It sounds like shift whistles before sunrise.
Friday night lights in small-town stadiums.
Family farms, factory shifts, church pews, and communities where people still know your name.

From Bluffton to Hartford City, from Portland to Decatur and southwest Fort Wayne, politics here isn’t abstract.

It’s personal.

It’s about whether your kids can stay close to home and still build a future.

In this episode, I sat down with Timothy Murphy, a Democratic candidate for Indiana State Senate District 19, to talk about what happens when someone decides that “nobody running” is no longer acceptable.

Because that’s where this starts.

No Democratic challenger had run in this district for years.

No option.
No real competition.
No reason for the incumbent to even have to answer hard questions.

Tim’s response was simple:

That has to change.

He’s a pastor, an advocate, and someone who approaches politics less like a performance and more like a responsibility.

And one of the first things he made clear is something I appreciated:

He doesn’t pretend to have every answer.

When we talked about population decline in places like Blackford and Jay counties, he didn’t hand over some polished miracle cure.

He said what more candidates should say:

This is complicated.

Decades of economic decline, disappearing jobs, young people leaving after graduation—there isn’t a magic button for that.

But there is work.

We talked about manufacturing and agriculture, where he made a strong case for labor rights and union protections—especially in a state where “right to work” has often meant weaker worker power.

He also pushed back on the romanticized version of agriculture.

Yes, farming is culturally central to the district.

But economically, many small farms are barely surviving, while big ag dominates the land and the money.

His focus:
protecting family farms, supporting smaller operators, and making rural life economically viable again.

Healthcare was another major theme—and one of the strongest parts of the conversation.

He pointed out something that should make every Hoosier pause:

Some hospitals in these counties don’t even have emergency rooms anymore.

Bluffton lost its birth unit.
Blackford County has no ER.
People facing emergencies are driving farther and farther just to get basic care.

That’s not inconvenience.

That’s danger.

For Tim, healthcare is one of the clearest examples of what happens when we let “the market” decide human needs.

He called it what it is:

A market failure.

And he argued the state has a responsibility to step in where profit won’t.

We also talked public schools—especially rural districts fighting retention and funding issues.

His view was direct:
if a school takes public dollars, it should have public transparency.

That includes charter schools and private schools receiving state money.

And on a broader level, he made a point I thought was powerful:

Teachers should be paid based on where they’re needed most—not just where property values are highest.

We also got into one of my favorite curveballs of the night:

Rail.

Yes—rail.

Tim made a surprisingly passionate case for rebuilding regional rail access across northeast Indiana.

Not just as transportation, but as economic development, mobility, and belonging.

He called it “Make Rail Great Again,” and honestly… it might be the most unexpectedly compelling argument of the interview.

Because third places matter.
Community spaces matter.
And if young people are going to stay somewhere, they need more than work and home.

They need connection.

On mental health, he was crystal clear:

It is critically underfunded.

And the state’s habit of cutting services while calling itself “low tax, low regulation” comes with a cost:
people in crisis getting treated like problems instead of people.

That’s not leadership.

That’s neglect.

Then we got to one of the bigger strategic questions:

How does a Democrat function in a Republican supermajority Senate?

His answer was honest.

Some wins come through coalitions.
Some come through pressure.
Some come through simply refusing to stay quiet when bad policy moves forward.

And sometimes your job is not to win the vote—

it’s to make sure people know what’s happening.

Then, as always, we put it to the test with Hold ’em or Fold ’em.

Rural hospitals? Hold.
Public schools before vouchers? Hold.
Medical marijuana? Hold.
Family farms over consolidation? Hold.
Mental health investment? Absolutely hold.

What stood out most wasn’t just the policy.

It was the reason he’s running at all.

Not ego.

Not ambition.

Choice.

Because democracy without options isn’t much of a democracy at all.

And in District 19, that alone makes this race matter.

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Corydon was once the state capital.
Borden, Fredericksburg, and the surrounding communities are places where people still measure leadership the old-fashioned way—by whether you show up, follow through, and keep your word.

But even in places built on tradition, the pressures are modern.

Housing costs are rising.
Healthcare feels less affordable every year.
Family farms are fighting to survive.
And younger families are wondering if the “American Dream” is still for them.

In this episode, I sat down with John Colburn, a Republican candidate for Indiana State House District 70, to talk about what he believes is driving those frustrations—and why he says the answer starts with making government smaller, not bigger.

