Breaking Battlegrounds Thanksgiving Special
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we take a break from politics to put the spotlight on people who are working to make the world a better place. First, we are joined by Jacqueline Way, a world-renowned keynote speaker. Later in the program, Christena Durham of the Huntsman Foundation calls in to discuss their work to combat stigma around mental health challenges.
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Jacqueline Wayis a world-renowned keynote speaker with one of the most watched TEDx Talks “How to Be Happy Every Day – It Will Change the World.” She is a dedicated world changer serving humanity with love every day. Her soul purpose is to teach, inspire and empower the hearts and minds of people globally to create a happy, meaningful life and world together. She expresses her purpose through her global giving movement 365give. The charitable organization was created with her 3-year old son with a simple vision to “Change the World 1 give, 1 day at time.” She is committed to living the highest expression of who she is through her work, family and by touching the lives of others.
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Christina Durham is the Vice Chairwoman of the Huntsman Foundation. Christena serves on the boards of several charitable organizations, including the Huntsman Foundation, The Road Home, the Huntsman World Senior Games, the Carmen Pingree School for Autism, and the Moran Eye Center, and is committed to serving others. Christena is the mother of seven children and grandmother to several grandchildren.
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Erick Erickson on the Midterms, Georgia's Runoff, and 2024
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by syndicated radio host Erick Erickson for a look at last week’s election and what it might mean for the upcoming Georgia senate election and the 2024 presidential election.
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Erick, a native of Louisiana who grew up in Dubai, had been a practicing attorney for six years in Macon. He handled corporate law, estates, and elections. He served as a volunteer attorney for President Bush’s election and re-election. He managed and consulted on federal, state, and local campaigns. One day a partner in his law firm came in and asked him, “Do you know what the definition of a dumbass is?”
“No,” Erick replied.
“You,” the partner said. “Go do politics. That’s your passion.”
Two weeks before his wife gave birth to their first child, Erick told her he was leaving his law practice to become a full time blogger. Some friends had started the website RedState.com and they wanted to put him in charge of it. That was 2005.
Two years later, Erick was elected to city council in Macon, Georgia, where he served until being offered a job on radio full time at WSB.
In 2009, CNN hired Erick to be a political contributor. In 2010, the local radio host in Macon, Georgia got arrested then lost his job and the station needed someone to fill in quickly. They asked Erick, given his background on TV.
With no radio experience, Erick sat behind the microphone three hours a day every day for three months until they found a replacement. He got paid in an expired gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse. The replacement quickly got promoted to another market and Erick again went back, with no pay, to take the microphone until a replacement was found.
While there, a vacancy came open in Atlanta, Georgia on WSB Radio due to Herman Cain’s run for President.
On January 11, 2011, during an ice storm that forced Erick to sleep on the floor of his office his first week on radio, he started his show. He has been there ever since.
During his eight years on radio, Erick has been a regular guest host for Neal Boortz, Herman Cain, and Rush Limbaugh.
A few years ago, Erick also started work on his M.Div at Reformed Theological Seminary. He connects to his audience with a plethora of knowledge about politics, life, raising kids, and even cooking.
Erick lives in Macon, Georgia with his wife, two children, and golden doodle.
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George serves as President of Data Orbital and Managing Partner of The Resolute Group. For the last decade he has leveraged his political instincts, data expertise and strategic relationships to advance conservative clients and causes throughout Arizona and a growing number of states. He believes conservative policies create thriving communities and wants to arm conservative candidates and organizations with the best data, messaging, and strategy.
With a strong grassroots and data background, George has worked at the local, state and national levels. Under George’s leadership, Data Orbital is a top ranked survey research and data visualization firm that is known for its accuracy and transparency. Data Orbital was the most accurate firm that polled Arizona political races and is top rated by FiveThirtyEight. Data Orbital’s survey research has been featured in top news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, NBC News, Fox News, Fox Business, The Arizona Republic, LA Times and others.
As managing partner of The Resolute Group, he led the effort to keep the Arizona legislature conservative, playing in the most contentious districts and races across the state. He advises conservative candidates and organizations across the country on strategy. The firm is building a reputation for taking on and leaning into the toughest fights. They aim to shape the landscape, not merely exist in it.
George’s engagement is driven by his personal faith and his Lebanese heritage. He knows firsthand the price of freedom and the importance of protecting our core values and Constitutional rights. In addition to his domestic political work, George is engaged in efforts to advance democracy and prosperity in Lebanon and lift up the Lebanese people both in the United States and in Lebanon.
George graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, George currently lives in Phoenix, AZ. When he is not tracking local and national political developments and advising clients, George enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his two boys.
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Breaking Battlegrounds Midterm 2022 Analysis and Review
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Ryan Tyson of Florida’s Tyson Group and Rich Lowry of the National Review for a midterm election results recap.
Ryan Tyson is the President and managing partner of The Tyson Group, which is a center-right polling and market research firm with polling experience in 48 states.
He serves as Executive Director of Preserve the American Dream, a Florida based 501(c4) that primarily educates the public and media on quantitative and qualitative research it conducts across the state and around the country.
As a Florida based strategist, Tyson has developed multiple organizations devoted to fundraising, research, electioneering and independent expenditure efforts. He has served as strategist and pollster on multiple statewide ballot initiatives in Florida, using his research techniques to not only to craft successful ballot titles and summaries on ‘Yes’ campaigns, but also exposing the weaknesses in ‘No’ campaigns. He has also worked for some of the largest corporations in Florida and his political acumen and prowess are known to many across the country.
Tyson’s wide range of experience in all levels of national, state, and legislative campaigns and has made him a valuable asset in the Sunshine State. Having advised on multiple statewide campaigns including for former President Donald Trump’s Florida campaign, Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Rick Scott, Tyson’s unique mix of data driven campaign strategy has resulted in Florida Politics twice naming him as one of the top 100 “most influential people in Florida Politics.”
He received his Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Florida. He currently resides in Tallahassee with his wife, Mary Beth, and three sons, John David, Brennan and Benjamin.
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Rich Lowry is the editor in chief of National Review. He writes for Politico, and often appears on such public-affairs programs as Meet the Press. He is a regular panelist on the KCRW program Left, Right & Center. He is the author of Lincoln Unbound, The Case for Nationalism: How It Made Us Powerful, United, and Free, and Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years — a New York Times bestseller.
Lowry began his career as a research assistant for Charles Krauthammer. In 1997 he was selected by William F. Buckley to lead National Review.
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Congressman Byron Donalds on Getting Government to Work Again
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Republican candidate for Nevada's governor, Sheriff Joe Lombardo, and Congressman Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida's 19th congressional district.
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Joe Lombardo began his service to others in the United States Army and served bravely in the Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve - protecting Americans both domestically and abroad. After his service to his country, Joe dedicated himself to protecting our communities – serving in law enforcement over the last 30 years.
Joe quickly rose through the ranks of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and, after 26 years on the force, was elected as Sheriff of Clark County, Nevada in 2014.
Throughout Joe’s career, his leadership of our communities has never faltered. He now intends to further his public service and represent, protect, and serve the entire state of Nevada.
