Cook and Baran then dig into the structural forces reshaping American politics: the near-disappearance of true swing voters, the parliamentary-style sorting of red and blue states, and the cultural realignment that has left both parties largely unrecognizable from their mid-20th century profiles. With Trump's approval rating among independents sitting in the 30s, Cook argues the competitive House districts and purple states will be where the midterms are won and lost. On the Senate side, he walks through the math in detail, noting that Democrats would need to win Maine, North Carolina, and at least one deeply red state just to reach 50 seats, a path with very little margin for error.

About Charlie Cook

Charlie Cook is widely considered one of the nation’s leading authorities on American politics and U.S. elections.

In 1984, at the age of 30, Charlie founded The Cook Political Report, an independent, nonpartisan newsletter covering elections and American politics. For 37 years, Charlie served as its editor and publisher.

The New York Times once called The Cook Political Report, “a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative.” Then-CBS Evening News Anchor Bob Schieffer called The Cook Political Report “the bible of the political community.”

Cook has written a weekly political column for National Journal since 1998 and previously wrote for Roll Call for 12 years. Charlie co-authored the 2020, 2022, 2024, and the current 2026 edition of The Almanac of American Politics.

His columns are available at CharlieCookPolitics.com.

The conversation expands upon key trends affecting public affairs professionals, including how businesses are adapting their advocacy strategies in an era of hyperpolarization, how a high percentage of corporate leadership is spending more and encouraging employees to donate to PACs, the growing importance of corporate purpose, and the impact of new technologies on stakeholder engagement. Additionally, they touch upon international developments driven by shifting geopolitical dynamics and tariff policies, while also examining state-level campaign finance that could have broader implications. Chiazor emphasizes how public affairs professionals serve as strategic advisors who help organizations navigate volatility and complexity while building trust and maintaining their license to operate in an increasingly scrutinized business environment.

About Nneka Chiazor

Nneka Chiazor became the first woman and person of color to lead the Public Affairs Council in its 70-year history in January 2025. As President and CEO of the premier global association for public affairs professionals, she is redefining the organization's future by expanding its international reach, elevating the profession's strategic value, and building the next generation of public affairs leaders worldwide. A transformational executive with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of business, government, and community, including 14 years at Verizon Communications, Nneka brings a rare combination of corporate leadership, policy expertise, and strategic vision to the association.

Prior to joining the Public Affairs Council, Nneka served as Market Vice President for Cox Communications in Hampton Roads, where she led a $1.2 billion market, overseeing more than 1,200 employees and driving growth through bold public-private partnerships. In a significant milestone for digital equity, she brokered a multimillion-dollar agreement to extend broadband infrastructure to underserved communities across Virginia, demonstrating her ability to align corporate strategy with meaningful community impact.

A committed civic leader, Nneka has served on boards including the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, and Global Traveler magazine. She also served as an appointed Commissioner for the City of Virginia Beach Economic Development Authority.

Nneka holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Concordia University in Montreal and a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She is an alumna of Harvard Business School.

The commissioners also candidly address the uncertainty of their positions in the current political environment while emphasizing their commitment to transparency and restoring a full commission. With only 190 enforcement matters awaiting commissioner votes (down from 450 during the last quorum crisis) and strong staff efficiency, the FEC is positioned to hit the ground running once new commissioners are nominated and confirmed.

About Shana Broussard

Commissioner Shana Broussard was nominated to the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate by a vote of 92-4 on December 9, 2020, becoming the first African American to serve as an FEC Commissioner. She served as Chair in 2021 and again starting in July 2025. A mission-driven legal and policy strategist, Commissioner Broussard is recognized as a thought leader on federal campaign finance law, focusing on building bipartisan consensus and stakeholder engagement. 

