Heartland Politics with Robin Johnson

AZ Senator Ruben Gallego analyzes the 2026 election results including the reasons for the unexpected Democratic wave, Latino, working class and rural voters, the Democratic agenda for 2027 and much more.

Nate Willems, Democratic candidiate for Iowa Attorney General, talks about his background and reasons for running, as well as key issues such as environmental protection, law enforcement, child protection, his priorities if elected, taking on big tech and AI, and much more.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird talks about major accomplishments during her first term in office, key issues involving child protection, law enforcement, and unsolved crime and her efforts on tech, AI, China and human trafficking.

State Senator Mike Halpin, Democrat representing the 36th District which includes the Illinois Quad Cities, talks about the high cost of gas, food and housing, education and workforce development, AI, the recent closure of the Tyson plant, and his priorities for another term.

Brad Beekman, Republican candidate for the 36th State Senate District in Illinois, talks about his background and reasons for running, and key issues including the high cost of living, property taxes, state spending, schools and much more.

State Rep, Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for the US Senate in Iowa, talks about how he would address high prices, managing trade with China, the war in Iran, bringing back manufacturing, AI, corruption, his choice of committees should he win and his major legislative priorities.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republican incumbent from Iowa's 1st congressional district, talks about ways to lower costs, tariffs, bringing back manufacturing jobs, corruption, the Farm Bill, AI and much more. She closes with her favorite musical performers -- different choices depending on what's facing her that day.

Christina Bohannan, Democratic candidate for Congress in Iowa's 1st district, talks about high costs for housing, health care, food and gas and how she would address them, tariff policy, the Farm Bill, corruption, AI, and the rural vote and ends with her favorite Johnny Cash song.

Evan Barker talks about her book, Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative that traces her rise from working class roots to consulting on major Democratic campaigns. Her initial enthusiasm during the Obama era turns into disappointment and disillusionment as the party turns away from its working class roots to focus on cultural issues. She addresses all this as well as her vote in the 2024 presidential race and advice for Democrats to recapture working class voters. Evan had a front row seat to the political realignment shaping our politics and her book is the most important of this campaign season to understand what's going on.

Rob Sand, Democratic candidate for Iowa Governor, talks about schools, the rising cancer rate in the state, government accountability & reform, data centers, economic growth, overcoming political polarization and much more.