Sheriff Lombardo maintains professional affiliations which include Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), National Sheriffs Association (NSA), FBI – Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA), Vice-Chair Nevada Commission for Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy Associates.
He has also served as Board Member for the LVMPD Foundation (2007-2014), After School All-Stars (2015-2020), Goodwill of Southern Nevada (2007-2009), Make A Wish (2015-2020), Committee Member for the NV Communications Steering Committee (2012-2014) and MCC’s representative to the Public Safety Advisory Committee (2012-2014). Joe currently serves as a Board Member for Nevada Child Seekers and Chairman of MCCA Intelligence Committee.
Sheriff Lombardo holds a B.S. and a M.S. in crisis management, both from UNLV.
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Byron Donalds grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and he is also the proud son of a hardworking and loving single mother. His mother dedicated her time instilling in him that greatness requires sacrifice, which drives him as a devoted family man and United States Congressman.
Byron is a graduate of Florida State University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and marketing. Byron's career led him to Southwest Florida, where he worked in the banking, finance, and insurance industries. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, Byron represented Hendry County and east Collier County in the State Capitol. During his tenure in the Florida House, Byron served as the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee Chair during the 2018-2019 Legislative Session and served as the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee's Chairman 2019-2020 Legislative Session. While serving in the Florida House, primarily focused on elder affairs, criminal justice reform, and ensuring that each child has access to a world-class education.
Byron is committed to serving and giving back to the community that gave him so much. He has served Southwest Florida in many ways, including previously serving on the Board of Trustees for Florida Southwestern State College after being appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott. Byron continues to volunteer in his church as a youth leader and a mentor. He also enjoys volunteering as a coach in youth football and basketball leagues.
Congressman Byron Donalds lives in Naples, Florida, with his wife, Erika, and their three sons: Damon, Darin, and Mason. Byron has spent his entire adult life serving others, whether it be through volunteering, business, or leadership. He is committed to representing Florida's 19th Congressional District's conservative values in Washington DC to ensure a stronger Florida and a stronger nation.
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Lt Governor Geoff Duncan on Georgia's Midterm Message
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan. Later in the show, we are joined by David Drucker and Joe Simonson for their analysis and predictions for the 2022 midterms.
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A former professional athlete and successful entrepreneur, Geoff Duncan was elected Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor in November of 2018.
A former professional baseball player and successful entrepreneur, Geoff Duncan was elected Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor in November of 2018. After a successful career as a scholarship pitcher at Georgia Tech, Geoff was drafted by the Florida Marlins’ organization where he spent six seasons playing baseball in the minor leagues.
Lt. Governor Duncan has established himself as a bold leader and champion for healthcare, technology, and economic development. His business experience and outlook allow him to bring a common sense private sector approach to state government, which has resulted in significant legislative achievements throughout his time in office.
A cornerstone of his accomplishments, Lt. Governor Duncan was instrumental in building a historic bi-partisan coalition to pass Georgia’s Hate Crimes Law and repeal the state’s archaic Citizen’s Arrest Law. Furthering his motto of putting “policy over politics,” Lt. Governor Duncan championed multiple bi-partisan policy initiatives during the 2022 Legislative Session that focused on enhancing public safety and generating support for aged-out foster youth.
Mere months before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Geoff unveiled the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (“PIN”), a public-private partnership that leads coordinated, statewide efforts to position Georgia as the Technology Capital of the East Coast. PIN is comprised of leaders across the state who are united by their vision to advance Georgia, and are committed to prioritizing technology advancement. PIN guides and supports pilot programs that help foster access, growth, entrepreneurship, and innovation throughout the state – charting a bold path forward for Georgia's future.
Geoff is the author of the recently published book titled, "GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party."
Notwithstanding his many accomplishments in private and public life, Geoff is most proud to be a husband, and a father of three young men.
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David M. Drucker is the senior political correspondent for the Washington Examiner. He has previously reported for CQ Roll Call and the Los Angeles Daily News.
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Joe Simonson is a senior investigative reporter for the Washington Free Beacon. He previously worked as an investigative reporter and campaign correspondent for the Washington Examiner. His work has appeared in the New York Post, the American Conservative, and National Review. He lives in Washington, DC. His Twitter handle is @SaysSimonson.
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Blake Masters on Border Security, Fentanyl, and Rising Crime
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined first by Republican candidate for United States Senate in Arizona, Blake Masters. Later in the program, Congressman Drew Ferguson of Georgia calls into the show. Finally, we are joined in studio by Timothy Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute.
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Blake grew up in Tucson, Arizona. In 2012, he married his high school sweetheart, Catherine. Happily married for 10 years now, Blake and Catherine are raising and homeschooling their three beautiful boys, Miles, Graham, and Rex.
After graduating from Stanford and Stanford Law School, Blake co-founded a successful software startup called Judicata. In 2014, he co-authored the #1 New York Times bestseller Zero to One. Having sold more than 4 million copies, it’s the world’s most popular book on startups and venture capital.
In 2015 Blake became President of the Thiel Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes science and innovation. The Foundation’s Thiel Fellowship Program has paid 225 young people to drop out of college so that they can create new companies. Businesses started by Thiel Fellows are together now worth more than $45 billion! From 2018 to 2022, Blake was Chief Operating Officer at Thiel Capital, an investment firm that specializes in the technology sector, where he helped grow assets under management by billions of dollars.
Blake also joined President Trump’s transition team in 2016. Blake saw firsthand how deep The Swamp really is and how establishment forces immediately tried to undermine President Trump’s MAGA agenda. Now Blake is putting his successful business career on hold to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate because the same old establishment politicians and the same old establishment candidates have failed us. He brings a wealth of experience to the table on how to defeat not just the progressive Democrats, but also the weak and compromised RINO Republicans.
America is in decline and the world is a dangerous place. Blake uniquely understands the modern threats that we face.
At home, we see an unholy alliance between Big Government, Big Tech and Big Business, who collude to wreak havoc on our economy, destroy our border, impose their radically liberal ideology on our culture, and censor any dissent. Blake uniquely gets how this regime, working hand in hand with the Democrats, is weaponizing technology to destroy America as we know it.
Abroad, we see the menace of authoritarian countries like China. Blake has an unrivaled understanding of how China uses technology to not only control and terrorize its own citizens, but also to steal our intellectual property and wage digital warfare against America.
As a father, Blake’s #1 priority is to ensure America (and Arizona!) remains the best place in the world to raise a family. To do that, we need to make sure America is still recognizable by the time our children are grown. Blake will lead as we fight for our culture.
The failures of current leaders like Joe Biden and Mark Kelly have made our situation dire. But Blake rejects the feelings of hopelessness that they are pushing on us. Blake knows that we can win, and we must win. But winning requires electing innovative leaders who truly understand what is happening in this country, and how to restore American freedom and greatness. As a lifelong Arizonan and someone with deep experience in business and the technology industry, Blake is the only one in this race with the necessary skills and background to win the fight in Washington.
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Congressman Ferguson represents Georgia's 3rd Congressional District and is the Chief Deputy Whip for House Republicans. He also serves on the Committee on Ways and Means.