With over 15 years' experience at the FEC, Commissioner Broussard previously served as Counsel for Commissioner Steven T. Walther from 2015-2020 and began her FEC career in 2008 as an attorney in the Enforcement Division. Prior to the FEC, she served as an Attorney Advisor at the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility, Deputy Disciplinary Counsel at the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, and as a New Orleans Assistant District Attorney. She earned her B.A. from Dillard University and her J.D. cum laude from Southern University Law Center.

About Dara Lindenbaum

Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum was nominated as an FEC Commissioner by President Joseph Biden on February 3, 2022, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 24, 2022. Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Lindenbaum was a partner at Sandler Reiff where she advised candidates, political committees, and organizations on a wide range of laws and regulations, including complying with state and federal campaign finance and election laws. She served as outside general counsel for several organizations and worked with directors, boards, and staff on general business matters, structuring their programs, and navigating the complex legal and compliance landscape.

Before joining Sandler Reiff, Commissioner Lindenbaum was an associate counsel in the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where she focused on election law and voting rights. She received her B.S. from Northeastern University and her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. 

The conversation covers major legal flashpoints including immigration enforcement cases, National Guard deployments in California, Oregon, and Illinois, and the administration's removal of officials from independent agencies. Josh and Jan explore the unprecedented criticism of the Supreme Court by lower court judges, growing concerns about judicial security, and the tension between executive power and judicial review.

They also preview significant upcoming cases, including Louisiana v. Callais on voting rights and race-conscious redistricting, and a potentially landmark tariffs case with broad implications for the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches. The discussion highlights how recent Senate confirmation process changes could reshape federal agencies and examines the legal doctrine of the "Unitary Executive."

About Josh Gerstein

Josh Gerstein is Politico’s Senior Legal Affairs Reporter. Gerstein covers the intersection of law and politics, including Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of President Donald Trump and his associates, as well as ensuing counter-investigations into the origins of the FBI’s initial inquiry into the Trump-Russia saga. While not a lawyer, Gerstein spent more time in courtrooms and reading legal pleadings than many members of the bar.

For more than a decade, he has taken Politico readers inside the most celebrated political trials of our era, involving figures like former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), former White House counsel Greg Craig, longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.

Gerstein also reports on the Justice Department and legal controversies, including Supreme Court showdowns over same-sex marriage and Obamacare, all of the recent Supreme Court nominations, criminal justice reform and battles over executive privilege. Gerstein attended Harvard College and received a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in government.

The conversation reveals crypto's surprising political transformation from niche technology to major electoral force. Faryar details how Coinbase helped build the largest political operation any industry has ever assembled, mobilizing 2.4 million advocates through “Stand with Crypto” and strategic Super PAC spending to combat what he describes as the prior administration's "disgraceful" targeting of crypto users. With 60% of crypto advocates being Democrats but 54% voting for Trump in 2024, the crypto voter bloc has emerged as a genuinely bipartisan political force that could reshape future elections - making this episode essential listening for anyone trying to understand where money, technology, and politics intersect in modern America.

About Faryar Shirzad

Faryar Shirzad is Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase, where he leads the company’s
engagement with policymakers around the world and has become a trusted source for thought leadership in the global crypto policy space. Under Faryar’s leadership, Coinbase has become a driver of crypto-regulation discourse in the U.S. He oversaw the creation of Coinbase’s Digital Asset Policy Proposal (or dApp), which laid out a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the rapidly-emerging industry and was recognized as “a dramatic shift from current policy in the United States”, sparking an ongoing conversation on how crypto should be regulated while safeguarding American innovation. 

Before joining Coinbase, Faryar was Global Co-Head of Government Affairs at Goldman Sachs. He has served as counsel to the highest levels of the U.S. government, including as deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs for President George W. Bush. In that role, he served as The President’s personal representative to the G-8 (the “G-8 Sherpa”). Prior to his time in the White House, Faryar was assistant secretary for import administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce and international trade counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in Washington, DC. Faryar earned a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, a MPP from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a BS from the University of Maryland, College Park.

