Entering the MultiState Group Chat: 2026 Issues Forecast

For The Political Life's final episode of 2025, and to prepare our listening audience for state legislative sessions in 2026, we stood up a MultiState Group Chat to discuss all the emerging issues that may be coming to a state capitol building near you. This fall, MultiState released a 2025 Issues Review and 2026 Forecast Report. An extensive and large undertaking, the report pulls from the expertise of MultiState's Issue Management team who review hundreds of thousands of bills each year. To illuminate the report's findings, Maggie Mick hosted colleagues Morgan Scarboro, Bill Kramer, and Brock Ingmire - all subject matter experts in fiscal and tax, health care, technology and artificial intelligence, as well as elections - for a discussion on what awaits state government affairs professionals in the new year. 

Next year is huge for gubernatorial races, but don't take your eye off the 30 state attorneys general races set for 2026. Increasingly, AGs play an outsized role in state policymaking, multistate investigations, and federal activity. Beyond that, more of them are ascending to higher office including governor, Congress, and federal cabinet positions. In the eight 2024 gubernatorial races, three AGs (plus one former) ran and won the governorship in Washington, North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Hampshire.  To get a read on the landscape ahead, Maggie Mick hosted two recent conversations with executives Sean Rankin and Adam Piper respectively for the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) and Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA).

This week and next week's episodes on 2026 attorneys general races are rebroadcasts of recent MultiState client webinars.  Next year is huge for gubernatorial races, but don't take your eye off the 30 state attorneys general races set for 2026. Increasingly, AGs play an outsized role in state policymaking, multistate investigations, and federal activity. Beyond that, more of them are ascending to higher office including governor, Congress, and federal cabinet positions. In the eight 2024 gubernatorial races, three AGs (plus one former) ran and won the governorship in Washington, North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Hampshire. To get a read on the landscape ahead, MultiState's Maggie Mick will host two upcoming conversations with executives Sean Rankin and Adam Piper respectively for the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) and Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA).

Senator James Maroney was first elected to represent the 14th District (Milford) in 2018. Senator Maroney currently serves as the Co-Chair of the General Law Committee.  In his time as co-chair of the committee, he has passed comprehensive consumer data privacy laws, children and consumer health data privacy laws, a law governing state government use of AI, laws modernizing and expanding the practice of pharmacy in Connecticut, among others. Recently Senator Maroney was named to the inaugural Leadership Council of the Future of Privacy Forum Center for Artificial Intelligence. Senator Maroney's work on tech legislation has been recognized nationally. Prior to politics, Sen. Maroney founded and ran an educational consulting business in Milford.  In addition, he was a past president and founding member of the Milford Education Foundation and served on the Milford Board of Education. A proud and active participant in the community, he is a member and past president of the Devon Rotary, where he chaired the scholarship committee for years. Prior to a successful career in public service, State Senator Maroney attended Yale (Class of '96), where he was a 3-time varsity letter winner in both track and field and cross-country. In his senior year, he was elected captain of the track and field team and was awarded the Yale Men's Cross-Country Award for Performance and Dedication. He graduated from Jonathan Law High School of Milford in 1992.

In this week's episode, Maggie Mick hosts David Hallock, president of Two Capitols Consulting in Virginia. With 30 years of experience working in the Virginia Governor's office and General Assembly, the United States Senate, and the private sector, David is one of the most seasoned and respected operatives in the Commonwealth. Maggie and David walk through the evolving dynamics in this year's statewide election including gubernatorial and attorney general races and what could be in store in the closing weeks ahead of November's election. 

In today's episode, Maggie Mick hosts Bill Maer, senior partner wtih Public Impact Strategies. Bill is a well-respected New Jersey lobbyist and onetime political operative with a career spanning more than 30 years. He was appointed to Governor Phil Murphy's 2018 Transition Committee to advise the incoming Administration on State related policies. Maggie and Bill discuss the Garden State's colorful political dynamics and how historical trends could or could not apply to this year's gubernatorial race betweeen Jack Ciattarelli (R) and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D).

On today's special episode, Maggie Mick hosts Minnesota state Sen. Julia Coleman to reflect on the life and legacy of her friend and mentor Charlie Kirk. The conversation took place on September 12, two days after he was assassinated while addressing an audience on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah. Sen. Coleman began her political career on the staff of Turning Point USA and later became the youngest woman elected to the Minnesota state senate. 

On today's episode, Maggie Mick hosts Amanda Nguyen, President & CEO of the American Distilled Spirits Alliance. Amanda, an accomplished attorney and seasoned government affairs executive, recently took the helm at ADSA. The two discuss Amanda's time working in a state legislature, her path to Washington, D.C. and raising her daughter as a single mom while building a successful career. 

In today's episode, Maggie Mick sits down with Vartan Dijhanian, Director of Global Government Affairs for LAM Research. Vartan has worked on political campaigns since middle school and went on to serve on the staff for multiple Members of Congress before transitioning to the private sector. A native of Lebanon, he has a deep appreciation for American politics and how anyone can pursue public service and give back to their country. 

In this week's episode, Maggie Mick hosts T.J. Birkel, Head - Government Affairs, West, for Kroger and host of his own podcast, Common Fan. They chat about T.J.'s time on Capitol Hill, his transition to the private sector and state affairs, building businesses and of course, Nebraska football. Go Big Red.