Congressman Drew Ferguson is a proud native of West Point whose family roots in the West Georgia area are several generations deep. He attended the University of Georgia and gained early acceptance to the Medical College of Georgia. After graduating with a degree in dental medicine, he moved back to his hometown and established a successful family dental practice.
In 2008, Congressman Ferguson was elected mayor of West Point and was at the forefront of attracting and keeping jobs in his community. By lowering taxes, eliminating government barriers and reforming education, he led a community in economic ruin back to life. Today, a wide range of new businesses and industries call West Point and the surrounding area home. Led by KIA Motors, automotive suppliers and related businesses, 16,000 new jobs have been created so far. Congressman Ferguson came to Washington to apply the lessons he learned revitalizing West Point to creating policies that once again make America the most competitive place to do business.
Just as important as the creation of jobs, Congressman Ferguson wants to remove barriers that prevent those in poverty from moving into the middle class. Smart and effective welfare entitlement reform that actually helps people move ahead rather than trapping them in a cycle of poverty is the first step. Congressman Ferguson believes these problems cannot simply be regulated away, but should look for solutions that get government out of the way of American innovation growth. This is as much a moral issue as it is a practical matter.
Drew and his wife, Julie, reside in The Rock, Georgia, and together they have six children: Anderson Drew Ferguson V, Lucy, Mary Parks, Thad, Elizabeth, and Olivia.
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Timothy Sandefur is the Vice President for Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation and holds the Duncan Chair in Constitutional Government. He litigates important cases for economic liberty, private property rights, free speech, and other matters in states across the country.
Timothy is the author of several books, including Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man (2018), Cornerstone of Liberty: Property Rights in 21st Century America (coauthored with Christina Sandefur, 2016), The Permission Society (2016), The Conscience of The Constitution (2014), and The Right to Earn A Living (2010), as well as more than 50 scholarly articles on subjects ranging from Indian law and antitrust to copyright law, the constitutional issues involved in the Civil War, and the political philosophy of Shakespeare, ancient Greek drama, and Star Trek. A frequent guest on radio and television, he is well known to radio audiences as “Tim the Lawyer” on the Armstrong and Getty Program, and his writings have appeared in Reason, National Review, the Claremont Review of Books, The Weekly Standard, The Wall Street Journal, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Objective Standard, where he is a contributing editor. He teaches public interest litigation at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School.
He is an Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute and is a graduate of Hillsdale College and Chapman University School of Law.
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Abe Hamadeh on Securing Arizona's Border
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Abe Hamadeh, Republican candidate for Arizona Attorney General. Later in the show, award winning filmmaker Jeff Hays joins us to bring the story of the real Anthony Fauci.
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Abraham is an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and just returned from a 14 month long deployment to Saudi Arabia. On behalf of the United States Army, Abraham negotiated military sales and managed the training for Saudi Arabia’s domestic security forces both in the Kingdom and in the United States. He implemented the first of its kind new enhanced security vetting in response to the 2019 Pensacola terrorist attack. His direct counterparts were generals, colonels, and lieutenant colonels in the Saudi forces as well as high ranking civilians in their respective ministries. Abraham’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, and Overseas Service Ribbon among others.
Abraham is a former prosecutor of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Abraham has appeared in court to prosecute criminals, uphold victims’ rights, and seek justice for the community. Abraham earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Arizona State University and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona College of Law. During his law studies, Abraham was awarded the Udall Fellowship by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council which placed him at the city, county, state, and federal prosecutor offices.
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Jeff Hays, an award winning filmmaker and television producer since the early nineties, gained national attention with Fahrenhype 9/11 (2004), a response to Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11. He followed that with On Native Soil (2006). Narrated by Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank, the documentary focused on the perspective of surviving family members of 9/11 victims and their efforts to create the 9/11 Commission. The film was acquired by Lions Gate and NBC and was short-listed for an Academy Award.
Hays produced a yearlong television series for Lifetime Television, and then returned to documentary film with Doctored in 2012, and Bought in 2014.
In 2017, Jeff partnered with Dr. Patrick Gentempo to create Revealed Films. and together, they have released nine multi-part series covering subjects including, health and nutrition, medical issues, wealth- building, religious and political topics. (Money Revealed, Wine Revealed, Christ Revealed, Supplements Revealed, GMOs Revealed, and Vaccines Revealed,etc.) Revealed Films launches 3-4 series each year adding the rich stream of information they’ve produced in the past. Revealed is currently finishing a series on the use of psychedelics in therapy called Mind If I Wake You Up, and filming for a new series on marriage and relationships.
In addition to the Revealed projects Jeff Hays Films was the Executive Producer for The Fix, a documentary series based on Johann Hari’s NY Times bestseller, Chasing the Scream. The Fix was acquired by Jeffrey Katzenberg’s company, Quibi. JHF has acquired the rights to two other books to produce via film, the NY Times bestseller, Lost Connections, by Johann Hari and The Bad One, by Erin Tyler.
JHF has partnered with Josh Bezoni, Gia Walsh and Brookwell McNamara entertainment to produce Woke AF, a JP Sears comedy. Additionally, JHF is producing a series with Adam Carolla on resilience, and The Millionaire Within Her with Kristi Frank.
Jeff resides in the mountains of Utah with love of his life, Dori. They work out of Jeff Hays Films’ soundstage and studio in Midvale UT. Together they have 11 children and many grandchildren.
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Mike Pompeo on Protecting America on the World Stage
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by former Secretary of State and former CIA Director Mike Pompeo. Later in the show, Brian Domitrovic calls in to talk about Biden’s inflation.
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Michael R. Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State of the United States, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and was elected to four terms in Congress representing the Fourth District of Kansas. He is a distinguished fellow at Hudson Institute, where he focuses on promoting U.S. national security, technological leadership and global engagement.
Mike graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986. He served as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, leading troops patrolling the Iron Curtain, rising to the rank of Captain. Mike left the military in 1991 and then graduated from Harvard Law School, having served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.
Up next was almost a decade leading two manufacturing businesses in South Central Kansas – first in the aerospace industry and then making energy drilling and production equipment. These two companies made real stuff and provided high – quality jobs for hundreds of hard-working Kansans.
In 2010, Mike watched government grow too big and decided to run for Congress. He won and was re-elected three more times to represent South Central Kansas – the heartland of America. Despite being an outsider and fairly junior, Mike played important roles on the House Benghazi and House Intelligence Committees, working to keep our soldiers and diplomats safe and America more secure.
Becoming America’s most senior spy, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was Mike’s next chance to champion American values. He improved collection and operations and made sure that American leaders had the best information in the world to make decisions that impacted the lives of every American and the generations behind us.
President Donald Trump saw that good work and decided to make Mike America’s 70th Secretary of State. As our nation’s most senior diplomat in the Trump Administration and President Trump’s chief negotiator, Mike helped to craft U.S. foreign policy based on our nation’s founding ideals that put America First. America became a massive energy exporter and a force for good in the Middle East with real peace cemented in the Abraham Accords. Mike placed special emphasis on renewing alliances with key allies, including India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. He also led a return to America’s founding principles and a focus on every human life being worthy and the protection of the unborn. The largest human rights gatherings ever held at the State Department occurred under his leadership.