There are plenty of upsides to using AI; but what is “AI hallucination?”  Old school legal tech companies are incorporating advanced AI and new AI legal products are being promoted throughout the industry; however, any information collected through AI still requires lawyers and others to check for any false or misleading information.  Spoiler Alert: Using AI may be quicker a way to research or write initially, but the AI hallucination rate can be high. 

Oliver also discusses recent attempts to regulate AI, including an effort at the Federal Election Commission.

About Oliver Roberts

Oliver Roberts is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and Co-Director of the WashU Law AI Collaborative. He is also Co-Head of the AI Practice Group at Holtzman Vogel law firm, Editor-in-Chief of the AI & the Law publication at The National Law Review, and the Founder and CEO of Wickard.ai. 

Oliver regularly lectures on AI at law schools throughout the United States and internationally. His recent teaching includes the course “AI & the Practice of Law” at WashU Law, the nation’s first required AI law school course at Case Western Reserve School of Law, and the first legal AI education program at Addis Ababa University School of Law in Ethiopia. 

Oliver graduated from Harvard Law School and Villanova University. Before founding Wickard.ai, Oliver practiced at Skadden Arps and Jones Day and previously founded a technology startup focused on employment solutions. His legal achievements include successfully arguing twice before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and securing a cert denial at the U.S. Supreme Court, preserving one of his appellate victories. Oliver is admitted to practice law in New York, Texas, and Washington D.C.

About Brody Mullins

Brody Mullins is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and author of The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took over Big Government. The book, published by Simon & Schuster, is the definitive account of the rise of corporate power and lobbying in Washington. In two decades as an investigative reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Brody wrote scores of ground-breaking stories about the intersection of business and politics, exposing scandals that prompted new laws and regulations for powerful government officials, lobbyists and Wall Street traders.

In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Brody won the George Polk Award and was twice won the Everett Dirksen Award for best coverage of Congress. Washingtonian calls him one of the 50 best reporters in politics. He has appeared on Fox, CNN, MSNBC and his work has been published by The Washington Post, New York Times, Vanity Fair, Politico and The Atlantic.

Brody grew up in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Gonzaga College High School and Northwestern University. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, two daughters and son.

James E. "Trey" Trainor III was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate on May 19, 2020. He was appointed to a term ending April 30, 2023. 

Commissioner Trainor, of Driftwood, Texas, has practiced law for two decades, particularly in the areas of election law, campaign finance law and ethics. He has served as General Counsel to the Texas Secretary of State and Counsel to the Texas House Committee on Regulated Industries, and has represented the Texas Republican Party and two presidential campaigns. Commissioner Trainor has also served on the Advisory Board of the United States Election Assistance Commission. Prior to joining the Commission, Commissioner Trainor was a partner at Akerman, LLP, and had his own private practice.

Commissioner Trainor graduated from Texas A&M University (Corps of Cadets member) in 1997. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army Reserves in 2000 and earned his law degree from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2002.

AG Miyares reveals his journey growing up in Virginia Beach and his path to his current office.  He also discusses the pre-election lawsuit by the Department of Justice which unsuccessfully challenged Virginia’s deletion of non-citizens from voter rolls, his advocacy for handling illegal immigration and associated crime, and the failure of state and local agencies to collaborate with federal immigration officials.

About Attorney General Jason Miyares

In November 2021, Jason Miyares (pronounced me-YAR-ez) was elected the 48th Attorney General of Virginia. Prior to this position, Miyares served in the Virginia House of Delegates for three terms, and before that, worked as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia Beach. A product of Virginia public schools, Jason graduated with a Bachelor's in Business Administration from James Madison University and a Juris Doctorate from the College of William and Mary School of Law. As Attorney General, Miyares has been focused on improving public safety, strengthening economic growth, combatting the deadly impact of opioids and fentanyl, and protecting Virginians from corporate misconduct.