John’s message is built around one core idea:

Affordability first.

Not as a slogan, but as the lens for almost every issue—housing, healthcare, taxes, and opportunity.

He talked about how the average age of a first-time homebuyer has jumped dramatically and what that means for younger generations who feel like they’re being priced out of stability before they even get started.

For him, government isn’t fixing that problem.

It’s making it worse.

We spent a lot of time on healthcare, where he made an important distinction between healthcare and health insurance.

His argument is that too much of the system is controlled by middlemen—especially pharmacy benefit managers—and not enough by the actual relationship between patients and doctors.

His focus:
less bureaucracy, fewer intermediaries, and more direct access to affordable care.

We also dug into agriculture and family farms.

🌾 Property taxes remain a major pressure point, especially for older landowners trying to hold onto farms that have been in families for generations.

John took a very clear position here:
he wants to eliminate property taxes entirely for homeowners 65 and older.

His argument is simple:
if you’ve paid for your home, you shouldn’t be paying rent to the government to keep it.

We also talked infrastructure—especially broadband.

In rural Indiana, internet access isn’t a luxury anymore.
It’s school. It’s work. It’s business. It’s daily life.

He sees broadband as nearly as essential as electricity, while also recognizing the challenge of maintaining one of the largest road systems per square mile in the country.

For small businesses, his focus stayed consistent:

Get government out of the way.

As a business owner himself, he talked about insurance audits, unemployment burdens, and the way small businesses often get treated like they have the same margins as giant corporations.

On education, he took aim at administrative growth.

His argument was blunt:
too much money is being tied up in administration and not enough is making it to classrooms or teacher salaries.

He wants fewer administrators and stronger support for teachers.

On mental health, he supported a stronger state role—especially for those struggling with severe illness, homelessness, or access barriers.

And maybe the most interesting part of the conversation came when we talked about party politics.

Even as a Republican in a Republican-led state, John made it clear he doesn’t see party loyalty as the job.

His answer:
“I’m representing the people of District 70. I’m not representing a Republican.”

Then, as always, we put it to the test with Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where positions get clear, fast.

Universal healthcare? Fold.
Raise the minimum wage? Fold.
Corporate PAC money? Hold.
Mental health investment? Hold.
Challenge your own party when needed? “Holds squared.”

Whether you agree with him or not, what came through clearly was this:

He believes Indiana has a spending problem, not a people problem.

And in a district like 70—where voters care more about results than rhetoric—that argument will matter.

Because here, leadership isn’t about flash.

It’s about trust.

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Corydon, once the state capital.
Fredericksburg and Borden, where family names go back generations.
Harrison County, where politics isn’t performance—it’s personal.

But even here, the pressures are modern.

Rising costs.
Healthcare gaps.
Schools stretched thin.
Young people wondering whether they stay… or leave.

In this episode, I sat down with Sarah Blessing, a Democratic candidate for Indiana State House District 70, to talk about what happens when someone decides they’re done waiting for someone else to fix it.

Sarah brings a background rooted in education and community work.

She taught elementary school for nearly two decades. She’s a mother, a local advocate, and the co-founder of Project NEXT—one of the spaces helping push real conversations across Indiana.

And from the start, one thing was clear:

She doesn’t see herself as “Democrat Sarah Blessing.”

She sees herself as someone fighting for her neighbors.

That matters in a district where straight-ticket voting is still common and where trust is earned face-to-face, not through party labels.

We covered a lot of ground in this conversation.

🏥 Rural healthcare—and the reality that Harrison County has already lost OB-GYN access, with real concerns about long-term hospital survival.

Sarah made the case that if we don’t fix Medicaid access and make healthcare easier to reach, rural hospitals won’t survive.

🌾 Family farms and land ownership—where big corporate interests, development pressure, and bad environmental policy are making it harder for small farmers to stay afloat.

She also took a strong stand on right to repair, especially for farmers dealing with giant equipment companies like John Deere controlling whether they can fix the equipment they already paid for.

📚 Public education—this is where her passion burns hottest.

She called Indiana’s voucher system exactly what many parents feel it is:
a direct attack on public schools.

As a former teacher, she made it clear that diverting taxpayer dollars away from public schools isn’t just hurting education—it’s hurting communities, culture, and opportunity.