Mike’s time at the State Department marked the end of naïve engagement with the Chinese Communist Party, pulling back the curtain shielding the egregious acts of the CCP that threaten American jobs and freedoms. He focused efforts on calling out and punishing perpetrators of attacks on basic human dignity in places like Cuba and Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, Nigeria, China and elsewhere. Mike also led a team that executed America’s largest ever global repatriation effort in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Married to Susan, Mike and his wife have one son, Nick. The Pompeos dedicated many volunteer hours to their home church — including teaching 5th grade Sunday School and Mike’s time as a church Deacon. The Pompeos also volunteered on numerous educational, fine arts and local government programs and projects. Nick’s Dad also went undefeated as a coach of his son’s 3 on 3 team in summer league. Mike and Susan’s two retrievers, Sherman and Mercer, each named after important American generals, are patriots too!
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Brian Domitrovic is the Richard S. Strong Scholar at the Laffer Center in Nashville. He is the author or editor of six books including the standard history of supply-side economics, "Econoclasts" (2009). His forthcoming book, “Taxes Have Consequences,” co-authored with Art Laffer and Jeanne Sinquefield, recounts how the income tax's top rate has determined the fate of the American economy since it was first adopted in 1913.
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Dr. Aaron Friedberg on China
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Dr. Aaron Friedberg, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and an expert on China. Later in the show, Kerry Picket of the Washington Times calls in to discuss some of the week’s biggest headlines.
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Aaron L. Friedberg is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on China and US-China relations, great-power competition, and US foreign and defense policy. Concurrently, he is a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, where he is codirector of the Center for International Security Studies.
Dr. Friedberg serves on the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. In addition, he is a counselor of the National Bureau of Asian Research, nonresident senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and president and founding board member of the Alexander Hamilton Society. From 2003 to 2005, Dr. Friedberg served as deputy assistant for national security affairs in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. After leaving government, he was appointed to the Defense Policy Board and the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Democracy Promotion.
Dr. Friedberg is the author, coauthor, or editor of several books, monographs, and book chapters. His books include Getting China Wrong (Polity Books, June 2022); Beyond Air-Sea Battle: The Debate over US Military Strategy in Asia(Routledge, 2014); A Contest for Supremacy: China, America, and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia (W. W. Norton & Company, 2011); In the Shadow of the Garrison State: America’s Anti-Statism and Its Cold War Grand Strategy(Princeton University Press, 2000); and The Weary Titan: Britain and the Experience of Relative Decline, 1895–1905(Princeton University Press, 1988).
Dr. Friedberg has been widely published in policy journals, academic publications, and the popular press, including in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Commentary, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, War on the Rocks, the American Political Science Review, Asia Policy, China Economic Quarterly International, Daedalus, Harvard International Review, and Washington Quarterly.
Dr. Friedberg has a PhD and AB in government from Harvard University.
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Kerry Picket is a senior congressional reporter for The Washington Times and fill-in radio host at SiriusXM Patriot 125. She previously covered the hill at other DC-based outlets including the Daily Caller and the Washington Examiner. Before that, she produced news for Robin Quivers of The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM, wrote entertainment news for MTV Radio, and worked as a production assistant at MTV.com. She appears frequently as a guest commentator on cable news programs and syndicated radio shows.
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Tim Ballard on Rescuing OUR Children
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by the founders of two incredible organizations. First, Tim Ballard calls into the show with a look at how Operation Underground Railroad is rescuing children from the horrors of sex trafficking. Later, Marcee and Lance Foster of REACH Humanity join us to share how they are helping Ukrainian refugees.
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Timothy Ballard is the Founder and President of Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.). He is also CEO of The Nazarene Fund which seeks to save oppressed religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East. Ballard spent over a decade working as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security where he was assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and deployed as an undercover operative for the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team.
He has worked every type of case imaginable in the fight to dismantle child trafficking rings. Ballard has worked undercover in the United States and in multiple foreign countries to infiltrate child trafficking organizations. In this effort, he has successfully dismantled dozens of these organizations and rescued countless children from slavery and exploitation. He is an expert at managing Internet investigations, particularly those dealing with file-share networks where pedophiles and traffickers go to trade child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He has trained hundreds of law enforcement officers and has testified before the United States Congress on best practices to liberate children from sex slavery.
In 2013, Ballard and a team of former government operatives left their careers to go about the work of saving children as a private foundation, Operation Underground Railroad.
After serving a church mission to Chile, Ballard graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Spanish and Political Science from Brigham Young University. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with an MA in International Politics from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He resides in California with his wife and children.
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Lance and Marcee Foster have always had a passion for Humanitarian work.For years; they have taken their family to the far corners of the world serving.They have long had the dream of starting a non profit to provide humanitarian aid to those most in need.
While REACH Humanity has been in the works for years; the timing has been right to start it now.The goal of REACH Humanity is to raise funds and awareness and then travel right into the heart of the crisis; those parts of the world that have been ravaged by war, natural disasters, political unrest or extreme poverty.We want to lift and serve where the need is acute and the impact immediate.
Following an overwhelming feeling to travel to Poland to help with the Ukrainian refugees; the Foster family realized with absolutely clarity that the need is overwhelming.Women and children are fleeing with the clothes on their backs to a place that really isn’t equipped to handle them.Generous donations have poured in from friends, family and strangers.But the need remains vast.
Now; REACH Ukraine has become the first project of REACH Humanity.While we are learning and adapting our mission in real time.The impact that we have had through generous online donations and an amazing army of boots on the ground volunteers has been overwhelming.
We hope to continue our efforts as we build out our infrastructure and fundraising ability past our own community.The structure is being put in place to create a lasting organization that will be able to impact those in need for years to come.Please join us on this journey. We have been able to serve many but there are SO many more in need of help. Our help.
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Austin Knudsen on the Fentanyl Crisis and Increasing Energy Costs
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Austin Knudsen, Republican Attorney General for Montana. Later in the show, Michael McKenna of the Washington Times calls into the show.
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Austin Knudsen grew up just outside of Culbertson, in the northeast corner of Montana, where his family has farmed and ranched for five generations. Austin grew up participating in 4-H, raising steers to show at the fair, and Future Farmers of America (FFA) throughout high school. In fact, Austin met his wife, Christie, while they both served as FFA State Officers during their freshman year at Montana State University-Bozeman.
Austin put himself through college in Bozeman working jobs at the local butcher shop and a hardware store, and returning each summer to work on the family farm and ranch, growing wheat and sugar beets, and raising angus cattle. Austin and Christie were married shortly after graduation and moved to Missoula where Austin earned his law degree from the University of Montana.
After law school, Austin and Christie moved their young family back to the farm and ranch where Austin worked at a law firm in Plentywood before opening his own practice in Culbertson. As a private attorney, Austin represented just about every kind of legal case imaginable, including estate planning, probate, civil litigation, land use, oil and gas, and real estate transactions.