Jason Miyares is the first Hispanic American to be elected to a statewide office in Virginia, and the first child of an immigrant to be Attorney General. At the beginning of his administration, Miyares launched Operation Ceasefire, a comprehensive approach to fighting violent crime by focusing on intervention and aggressive prosecution of gun crimes. His office has secured over $1 billion in opioid settlements for drug addiction and recovery from pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, holding them accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. 

Fighting Human Trafficking has been a top priority for Attorney General Miyares. His office has pushed bipartisan legislation to raise awareness for human trafficking and create new training resources for first year college students and hospitality workers. In addition, Miyares launched “100% Business Alliance Against Trafficking,” a new workforce training initiative for businesses to educate their employees on how to recognize possible trafficking incidents within their business communities.

Josh Gerstein, POLITICO’s Senior Legal Affairs Reporter, has watched it all.  He joins Jan to discuss the ramifications of these decisions, how our Supreme Court justices are also being judged for their alleged partisan opinions, and the Court’s investigation after he reported on the leaked decision that reversed Roe v. Wade.

About Josh Gerstein

Josh Gerstein is POLITICO’s Senior Legal Affairs Reporter and covers the intersection of law and politics. While not a lawyer, Gerstein’s spent more time in courtrooms and more time reading legal pleadings than many members of the bar. Gerstein attended Harvard College and received a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in government.

For more information on Josh's impressive background, you may read his full bio here: Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.

In this episode, Jan speaks with Kannon about his Midwest upbringing, his route to being a lawyer, his exceptional career, and his times before the Supreme Court.  They discuss his most memorable case, Maryland v King, involving DNA and the Fourth Amendment; he shares his observations about the Dobbs decision leak at the Court; and they recall the campaign finance case, McConnell v. FEC (how Jan and Kannon met) which largely upheld the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, otherwise known as McCain-Feingold.

About Kannon Shamugam

Kannon Shanmugam is a partner at the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.  He is chair of the firm’s Supreme Court and appellate litigation practice, chair of the Washington office, and co-chair of the litigation department.  Kannon is widely recognized as one of the nation’s top appellate litigators.  Kannon has argued 38 cases before the Supreme Court, including 29 cases in private practice.  He has also argued over 100 appeals in courts across the country, including arguments in all thirteen federal courts of appeals and in numerous state courts.  Prior to private practice, Kannon served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice.  He also served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  

As Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), he has been close to the past and current struggles throughout the world that threaten democracy.  He believes it to be important for the U.S. to protect its allies to keep America strong and our democracy and people safe.

 
About Ambassador James S. Gilmore, III

James “Jim” S. Gilmore III is the former U.S. Ambassador to OSCE and former Governor of Virginia.

Ambassador Gilmore grew up in the Fan District of Richmond, Virginia. In 1971, he enlisted as a volunteer in the U.S. Army after college and worked as a counter-intelligence agent in then-West Germany after intensive language training in German, in which he became fluent. In 1974, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for Service to NATO. He graduated from the University of Virginia (UVA) and earned a B.A. degree in International Relations, Russian Area Studies. He then earned his law degree at the UVA School of Law. 

Ambassador Gilmore practiced law until 1987 when he was elected as chief prosecutor for Henrico County. In 1993, he was elected Attorney General of Virginia. In 1997, he was elected as Virginia's 68th Governor. As governor, his administration established the first Secretary of Technology cabinet position in the nation. During his tenure, Gov. Gilmore was focused on creating jobs by leading several trade missions to: South America, Asia and Europe.  During the trade mission to Taiwan and Hong Kong, Gov. Gilmore promoted inward investment, opened new markets for Virginia products and services, and encouraged activity for Virginia's ports. Virginia exported $2.4 billion in products to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 1999. Collectively, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong invested over $4.3 billion in Virginia facilities, employing over 12,000 people during his administration.

Gov. Gilmore then ran for the GOP nomination for president from July 2015 to February 2016. In November 2018, he was nominated to serve as the U.S. Representative to the United States Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a position which carries the rank of ambassador and is based in Vienna, Austria. He served until January 2021. Prior to his USOSCE Ambassadorship, he served as President and CEO of the American Opportunity Foundation, which works to shape the discussions around American society and offer conservative solutions that promise prosperity, national security, and American values. 

