conversation with Dana Castner, founder of Choice Tracker, a new and important tool in the fight for reproductive freedom. When the Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that abortion laws must be decided by the states, that put a lot of power in the hands of our state legislators, many of whom we had never heard of, let alone knew their stances on abortion. That’s what Dana discovered and led her to start the all-volunteer group Choice Tracker just two weeks after the Dobbs decision. Nancy and Dana discuss the value in providing voters all the available information on their state representatives in one place; what actions people can take both in election cycles and off years; and why constitutional abortion protections are not enough to save us on their own. Listen to the end if you want to know how to bring Choice Tracker to your state and other ways you can help now, not just right before the next election.

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This episode features a conversation with activist Jess Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water. With close to half a million followers on TikTok and 53,000 subscribers to her substack, Jess is a fierce and passionate warrior for democracy. On this episode, Jess shares with Nancy her view of what it means to be an activist at this time full of so many unknowns, how to find hope through action, some of her favorite organizations right now, and so much more. Tune in for a dose of sanity and humanity, and you will leave both calmed and energized for whatever it is that lies ahead.

Thank you for being a listener!

• Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
• If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
• If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

This season is dedicated to helping you get your head out of the sand after a brutally disappointing election, finding strength through community and taking action that helps real people in palpable ways. If you’re looking for rage, this may not be the place for you, but if you seek inspiration, and maybe even hope, then tune into to Season 5 of the New Faces of Democracy podcast.