In 2010, Austin defeated a two-term incumbent and was elected to serve as the Representative for House District 34. While serving in Helena, Austin quickly noticed the extent of the disconnect between Helena bureaucrats and the political insiders and the rest of the people across Montana, so he pursued leadership roles in his caucus and was elected Speaker Pro Tempore during his second session. During his third and fourth sessions in 2015 and 2017, Austin was elected by all 100 members of the House of Representatives to lead them as Speaker of the House. Austin was one of the youngest people to serve as Speaker in Montana history — and in the nation. Austin was also the only two-term Speaker since term limits were imposed.
The Knudsen family lived just about as far from Helena as any other legislator, so during the sessions Austin and Christie and their three kids — Leah, Connor, and Reagan — would move as a family to Helena. As a Legislator and Speaker, Austin worked to ensure his constituents had a voice, and that taxpayers were getting the most out of the hard-earned money they send to the state. In addition to his maximum four legislative sessions, Austin presided over a 2017 Special Session in which he led a united Republican caucus to defeat multiple tax increase attempts by the Governor.
Back in Culbertson as a private attorney, Austin was astounded by the lack of prosecutions coming out of the County Attorney’s office, and the illegal drugs and related crime that was devastating his community. Following a drive-by shooting outside of their kids’ school, Austin and Christie knew they had to do more to make their community safe, and in 2018 Austin was elected Roosevelt County Attorney.
As a county prosecutor, Austin worked hand-in-hand with the full range of law enforcement personnel, including on the Fort Peck Reservation, to ramp up prosecutions and put violent offenders behind bars. In 2020, Austin ran for Montana Attorney General because the illegal drug pandemic and resulting violence are a statewide problem. In fact, violent crime has increased more than 30% in just over a decade.
As Attorney General, Austin has made combating the drug pandemic and supporting law enforcement a main focus — ensuring that Montana is a safe place to live and raise a family.
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Michael McKenna, a columnist for The Washington Times, is the president of MWR Strategies. He was most recently a deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the White House. He can be reached at mike@mwrstrat.com.
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Congressman Andy Biggs on Immigration and Border Security
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Congressman Andy Biggs, Republican from Arizona’s 5th Congressional District.
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Andy Biggs was first elected to serve the people of Arizona’s Fifth District in 2016. He currently serves on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
From 2019 through 2021, he served as Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. He is currently co-chair of the Border Security Caucus, Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, and a co-founder of the bipartisan War Powers Caucus.
Prior to his election to Congress, Andy served in the Arizona State House of Representatives for eight years, and in the Arizona State Senate for six years. In 2012, Andy was elected Senate President.
Andy received his B.A. in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University, his J.D. from University of Arizona, and his M.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University.
An Arizona native, Andy and his wife, Cindy, have lived in Gilbert for 35 years. They have six children and are the grandparents of eight grandchildren.
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Dennis Prager on COVID, Education, and Radio Success
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined in studio by best selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Dennis Prager.
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Dennis Prager is a best-selling author, columnist and nationally syndicated radio talk show host based in Los Angeles and heard on 150 stations across the country.
A Fellow at Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, where he did graduate work at the Middle East and Russian Institutes, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Delegation to the Vienna Review Conference on the Helsinki Accords, and by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. He holds an honorary doctorate of law from Pepperdine University.
A highly sought-after speaker and frequent cable news show guest, Dennis has lectured all over the world. His New York Times best-selling books includeThink a Second Time,Happiness is a Serious ProblemandStill the Best Hope: Why American Values Must Triumph. His newest book isThe Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code.
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Matthew Continetti on the Evolution of the Right
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Matthew Continetti, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the new book The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. Later in the show, we check in with Tom Horne, Republican candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction.
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Matthew Continettiis a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work is focused on American political thought and history, with a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century.
A prominent journalist, analyst, author, and intellectual historian of the right, Mr. Continetti was the founding editor and the editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon. Previously, he was opinion editor at The Weekly Standard.
Mr. Continetti is also a contributing editor at National Review and a columnist for Commentary Magazine. He has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. He also appears frequently on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” with Bret Baier and MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily” with Chuck Todd.
Mr. Continetti is the author of two books: “The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star” (Sentinel, 2009) and “The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine” (Doubleday, 2006).
He has a BA in history from Columbia University.
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Tom Horne is a candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Mr. Horne has served both his community and our state impressively in several elected offices: Paradise Valley School Board member and president; Legislator where he was chair of the academic accountability committee; Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction; and, Arizona Attorney General. As Superintendent, he is most famous for enforcing the English immersion mandate for mostly Spanish-speaking children and getting rid of La Raza studies in Tucson schools. As Attorney General, he earned acclaim for winning lawsuits for Arizona that he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez on Florida's Incredible Success
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Florida’s Lieutenant Governor JeanetteNuñez to learn more about the many incredible successes she and Governor Ron DeSantis have had in Florida. Later in the show, David Drucker of the Washington Examiner joins us to break down the week’s biggest headlines and offer his insight into upcoming elections nationwide.
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Jeanette M.Nuñezwas born and raised in Miami, Florida. She was elected as Florida’s First Hispanic Female Lieutenant Governor of Florida in 2018. She previously served as a State Representative of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and was named Speaker Pro Tempore from 2016 to 2018.
In November 2016, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezwas named Speaker Pro Tempore of the Florida House of Representatives. She served as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and served on the Rules and Policy Committee. She was appointed Chair of the Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. In the past, she chaired the Health Quality Subcommittee, Government Operations and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, and Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee.
She began her healthcare career working at Jackson Health System in 2004 as the State Director for Government Relations and handled all aspects of the organization’s state affairs. In 2006, she was promoted to Vice President of Government Relations and was responsible for overseeing the advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal level. In addition to her duties, she served on numerous boards and healthcare organizations, including the National Association of Public Hospitals Fellowship Program. In 2010, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezjoined Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) as their Vice President of Community Affairs for both Kendall Regional Medical Center and Aventura Hospital and Medical Center. She oversaw their community outreach for 3 and half years and was responsible fora number ofmarketing and business development initiatives.
In late 2013, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezbegan her own consulting firm, OnPoint Strategies. She has been working with Jackson Health System, providing them with strategic advice on service line and business development. She has also been tasked to work with the Managed Care Department and Population Health.
Over the years, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezhas demonstrated her ongoing commitment to the South Florida community through her active involvement in various local organizations and professional groups. She has been involved with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Miami, WHEN, and Women in Government. In 2007, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezwas named Hispanic Woman of Distinction. From 2007 – 2015, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezserved on the Board of Kristi House, an organization dedicated to children who are victims of sexualabuse. Additionally, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezserved as a member of the Statewide Council of Human Trafficking. The 15-member Council, chaired by State Attorney General Pam Bondi, was created to support victims of human trafficking by enhancing the available care options. Recently, Lieutenant GovernorNuñezwas appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board which sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card. She was also appointed to the Constitution Revision Commission which examined the Florida Constitution, identified issues, performed research and possible recommendations to amend the Florida Constitution.