Charlie Cook, respected political analyst who has observed and analyzed U.S. politics for over 40 years, joins Jan to discuss this year’s unconventional election.  They discuss this year’s presidential campaigns, historic and newer polling tactics, the swing state effect, and how independents think about their vote.  

About Charlie Cook:

Charlie Cook is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends. After years of working in politics, Charlie founded “The National Political Review” in March of 1984 before renaming it later that year to “The Cook Political Report.” His idea was to create a non-partisan newsletter that would analyze American political campaigns from the perspective of someone who actually had worked both in campaigns and as a pollster. Al Hunt in the Wall Street Journal has referred to Charlie as “the Picasso of election Analysis” while the New York Times has referred to the Cook Political Report as “a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative.” 

In 2010, Charlie was the co-recipient of the American Political Science Association’s prestigious Carey McWilliams award to honor “a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics.” In 2013, he served as a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  Charlie also serves as a political analyst for National Journal and is a co-author of the 2020 and 2022 editions of The Almanac of American Politics.

Chair Cooksey has three of his six years under his belt serving on the FEC.  He and Jan discuss what the FEC is doing in preparing for the 2024 election and his agenda as chair, including artificial intelligence and candidate security considerations.  

About Sean Cooksey

Sean Cooksey was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President Donald J. Trump on October 30, 2020, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, 2020.
 
Prior to his appointment, Commissioner Cooksey served as General Counsel to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, working on the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and advising the Senator on issues including constitutional law, judicial nominations, election law, federal criminal law, immigration law, antitrust policy, intellectual property, and ethics compliance. He previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel for U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and as an attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington, D.C. He also served as a law clerk for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas.
 
Commissioner Cooksey received his B.A. in economics, summa cum laude, from Truman State University. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he graduated with High Honors and Order of the Coif and served as a Managing Editor on the University of Chicago Law Review.

They talk about Brad’s experience at the FEC, his run-in with Senator John McCain, his delayed FEC confirmation process, his academic tenure, and his work related to IFS which actively challenges government regulatory overreach.  The conversation includes analysis of recent free speech cases as well as suggestions on pending cases we should keep an eye on.  And, of course, there are some interesting reading suggestions.

About Bradley Smith

Bradley A. Smith is the Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Professor of Law at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He has held prior visiting appointments at Princeton University and West Virginia University. 

Professor Smith is the founder and Chairman of the Institute for Free Speech, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting and defending American citizens’ First Amendment political speech rights. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, and the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law. 

Professor Smith is the author or co-author of three books on election law and voting rights, and his scholarly research has appeared in the Yale Law Journal, Georgetown Law Journal, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, George Washington University Law Review, and many others. He also writes regularly for popular publications including the Wall Street Journal, National Review, the Atlantic, the New York Times, and others.

From June 2000 until August 2005, Professor Smith served as Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, including as Vice Chairman in 2003 and Chairman in 2004.

He is a cum laude graduate of both Kalamazoo College and Harvard Law School.

Jill has now become a role model for women in politics and law, who can accomplish anything with the right passion, focus, determination, and sense of self.  And, perhaps, she can attribute a small percentage of her success to a childhood corkboard with photos of Geraldine Ferraro and Jeane Kirkpatrick, along with their inspirational quotes.  No wonder her book recommendation is America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.

About Jill Holtzman Vogel

Jill Holtzman Vogel is managing partner of Holtzman Vogel, a political, regulatory and litigation law firm she founded in 2001. Jill specializes in ethics, campaign finance law, and tax-exempt organizations. She has spent her career counseling party committees, Presidential, Congressional and state candidates as well as donors, lobbyists, corporations and non-profits on complex regulatory and ethics rules. 