🏛️ Libraries and broadband—something a lot of politicians overlook, but something rural families live every day.

She talked about kids needing library internet just to complete e-learning days, and why protecting libraries means protecting public access, safety, and opportunity.

🧠 Mental health—where she made one of the strongest cases of the night:
mental healthcare shouldn’t be treated like a luxury.

It should be treated like infrastructure.

And maybe the biggest theme of the conversation:

Government has stopped listening to regular people.

Too much influence from lobbyists.
Too many corporate loopholes.
Too many decisions being made for donors instead of districts.

Sarah didn’t sugarcoat that.

She talked openly about the way lobbyists shape legislation, how corporations use Indiana as a testing ground for bad policy, and why elected officials need to stop taking steak dinners and start taking care of constituents.

Then, as always, we put it to the test with Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where the talking points disappear and the positions get clear.

Universal healthcare? Hold.
Raising the minimum wage? Hold.
Union protections? Hold.
Public schools before vouchers? Absolutely hold.

What stood out most wasn’t just the policy.

It was the urgency.

Sarah isn’t running because politics sounds exciting.

She’s running because she sees people being kicked when they’re already down—and she’s tired of it.

And in a district like 70, where people care less about party and more about whether you actually show up…

that might matter more than anything.

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It’s familiar.

It’s families working harder than ever…
and still feeling like they’re falling behind.

It’s small towns like Vincennes, Patoka, and Haubstadt trying to hold onto what they’ve built, while watching opportunity slowly drift somewhere else.

In this episode, I sat down with Candy Greer—a candidate stepping into Indiana’s 64th House District with a message that feels less like politics… and more like frustration finally turning into action.

And right from the start, you can tell—this isn’t coming from a polished political script.

It’s coming from lived experience.

Candy talks openly about what a lot of people in her generation have felt for years:
Working harder, waiting for things to improve… and watching nothing really change.

That shows up in how she talks about wages.

Indiana’s minimum wage hasn’t meaningfully moved in over a decade, and for her, that’s not just a policy debate—it’s the starting point for everything else.

If wages don’t move, nothing else does.

Not housing.
Not opportunity.
Not stability.

But what stood out wasn’t just the focus on wages—it was how everything connects.

She kept coming back to one idea:
It’s all intersectional.

Healthcare affects small businesses.
Wages affect farming families.
Education affects workforce development.
Mental health affects everything.

And if you don’t address those pieces together—you’re not really solving the problem.

We covered a lot of ground in this conversation:

💰 Raising the minimum wage and restoring worker negotiating power
🌾 The reality of family farms and why many farmers need second jobs
🏥 Rural healthcare access and the need for transportation and funding
🏫 Public school funding and the impact of voucher programs
🏠 Housing shortages and corporate property buy-ups
🚧 Infrastructure—from roads to water systems to broadband gaps
🧠 Mental health and addiction as issues that require real investment, not stigma

But what really stuck with me was her approach.

She’s not pretending to have every answer.

She’s saying she’ll listen.

She talks about an open-door policy. About learning from people who actually live the issues. About working across the aisle if it means getting results.

And in a district that hasn’t even had a challenger in recent elections—that alone is a shift.

We also talked about what pushed her to run in the first place.

It wasn’t a long political plan.

It was a moment.

A local fight over banning Ready Player One in her daughter’s school that turned into something bigger—realizing she wasn’t alone, and that her voice reflected a lot more people than she expected.

That moment turned into a campaign.

And now, she’s part of a growing wave of younger candidates stepping forward in places where voters haven’t had a choice in years.

Then, as always, we put it to the test with Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where the talking points disappear and the positions get clear.

What you’ll see here isn’t someone trying to sound like a politician.

It’s someone trying to represent people who feel like they haven’t been heard in a long time.

And in a district like 64…

that might be exactly what this moment calls for.

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It shows up in rising grocery bills.
It shows up in rent that keeps climbing.
It shows up in wages that haven’t moved enough to keep up with either.

And in Indiana’s 66th House District, that frustration is turning into something else:

Action.

In this episode, I sat down with Ryan Price, a candidate who doesn’t come from politics—he comes from the same reality a lot of Hoosiers are living right now.

He’s a husband. A father. A working-class Hoosier trying to make it work in a system that, in his words, just isn’t built for people like him anymore.

And that’s really where this conversation starts.

Not with policy—but with experience.