Lieutenant GovernorNuñezis a proud graduate of Florida International University (FIU) and a lifetime member of the FIU Alumni Association. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Political Science, her Master of Public Administration from FIU, and a Six Sigma Certificate from the University of Miami.Lieutenant GovernorNuñezhasserved in the past as an adjunct professor at Florida International University. She is also a graduate from Leadership Miami. Lieutenant GovernorNuñezattends Christ Fellowship West Kendall Campus. Lieutenant GovernorNuñezis married to her husband of 23 years, AdrianNuñez, and together they are the proud parents of three children – Megan age 20; Justin, age 17; and Jason, age 12.
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David M. Druckeris a senior correspondent for the Washington Examiner, where he focuses on Congress, campaigns, and national political trends. Prior to joining theWashington Examiner, he was a reporter forRoll Call, a newspaper in Washington, D.C. Before joiningRoll Call, Drucker covered California politics, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, from the Sacramento bureau of theLos Angeles Daily News. Drucker graduated from UCLA with a BA in history, and spent eight years managing a family-run manufacturing business in Southern California, giving him a unique perspective on how what happens inside the Beltway affects the rest of the country. Drucker is aVanity Faircontributing writer and regular on cable news and nationally syndicated radio programs. A native of Los Angeles, Drucker resides on Capitol Hill with his wife and two sons.
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George Khalaf and Mike Noble on Arizona Primary Predictions
With just a few days left before Arizona’s primary election, we are joined this week by two of Arizona’s top pollsters, George Khalaf and Mike Noble, for their final predictions and analysis of the election so far. Later in the show, Chuck and Sam talk with Mark Finchem, a member of the Arizona Legislature and current candidate for Secretary of State.
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George Khalaf serves as President of Data Orbital and Managing Partner of The Resolute Group. For the last decade he has leveraged his political instincts, data expertise and strategic relationships to advance conservative clients and causes throughout Arizona and a growing number of states. He believes conservative policies create thriving communities and wants to arm conservative candidates and organizations with the best data, messaging, and strategy.With a strong grassroots and data background, George has worked at the local, state and national levels. Under George’s leadership, Data Orbital is a top ranked survey research and data visualization firm that is known for its accuracy and transparency. Data Orbital was the most accurate firm that polled Arizona political races and is top rated by FiveThirtyEight. Data Orbital’s survey research has been featured in top news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, NBC News, Fox News, Fox Business, The Arizona Republic, LA Times and others.As managing partner of The Resolute Group, he led the effort to keep the Arizona legislature conservative, playing in the most contentious districts and races across the state. He advises conservative candidates and organizations across the country on strategy. The firm is building a reputation for taking on and leaning into the toughest fights. They aim to shape the landscape, not merely exist in it.George’s engagement is driven by his personal faith and his Lebanese heritage. He knows firsthand the price of freedom and the importance of protecting our core values and Constitutional rights. In addition to his domestic political work, George is engaged in efforts to advance democracy and prosperity in Lebanon and lift up the Lebanese people both in the United States and in Lebanon.George graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, George currently lives in Phoenix, AZ. When he is not tracking local and national political developments and advising clients, George enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his two boys.
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Mike Noble is the Chief of Research & Managing Partner of OH Predictive Insights (OHPI), a sister company of Arizona’s largest advertising agency, OH Partners. Noble is a thought leader on public opinion tracking and analysis and is known for being a trailblazer in the rapidly changing fields of predictive insights and market research.Mike found a passion for politics while working for an Arizona Congressman before starting OHPI, the premier non-partisan Arizona polling and consulting firm. Since then, Mike has become one of the top pollsters in the West, working with clients throughout Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.Mike’s approach involves getting in the trenches with his clients, striving to fully understand their businesses and goals with the result of providing accurate, unbiased, and actionable information. He is known for his presentations, public and private speaking engagements, and interviews where he interprets the meaning of the data. Providing this insight has led to interviews with The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Politico, The Hill, The Guardian, TIME magazine, Huffington Post, LA Times, BBC World News, and other respected television and radio outlets.Mike graduated from Arizona State University and is married to Rebecca Noble with whom he has one-year-old twin boys, Tommy and Teddy.
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Mark Finchem is a candidate for Arizona Secretary of State. Living outside of Kalamazoo, Mark worked as a farmer and rancher in a small rural community. When he retired, Mark moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he worked in leadership roles in both small business and a multi-million dollar software company. In the private sector he earned a Six Sigma Certification in process excellence. Integrity we can trust. Hon. Finchem was originally elected to serve in the 2015 Legislature, Mark is now in his 4th and final term. Arizona has term limits, and Representatives are allowed 4 consecutive terms.-
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David Catanese on Liz Cheney, the Midterms, and What It All Means for Trump
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by David Catanese, a Washington-based political reporter and the author of the blog Too Close to Call. Later in the show, Dan McLaughlin calls in to remember his uncle, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, who sadly passed away this week.
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David Catanese is a national political correspondent for McClatchy in Washington. He’s covered campaigns for more than a decade, previously working at U.S. News & World Report and Politico. Prior to that he was a television reporter for NBC affiliates in Missouri and North Dakota.
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Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com, BostonSportsGuy.com, the Providence Journal Online, and a contributor to the Command Post. His writings on politics, baseball, and law have appeared in numerous other newspapers, magazines, websites, and legal journals.
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Greg Lukianoff on Protecting Free Speech Culture
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Later in the show, Mike Mazza joins the show to talk about China’s aggression towards Taiwan.
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Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Freedom From Speech, and FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus. Most recently, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure with Jonathan Haidt. This New York Times best-seller expands on their September 2015 Atlantic cover story of the same name. Greg is also an Executive Producer of Can We Take a Joke? (2015), a feature-length documentary that explores the collision between comedy, censorship, and outrage culture, both on and off campus, and of Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020), an award-winning feature-length film about the life and career of former ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser.
Greg has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and numerous other publications. He frequently appears on TV shows and radio programs, including the CBS Evening News, The Today Show, and NPR’s Morning Edition. In 2008, he became the first-ever recipient of the Playboy Foundation’s Freedom of Expression Award, and he has testified before both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives about free speech issues on America’s college campuses.
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Michael Mazza is a nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI), and the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). He analyzes U.S. defense policy in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese military modernization, cross-Taiwan Strait relations, Korean Peninsula security, and U.S. interests in Southeast Asia. Mazza writes regularly for the Global Taiwan Brief, GTI's biweekly publication, and he has contributed to numerous AEI studies on American grand strategy in Asia, U.S. defense strategy in the Asia-Pacific, and Taiwanese defense strategy. His published work includes pieces in The Wall Street Journal Asia, Los Angeles Times, and Foreign Affairs.
Mazza has an MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies and a BA in history from Cornell University. He has lived in China where he attended the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
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Burgess Owens, Jackie Toledo, and Mark DeLuzio on Fighting Wokeness in Congress
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam have an all-star guest line up. First, Congressman Burgess Owens calls us from the Republican cloakroom as he prepares for a vote on the Democrats’ controversial abortion bill. Later in the show, we are joined by Jackie Toledo, current Republican member of Florida’s House of Representatives and candidate for Congress. Through it all, we are joined in studio by Mark DeLuzio, Republican candidate for Congress in Arizona’s Second Congressional District.