Prior to starting the law firm, Jill previously held the position of Chief Counsel of the Republican National Committee, where she led the national party’s legal effort during the 2004 Presidential election.  She has also served as Deputy Counsel at the Department of Energy and as Deputy Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Following the 2000 election, Jill represented the Bush-Cheney campaign as counsel during the Florida Presidential Recount. She also served as staff counsel for the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego, California.

In 2007, Jill was elected to the Senate of Virginia, where she continues to represent the 27th Senate district.

Jill received her J.D. from DePaul University School of Law and her B.A. in Government and Religion from the College of William and Mary.

A previous Early Returns guest, POLITICO senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein, recently offered some thoughts during an award acceptance speech:  “It often seems like litigation is replacing legislation as the preferred means of advancing one’s agenda in this country.”  Jan asks: “Is litigation replacing legislation?  What would someone from the judiciary say about that?”  Judge Griffith shares his experiences being on the bench for 15 years and his views on how the media, politics, and a divided country fuel perceptions of the courts and its decisions.

About Hon. Thomas B. Griffith

After serving on the United State Court of Appeals for the D. C. Circuit from 2005, Judge Griffith stepped down from the bench in 2020.  Currently he is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, a Fellow at the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, and Special Counsel in the Washington, DC office of the law firm of Hunton Andrews Kurth.  Most recently, he was a member of President Biden's Commission on the Supreme Court.

He is the author of Civic Charity and the Constitution, and the co-author, along with former judges Michael Luttig and Michael McConnell, of Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election. https://lostnotstolen.org/ . 

Before being appointed to the D. C. Circuit, Judge Griffith was the General Counsel at BYU; Senate Legal Counsel, the non-partisan chief legal officer of the U. S. Senate; and a partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding. Long active in rule-of-law programs in former communist nations, Judge Griffith is a member of the international advisory board of the CEELI Institute in Prague. He is a graduate of BYU and the University of Virginia School of Law and is a member of the American Law Institute.

Our guest is Commissioner Donald Palmer, one of four EAC commissioners. He discusses with Jan the role of the EAC and his former experiences administering elections in Florida and Virginia.  Commissioner Palmer also discusses EAC’s testing and certification of voting machines, including the Dominion Voting Systems used in the 2020 election, and the security of future U.S. elections. 

About Donald Palmer

Commissioner Donald Palmer serves on the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) after being nominated and approved by unanimous consent in 2019. He served as the Chairman of the Commission in 2021.  He is currently the Designated Federal Officer for the EAC Board of Advisors. Before the EAC, he served as a Bipartisan Policy Center Fellow, advancing the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. 

Don is a former Secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections and served as the Commonwealth’s Chief Election Official from 2011 to 2014. During that time, he established Virginia as a founding member of the Election Registration Information Center (ERIC), a group of states working together to maintain the accuracy of voter registration rolls.  

Don has also served as Florida’s Director of Elections, where he expanded the Florida voting system state certification program and modernized the state’s voting machines. Prior to his work in election administration, he served as a trial attorney with the Voting Section in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where he enforced the nation’s voting laws.  

Finally, Don is a military veteran, retiring from the U.S. Navy after two decades as an intelligence officer and judge advocate general.

To talk about the demands and challenges of advising companies on political law, Jan speaks with Wesley Bizzell, a lawyer who has spent over 20 years specializing in political law, including at one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, Altria, which is politically active and lobbies both congress and state legislatures.  They discuss the corporate compliance issues unique to a tobacco company and its approach to their PAC strategy. 

Wes is also the immediate past president of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and speaks to the protection and lobbying of gay rights and to the role of corporate America in social, cultural and political issues.  

About Wesley Bizzell

Wesley Bizzell serves as Senior Assistant General Counsel, Governmental and External Affairs, and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs for Altria Client Services.  Previously, he was with Winston & Strawn. His career also includes more than six years on Capitol Hill, where he served as an aide to Arkansas Senators David Pryor and Dale Bumpers.  

