Marcia Ranglin-Vassell - From Housekeeper to Deposing the House Majority Leader
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Release Date: 11/06/2017
Amy Sinclair - Iowa's Senate Majority Whip
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
R-Amy Sinclair, Majority Whip for the Iowa Senate, knows hardship, struggle, and tragedy. She grew up in an apolitical family in rural Iowa without telephone service. She had a baby when she was 19 years old. During her first race in her late 20s against a popular three-term incumbent, she was told by her own Party chair, “You’re going to lose.” Yet she overcame those odds and tragedy to become the youngest serving County Supervisor in Iowa, and is currently the Majority Whip in the Iowa Senate caucu
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Saira Blair - West Virginia's Youngest Delegate
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
At the age of 17 in 2014, Saira Blair ran for a West Virginia delegate seat and beat an incumbent Republican in a primary to eventually become the youngest legislator in the USA. Hear how she managed her overwhelming fear of public speaking, how she dealt with death threats she received over legislation, and how to handle embarrassing social media situations.
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Josh Zakim - Boston City Councilor
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Josh Zakim was elected to Boston City Council in 2013 when he was 29 years old. He is currently running for Secretary of State in Massachusetts against long-time incumbent William Galvin in the Democratic Primary. Will Zakim be the first Boston City Councilor to win a statewide office in Massachusetts since 1958?
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Senator Ikley-Freeman - From Homeless to Oklahoma's Youngest Legislator
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Senator Alison Ikley-Freeman is Oklahoma’s youngest state senator. She won a special election in 2018 as a Democrat in a conservative district that President Trump won by 40 points in 2016, and was represented by a Republican for over 20 years. From experiencing homelessness with a daughter before entering politics, to only putting her name on the ballot as a placeholder, listen to Senator Ikley-Freeman’s episode for an inspiring story about overcoming great odds.
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Julie Emerson - Louisiana’s Youngest Legislator
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
At the age of 26, R-Julie Emerson beat a Democratic incumbent in 2015 to become the youngest legislator in Louisiana. The star of a viral video, she believes that millenials should gravitate towards the GOP and move away from progressive politics. As a legislator, Julie is dedicated to fighting off bad legislation and repealing some nonsensical laws still on the books in Louisiana, such as a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for a marriage license.
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Philadelphia Legend - Ed Rendell
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Ed Rendell is a Philadelphia legend. Ed began his career as an elected official when his campaigning in bars and subways paid off, and he was elected as the youngest District Attorney in Philadelphia history at the age of 32 in 1976. He served as the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1991-2000 and Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003-2011. It wasn’t exactly an easy road. Ed lost back to back elections in 1986 and 1987 and was thought to be finished politically.
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Paulette Jordan - The First Native-American Governor?
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Paulette Jordan recently resigned from being the only Native American legislator in Idaho to focus on her run for Governor. If elected, she would be the first Governor elected as a Democrat in Idaho since 1990, the first female Governor in Idaho ever, and the first Native American Governor ever in the USA. Will the Blue Wave propel her over all those odds?
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Melanie Stambaugh - Washington's Youngest Legislator
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Melanie Stambaugh beat a 5-term incumbent at the age of 23 to become Washington’s youngest legislator, and is the youngest female elected to the Washington state legislature since 1934. If beating a 5-term incumbent wasn’t tough enough, she is now battling 44 ethics violations and facing thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees, simply due to sharing public Facebook and YouTube videos.
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Chloe Eudaly - From Bookstore Owner to Portland, OR City Council
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Chloe Eudaly didn’t finish high school, but she still managed to beat a Harvard Law School graduate to become one of 8 woman ever elected to Portland City Council in 2016. A local book-store owner for decades, she was out-raised nearly 5 to 1 and yet still became the first candidate to beat an incumbent since 1992. Hear our conversation about she pulled off such an upset, how being a single-mom impacted her campaign, her thoughts on how legalizing marijuana has affected Oregon, and more.
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Paul Bailey - State Senator for Tennessee
Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories
Senator Paul Bailey represents an area of rural Tennessee where Donald Trump received a whopping 75% of the vote. In this episode, we talk about the real estate boom going on in Nashville, how the state legislature has supported tourism in Tennessee, the reasons behind Senator Bob Corker not running for re-election, the heroin epidemic, and more.
info_outlineFrom housekeeper to overthrowing the House Majority Leader, Rep. Ranglin-Vassall was born and raised in Jamaica without running water. Her father didn’t read or write. Motivated by homicides in Rhode Island, she entered the political scene out of nowhere in 2016 and beat long-time incumbent John DeSimone in a campaign that lasted only 3.5 months.
2:00 - Can you talk about your upbringing in Jamaica and when you came to the states?
3:30 - Can you tell me about your first interest in politics?
6:30 - Rep. Ranglin-Vassall talks about what motivated her to run for office.
9:45 - Can you talk about the obstacles the Democratic Party put in your way?
16:00 - Did anyone from the establishment support you?
18:15 - Take me to the darkest time of your campaign.
18:45 - Can you share any stories about the establishment thinking you didn’t have any chance, and how no one thought you were a threat?
20:30 - Did you expect the teacher’s union to endorse you?
22:40 - How is your relationship with your teacher’s union now?
24:05 - Can you talk about any additional hurdles you faced as a women and a women of color in the legislature?
26:15 - Any lessons from being in the legislature?
27:50 - What would you say to a women of color interested in running?
29:00 - How is the heroin epidemic in Rhode Island?
30:00 - What’s the best advice someone has given to you?
31:00 - What can the country learn from the way RI does politics, or Jamaica?
32:15 - What’s the biggest personal challenge you’ve overcome?