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Mark DeLuzio was the first in his family to earn a college degree. After college, Mark was successful in the corporate world, advising senior executives on strategy and tactics in a multitude of diverse industries. For the past 20 years, Mark has been a successful entrepreneur as the founder of a global management consulting company and has received international acclaim as a leader in his field. Mark has been married to his college sweetheart, Diane, for 41 years. They have two sons, Scott and Steven, who joined the military after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Steve was killed in action in Afghanistan while his brother Scott was fighting just miles away. Like their two sons, Mark and his wife continue to give back to America by dedicating themselves to various military charities. Mark has also helped countless Veterans to start successful businesses. When elected, Mark will be the first Gold Star Father to serve in the US Congress. Mark and Diane have three beautiful grandchildren who are the joy of their lives.
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Burgess Owens is the Congressman from Utah’s Fourth Congressional District. Born in the segregated South, he saw people of all backgrounds come together to work tirelessly against adversity.
As a young man, Burgess was one of the first four black athletes recruited to play football at the University of Miami and the third black student there to receive a scholarship. He was the 13th pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft and joined the New York Jets, later playing safety for ten seasons in the NFL for the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders, winning the Superbowl with the 1980 Raiders’ team.
After retiring from the NFL, Burgess worked in the corporate sales world and eventually moved the Owens family to beautiful Utah. Before being elected to Congress, he started Second Chance 4 Youth, a non-profit dedicated to helping troubled and incarcerated youth.
Burgess now serves as a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and House Judiciary Committee. Burgess believes in dreaming big and follows the four guiding principles of faith, family, free markets, and education.
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Representative Jackie Toledo is a Member of the Florida House of Representatives in the 60th District which includes Town 'n Country, South Tampa, and a stretch of the coast in Southern Hillsborough County to Ruskin. She’s a single mother of five with an adopted son and serving. She’s also an engineer by trade… not a lawyer. She was born in Lima, Peru.
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Andy Gould and Stephen Richer on Arizona's Primary Election
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam re joined by Andy Gould, former Arizona Supreme Court Justice and current candidate for Attorney General. Later in the show, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer stops by the studio to give us an update on this year’s primary election.
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Andy’s path to public service began with his parents. Growing up, the Gould family never had a lot of material success, but they were rich in far greater ways. Andy’s parents were good, hard-working people of great faith who stressed the importance of integrity, honesty and humility – values that inspired him to pursue a career in law.
As a prosecutor in Yuma, Andy tried every type of criminal case imaginable, including the prosecution of criminal organizations located in Mexico. In 2001, Andy was appointed by the Governor to fill a vacant seat on the Yuma County Superior Court, where he served in that capacity for eleven years. In 2006, while serving on the Superior Court bench, he was appointed as the Presiding Judge for Yuma County. In 2012, Andy was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals until he was given the honor of being appointed as Justice to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2016.
Arizona needs an Attorney General who will be ready on day one to go to court and fight for their rights, and Andy Gould is the right person for the job. Andy understands the legal challenges facing Arizona because he has spent more than 30 years addressing and presiding over the most complex civil and criminal cases in the State.
To show his commitment, Andy has stepped down from the Arizona Supreme Court – a decision that not many before him have made. But to quote Thomas Paine, “these are the times that try men’s souls.” Arizona needs leaders who are willing to sacrifice something for its people, and Andy Gould has proven he will do just that.
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Stephen took office as the 30th Maricopa County Recorder on January 4, 2021. As Maricopa County Recorder, Stephen oversees a staff of approximately 165 full time employees who record over 1 million public documents annually, maintain the county’s voter registration database of 2.6 million voters (second largest voting jurisdiction in the United States), and, together with the County Supervisors, administer elections for 62% of Arizona’s voters.
Prior to taking office, Stephen worked as a transactional lawyer, first at a large international law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, and later at a southwest law firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Stephen has also accrued significant business experience, having started or managed several businesses.
The race for the Recorder’s Office was Stephen’s first foray into elected politics. He won the August 2020 Republican primary by the largest margin of any countywide race, and he defeated the incumbent Democrat in November 3, 2020 general election in a year when Maricopa County chose the Democrat candidates in the presidential and U.S. Senate races by significant margins.
Stephen holds a B.A. from Tulane University and a M.A. and J.D. from The University of Chicago. Stephen lives in South Phoenix with his wife, Lindsay, whom he met at The University of Chicago Law School.
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Breaking Battlegrounds Independence Day
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Martin DiCaro of The Washington Times and Adam Coleman, founder of Wrong Speak Publishing for a freedom-themed Fourth of July weekend special.
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Martin Di Caro brings 25 years of broadcast journalism experience to the Washington Times. He has won numerous prestigious awards throughout his career in major media markets across the country. Before coming to the Times, Martin was a news anchor at Bloomberg Radio’s Washington bureau. From 2012 to 2017, he covered transportation at NPR member station WAMU 88.5 in Washington, where his work on the yearslong Metrorail crisis earned Martin his second Edward R. Murrow award, which included hosting the radio station’s first podcast, Metropocalypse. Martin worked as a reporter for AP Radio in New York and Washington for eight years starting in 2008. He lives in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. and his interests include reading history and following his beloved New York Jets.
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Adam B. Coleman is the Author of “Black Victim To Black Victor“, Op-Ed Writer, Public Speaker, Host of “A Good Faith Space” Twitter Spaces show, and the Founder of Wrong Speak Publishing.
Adam was born in Detroit but raised in a variety of states throughout America. He writes openly about his struggles with fatherlessness, homelessness, and masculinity.
He is always questioning the world around him, even if they are uncomfortable questions to ask.
He strongly believes that we should all have the ability to speak freely and is now advocating for people who feel voiceless to be heard.
He is attempting to help change the narrative and the way we discuss cultural narratives by being honest, humble, and resolute.
His articles have been published in The New York Post, Newsweek, The Post Millennial, The Federalist, Unherd, ScoonTV, Free Black Thought & Human Defense Initiative.
He has also appeared on Newsmax, The Hill’s “Rising” and “Fox & Friends” on FOX News.
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Bill Scher on Abortion and Polarization
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we have a packed show! First, we are joined by Robert Knight, a weekly columnist for The Washington Times and senior fellow of the American Civil Rights Union. Later in the program, freelance writer and podcaster Bill Scher returns to the show. Finally, we talk with Andrew Mack, founder and CEO of the agtech startup Agromovil.
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Robert Knight is a former Los Angeles Times news editor and writer and was a Media Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is a regular weekly columnist for The Washington Times, American Family News (afn.net), DailySurge.com and others. He has been published by the Wall Street Journal, National Review, the Christian Post, AmericanThinker.com, DailyCaller.com and many others. He has appeared on nearly all major radio and TV news and talk programs.