Wesley is an authority on political compliance law and is active in the compliance legal community.  He chairs the Conference Board’s Committee on Corporate Political Spending, a committee of leading American corporations dedicated to accountability, education, and engagement on issues of corporate political activity.  In addition, he is a longtime faculty member for the Practicing Law Institute’s annual Corporate Political Activities conference.  He served as co-chair of the Conference Committee for the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (“COGEL”), a professional organization of government officials with responsibilities or interests in governmental ethics, elections, campaign finance, and lobby laws, and he currently serves on COGEL’s board. He received the COGEL Award, for making a “demonstrable and positive contribution to the fields of campaign finance, ethics, elections, lobbying and freedom of information over a significant period of time.”

Wesley is extremely active in promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal and corporate communities and is a frequent speaker on the topic.  He is a founding member and serves as the Incoming Chair of Altria’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group and is currently the immediate past president of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. 

He received his B.A. from the American University, his master's degree from the Catholic University of America, and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as an editor for the Georgetown Law Journal.  

Prior to her appointment, Lindenbaum was a partner at Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, P.C. (Sandler Reiff), where she advised candidates, political committees, and organizations on a wide range of laws and regulations, including complying with state and federal campaign finance and election laws. She served as outside general counsel for several organizations and campaigns, working with directors, boards, and staff on general business matters, structuring their programs, and navigating the complex legal and compliance landscape. 
 
Before joining Sandler Reiff, Lindenbaum was an associate counsel in the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where she focused on election law and voting rights. 

Lindenbaum received her B.S. from Northeastern University and received her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. 

The last term was significant for many reasons including the Court’s decision that overturned the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade, which established a right to abortion under certain conditions.

In the past 50 years, there may not have been a more important Justice on the Supreme Court than Sandra Day O’Connor.  She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and retired in 2005.  She regularly was the deciding fifth vote on important cases including abortion cases.  She also was the first woman to serve as a Justice on the Court.  

Jan speaks to Evan and Osceola (“Oscie”) Thomas about the Justice and the Supreme Court today. Evan and Oscie collaborated on First, the Sandra Day O’Connor biography.  They discuss the relationship of the Justices, including the one between O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  

The candid discussion about Justice O’Connor, the Court, her role in specific cases, and her legacy ends with a book recommendation about Franklin Roosevelt and how his battle with polio made him a strong president entitled Becoming FDR by Jonathan Darman.

About Evan and Oscie Thomas:

Evan Thomas is the author of ten books:  The Wise Men (with Walter Isaacson), The Man to See, The Very Best Men, Robert Kennedy, John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, The War Lovers, Ike’s Bluff, Being Nixon and First: Sandra Day O’Connor.  John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, Being Nixon and First were New York Times bestsellers. Thomas was a writer, editor and correspondent for 33 years at Time and Newsweek magazines, including ten years (1986-96) as Washington bureau chief at Newsweek.  His current book-in-progress is an account of the final days of World War II.  He has appeared on many TV shows, including Meet the Press, CBS Morning News, Morning Joe and the Colbert Report.  Thomas has taught writing and journalism at Harvard and Princeton, where, from 2007-2014, he was Ferris Professor of Journalism.

Oscie Thomas graduated from Stanford and the University of Virginia law school, where she was classmates with Evan.  In 1977, she joined Donovan Leisure, a litigation firm, in New York and Washington DC, before moving to AT&T, retiring as a Federal Government Affairs Vice President in 2000.  Since then she has worked with Evan as an editor and researcher.  She was deeply involved in First, a biography of Sandra Day O’Connor.  

The current election cycle is in the first term of President Biden.  Such elections historically result in losses for the party controlling the White House.  Is that likely again?  What effect will former President Trump have?  How does redistricting affect races?  Listen to Nathan Gonzales as he scrutinizes the current campaigns and shares his predictions for next November’s elections.

About Nathan Gonzales:

Nathan Gonzales is Editor & Publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of campaigns for Senate, House, governor and president, and an Elections Analyst for CQ Roll Call. 