Ryan talks about what it means to live in a district that sits just across from Louisville’s economy, where people often cross state lines for work, pay different taxes, and still struggle to get ahead.

He doesn’t dress it up.

He calls it what it is.

A system where wages stay low while costs keep rising.
Where corporations get incentives without being held accountable.
Where housing is getting harder to afford—not easier.

We dug into all of it:

💰 Why the current minimum wage isn’t just low—it’s unrealistic
🏠 The reality of trying to buy a home in today’s market
🏫 Public school funding being pulled in directions it shouldn’t be
🏥 Rural healthcare access that depends too much on geography
🚧 Infrastructure challenges, from flooding to outdated systems
🏪 Small businesses trying to compete in a system tilted toward corporations

But what stood out most wasn’t just the policy—it was the tone.

Ryan isn’t promising the moon.

He’s promising to show up.

To be accessible.
To answer his own messages.
To meet people where they are instead of disappearing behind a title.

And honestly, that’s something voters are asking for more and more.

We also talked about something that hit deeper than policy:

His generation.

The group that was told to go to school, work hard, do everything right—and then found out the system didn’t hold up its end of the deal.

That frustration isn’t theoretical.

It’s personal.

And it’s driving people like Ryan to step forward.

Then, as always, we put it to the test with Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where the talking points disappear and the positions get clear.

What you’ll see here isn’t a polished politician.

It’s someone trying to give his district something he feels like it’s been missing:

A voice that actually reflects the people living there.

And in a place like District 66…

that might matter more than anything else.

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They’re visible.

They’re in the empty homes you pass walking through town.
They’re in the factories that used to employ generations.
They’re in the hospitals struggling to stay open and the families trying to hold it all together.

In this episode, I sat down with Austin Meives, a Democratic candidate running for Indiana’s 23rd State House District, to talk about what’s actually happening on the ground in communities like Logansport, Peru, Mexico, and around Grissom.

And this wasn’t a polished, rehearsed conversation.

It was real.

Austin brings a perspective rooted in the district itself—someone who understands how interconnected these communities are, from the rivers that run through them to the economic forces shaping them.

One of the first things that stood out was his rejection of “one-size-fits-all” policy.

Because what works in Indianapolis doesn’t always work in Peru.
And what helps one town upstream can impact everyone downstream.

That idea carries through everything we talked about.

We dug into economic development—and why relying on tax cuts alone hasn’t delivered for small towns. Factories close, jobs disappear, and communities are left trying to rebuild without the tools they need.

We talked about healthcare—and how rural hospitals struggle to compete, leading to fewer providers, higher costs, and people falling through the cracks. His perspective wasn’t theoretical—it came from watching it happen firsthand.

We got into education and workforce development—why preparing students for today’s economy means starting earlier, thinking differently, and investing in skills that actually match where jobs are going.

And we didn’t avoid the harder conversations either:

• The future of family farms and rising costs

• Infrastructure that hasn’t kept pace in decades

• Broadband gaps still holding communities back

• Housing challenges and abandoned properties

• The role of state government when markets fail

What stood out most was the throughline:

People feel like they’re not being heard.

And when people stop believing their voice matters, they stop showing up altogether.

Austin made it clear that, for him, representation isn’t about party first—it’s about people first. That means town halls, direct conversations, and being willing to push back—even against your own party—if it’s what the district needs.

And like always, we put that to the test in Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where positions get clear, fast.

What you’ll see here isn’t a candidate trying to fit into a mold.

It’s someone trying to respond to a district that doesn’t fit into one.

And in a place like District 23…

that might be exactly what voters are looking for.

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Northwest Fort Wayne is expanding. Huntertown is building fast. Arcola is holding onto its small-town identity while the edges of growth creep closer every year.

And with that growth comes a question that too many communities are now facing:

Are we building something better… or just building faster?

In this conversation, I sat down with Sharon Wight, a Democratic candidate for Indiana State House District 81, to talk about what that growth actually means for the people living it every day.

This wasn’t theoretical.

This was lived experience.

Sharon has spent her life in this region—watching neighborhoods expand, roads strain, schools fill up, and families try to keep pace with a system that often reacts too late instead of planning ahead.

And that’s where her focus is clear:

Growth without planning isn’t progress—it’s pressure.