Robert was a journalist for 15 years, including seven at the Los Angeles Times. He has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Political Science from American University. Mr. Knight, who is a writer for the Timothy Plan and a Senior Fellow for STAND (Staying True to America’s National Destiny), has held senior positions at the American Civil Rights Union, the Family Research Council, the Culture & Family Institute at Concerned Women for America, the Heritage Foundation, Coral Ridge Ministries, and the Media Research Center.
He wrote and directed the documentary videos “The Children of Table 34,” about sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and “Hidden Truth: What You Deserve to Know about Abortion.” His first book, “The Age of Consent,” was a Main Selection of the Conservative Book Club.
He has co-authored three books and written 10, including “Liberty on the Brink: How the Left Plans to Steal Your Vote" (D. James Kennedy Ministries, 2020) and "The Coming Communist Wave: What Happens If the Left Captures All Three Branches of Government" (D. James Kennedy Ministries, 2020).
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Bill Scher is a freelance writer and podcaster exploring politics and history through the lens of pragmatism. He is a Contributing Editor to Politico Magazine and a Contributor to Real Clear Politics. He is the host of the history podcast "When America Worked: True Tales of America's Pragmatist Heroes," as well as co-host of "The DMZ" online show and podcast with conservative writer Matt Lewis produced by Bloggingheads.tv. In 2006, he authored the book “Wait, Don’t Move To Canada: A Stay-and-Fight Strategy To Win Back America,” which later became an answer on “Jeopardy!” You can follow his political commentary on YouTube and Twitter, and support his work through Patreon.
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Andrew Mack is the founder and CEO of Agromovil, an agtech startup that connects farmers with markets and provides enterprises with analytics about production – to plan, manage risk, and track their impact. Through software tools that create visibility and insights at scale, Agromovil is helping unlock trapped value across the $1T small agriculture industry around the world.
Mack has also served as Principal of AMGlobal Consulting, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that helps companies and NGOs do more business – and better business – in Emerging Markets. Leveraging partnerships, smart Corporate Social Responsibility, technology and new approaches like microfranchising, Mack works to unlock the tremendous entrepreneurial energy in the Global South to achieve lasting social and economic outcomes.
A former World Bank project manager and banker with experience in more than 80 countries, Mack is internationally-recognized for his work on economic development issues and technology policy in Africa, Latin America and other underserved regions. Mack has worked with clients including Fortune 100 corporations like Chevron, Oracle, and Motorola, as well as the World Bank, the UN, African Union, OAS, USAID, and international NGOs, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and on radio and television in emerging markets. He has also advised the international Internet body ICANN, leading initiatives aimed at promoting developing country participation in Internet governance and increasing access for underserved communities.
Mr. Mack holds a Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College and a Masters in International Relations/International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He speaks and works in Spanish, French and Portuguese.
An avid soccer player and fan, Andrew loves support his hometown team DC United. He is also an enthusiastic (if not always skillful) percussionist and blues harmonica player.
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David Schweikert on Rising Inflation and Economic Turmoil
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam and Chuck are joined by United States Congressman David Schweikert, a Republican from Arizona. Later in the show, Matt Becker of PrideStaff calls in with a look at how inflation is affecting small businesses throughout the country.
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David Schweikert is serving his fifth term in the United States Congress. He holds a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, having previously served on the Financial Services Committee. He also sits on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, Co-Chairs the Valley Fever Task force with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and is the Republican Co-Chair of both the Blockchain Caucus, the Tunisia Caucus and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit.
Among his legislative accomplishments, David was instrumental in authoring and passing the JOBS ACT into law. The bill was signed by the President in April 2012.
David currently serves on the Social Security and Oversight Subcommittees on Ways and Means. Having previously served as Chairman of the EPA Oversight Subcommittee on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; David championed key reforms such as the Secret Science Reform Act, which has passed the House of Representatives.
A national leader on tribal policy, David draws on a unique background working with Arizona’s tribal communities on important priorities. He is always eager to take on a technical challenge.
As a strong advocate for efficiencies in the 21st Century economy, David collaborates with entrepreneurs and innovators in Arizona and around the world on ways to increase trade and drive economic growth. David is the co-chair of the Blockchain Caucus, and has championed technological innovations as the solution to the problems of over-burdensome government regulations.
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Prior to starting PrideStaff, Matt was the Chief Operating Officer for the 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee for the Republican National Convention where he managed the day-to-day operations of the Host Committee. Matt moved to Florida in 2006 and spent five years working as a private banker in southern Pinellas County for Regions Bank. Earlier in his career, Matt served in the Administration of President George W. Bush at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and finished his service as the Deputy Chief of Staff and White House Liaison. In this role, he had program management responsibilities and led the recruitment and interviewing of all political appointments to the SBA.
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Dawn Grove on the Border, Election Integrity, and Rising Crime
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined in studio by Dawn Grove, a Republican candidate for Attorney General in Arizona.
Dawn Grove is a third-generation Arizonan, manufacturing executive, attorney, wife, and mother. She loves God, family, country, Arizona and helping people solve problems. Her grandfather began making PING golf clubs in his garage, and her family has been passionately making custom-engineered golf equipment in Phoenix since the early 1960s, now providing jobs to more than 800 Arizonans and making PING a top global brand. She is not a politician, does not receive a government paycheck, and has never before run for public office.
In her teen years, Dawn determined to attend law school to help advocate for people, find solutions to their problems, and stand up for unborn children. She later received a full academic scholarship to attend Pepperdine University School of Law where she studied Constitutional law under Justice Scalia, further underscoring the need to uphold the Constitution as it was written and guard against the overreach of unaccountable federal agencies. While studying law, Dawn worked her first job for the National Right to Life Committee, and she remains committed to protecting the preborn. Following law school, she spent many years representing manufacturers in complex civil litigation before returning to work 23 years ago for her privately-owned, Arizona-based, family business, serving as Vice President and Corporate Counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, parent company of PING. She comes from a family of real-world problem solvers.
Dawn is no stranger to the assembly line and knows from first-hand experience what it takes to create and maintain manufacturing jobs in Arizona. She believes that Arizona thrives when we are able to make what Arizonans need here, and produce world-class products for export around the globe. Her passion for Arizona and manufacturing led the Arizona Manufacturers Council to choose her as their board chair, where she was an unwavering advocate for limited government, the end to out-of-control government debt, and growth for Arizonans in high-paying, meaningful manufacturing jobs. More recently, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry chose Dawn as their board chair, where she shepherded the organization through the process of selecting a new CEO who would stay focused on the business and manufacturing community’s needs, rather than pushing a left-wing social agenda.
Dawn loves her family and believes in the importance of and strength of family. She and her husband Rawleigh have been married for nearly 27 years, have raised three children while living in their Phoenix home, and have remained active in many nonprofits, giving back to the community. Dawn is a dedicated conservative running for Attorney General of Arizona because she sees that our state and our country are at a perilous moment. We need leaders who will defend Arizona against the Biden-Harris administration’s overreach into our families, faith, freedom and free enterprise, stand for the rule of law, defend our border, and help grow Arizona’s economy through less government and more liberty for Arizonans. She wants to protect and safeguard you, your freedoms, voting rights, and right to live, work, worship, raise and defend your family as you decide, while thriving in safe communities.
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