On Election Night 2016, Nathan was an on-air analyst for the Newshour on PBS after working as an off-air consultant for ABC NEWS on their Election Night Decision Desk for 14 years. Previously, he was an editor, analyst and writer for The Rothenberg Political Report, and worked for CNN as a Political Analyst and as an associate producer for Capital Gang.

Nathan has appeared on NBC's Meet the Press and NBC Nightly News, C-SPAN's Washington Journal, NPR's All Things Considered, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC and he has been quoted in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. His work has also appeared on FiveThirtyEight, NBCLatino.com and in Campaigns & Elections magazine. 

Nathan grew up in Oregon, earned his M.A. from the George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management and his B.A. from Vanguard University. He first came to Washington, D.C. as an intern in the White House Press Office and now lives in the city with his wife and four children.

The Watergate scandal changed many American institutions including the press, congress, political campaigns and the judicial system.  But, America was changing even prior to the Watergate break-in and in some ways accounted for the misjudgments and illegal behavior of the burglars, Nixon campaign officials, White House staff and even Nixon himself.   

In this episode of Early Returns, we discuss what Washington and America was like in 1972 and how Watergate seemingly changed things, including the sensationalism of the media. 

Our episode guest is the respected journalist and historian, Evan Thomas.  Watergate affected his own decision to enter journalism instead of the law after graduating from University of Virginia Law School.  Evan spent decades reporting for Newsweek as Washington Bureau Chief, and also wrote books about Edward Bennett Williams, Bobby Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Sandra Day O’Connor.  

Evan shares his observations, knowledge and opinions on what Watergate represented; how America was changing before Watergate; and how Watergate changed politics, journalism, and perhaps contributed to today’s polarized society.  He also addresses the age-old question of how history most certainly repeats itself.  Some believe America was then and is now losing faith in all traditional institutions.  Is the situation hopeless?  Can a great leader like Lincoln, Kennedy, or Reagan be sought to help bring this country together? Evan believes America can summon its “better angels” as outlined in his book recommendation, The Soul of America by Jon Meacham.

About Evan Thomas:

Evan Thomas is the author of ten books:  The Wise Men (with Walter Isaacson), The Man to See, The Very Best Men, Robert Kennedy, John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, The War Lovers, Ike’s Bluff, Being Nixon and First: Sandra Day O’Connor.  John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, Being Nixon and First were New York Times bestsellers. Thomas was a writer, editor and correspondent for 33 years at Time and Newsweek magazines, including ten years (1986-96) as Washington bureau chief at Newsweek.  His current book-in-progress is an account of the final days of World War II.  He has appeared on many TV shows, including Meet the Press, CBS Morning News, Morning Joe and the Colbert Report.  Thomas has taught writing and journalism at Harvard and Princeton, where, from 2007-2014, he was Ferris Professor of Journalism.

Until July 2017, he was a partner for 29 years primarily in in the Washington, D.C. office of Hogan Lovells. He served on the firm's Executive Committee and chaired Hogan's practices involving white collar criminal litigation, DOJ and SEC enforcement matters (with an emphasis on cases involving insider trading and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act), and Congressional investigations and hearings for over 20 years.  Ty was frequently sought after as an advocate for and advisor to Fortune 100 public companies and executives in "bet the company" cases. His clients also included Cabinet members and other senior government officials of both parties.

Ty is a longstanding Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2020, he was inducted into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame, and Lawdragon Magazine again recognized him as one of the "500 Leading Lawyers in America". In 2018, Ty was selected as a “Lawdragon Legend”.  In 2011, Ty was inducted into the Ethisphere Hall of Fame, which recognizes attorneys who made lasting contributions to the advancement of corporate ethics and compliance. In addition to his legal work, Ty is a committed conservationist and long served on the Board of the Grand Canyon Trust which he chaired for several years. He is currently on the Board of the Kiawah Island Conservancy.