We dug into what that looks like on the ground:

🚧 Infrastructure that isn’t keeping up with demand
🏫 Public schools stretched thin by rising enrollment
💸 Property taxes hitting homeowners while corporations get breaks
🏥 Healthcare costs that don’t make sense for working families
🧠 Mental health systems that are underfunded and overburdened
🌱 Environmental decisions that shape the future long after development ends

But what stood out most wasn’t just the policy—it was the throughline:

Government should work from the ground up, not the top down.

Local communities know what they need.
The job of the state isn’t to override them—it’s to support them.

We also talked about:

• Why public school funding should stay in public schools

• The role of township government in real accountability

• Corporate tax abatements and who actually benefits

• Small business barriers that shouldn’t exist

• The reality of healthcare access, not just the talking points

• And what it means to serve in a legislature that doesn’t always prioritize people

And like always, this wasn’t about polished answers.

It was about real ones.

Because in a district like this—where growth is constant and pressure is real—representation can’t just show up when it’s convenient.

It has to anticipate.
It has to listen.
And it has to deliver.

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Movement of industry. Movement of people. Movement of opportunity.

But right now, too many families across southern Indiana are asking a different question:

Are we still moving forward… or are we being left behind?

In this episode, I sat down with Tabitha Zeigler, a Democratic candidate stepping out of advocacy and into the political arena in one of the most competitive districts in the state.

And this wasn’t a surface-level conversation.

This was about lived reality.

Tabitha doesn’t come at this from theory. She’s raising three children with autism, navigating rural healthcare gaps, and living the very systems she’s now trying to change. That perspective shapes everything she says—from healthcare to education to economic policy.

A few things stood out immediately.

First, healthcare isn’t abstract here.
It’s access. It’s distance. It’s whether you can even get an appointment without ending up in an ER. Tabitha makes a direct case for universal healthcare—not as ideology, but as survival in rural Indiana.

Second, the economic reality.
From Evansville to Terre Haute to small towns in between, she paints a picture of Hoosiers stretched thin—rising costs, stagnant wages, and communities watching opportunity drift elsewhere.

Third, the deeper frustration.
This wasn’t just about policy—it was about trust. About people feeling like decisions are being made far away from their lives, by people who don’t understand what it means to live them.

We also get into:

• Rural hospital closures and Medicaid barriers

• The “brain drain” pulling young Hoosiers out of state

• Agriculture, land ownership, and corporate consolidation

• Renewable energy vs. local control

• Infrastructure ideas like high-speed rail and rural investment

• The role of advocacy voices—especially in disability and neurodivergent communities—in shaping federal policy

And then, like always, we cut through the noise with Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where positions get clear, fast.

What you’ll see here is a candidate who isn’t trying to sound polished.

She’s trying to be heard.

And more importantly—she’s trying to make sure her district is heard too.

Because in a place like Indiana’s 8th…

representation isn’t about party lines.
It’s about whether someone is actually willing to fight for the people living there.

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It stretches from Purdue’s research labs in Lafayette to the farm fields of Carroll and Clinton counties, down through growing suburbs like Avon and Plainfield, and into communities like Martinsville where people are still asking the same question: who’s actually fighting for us?

In this conversation, I sat down with Paul McPherson to find out where he stands—and more importantly, what he’d actually do in Congress.

Paul brings a background that reflects the district itself. He grew up on a farm, works in manufacturing and engineering, and has spent more than a decade in higher education. That combination shows up in how he talks about policy—not in theory, but in terms of how it hits people on the ground.

We talk about what it means to run in a district that’s been reliably Republican—and why he believes the path forward isn’t about going further left or right, but meeting people where they are.

A few things stood out in this conversation.

First, the rural reality.
Paul lives it. He talks about hospitals on the brink, farmers struggling to keep land in the family, and communities still waiting for reliable broadband in a world that now depends on it.

Second, the idea of accountability.
Not just to voters—but inside Congress itself. He makes it clear he’s willing to call out his own party if it means getting real results.

And third, the strategy.
He’s not relying on ads or headlines. He’s planning to knock on doors—thousands of them—because in a district like this, trust isn’t built online. It’s built face-to-face.

We also get into the bigger picture:

• How Purdue’s growth can actually benefit rural counties

• Why small farms are disappearing—and what can be done about it

• The infrastructure gap between suburbs and rural communities

• How to keep young people in Indiana instead of losing them to other states

And then, like always, we put it to the test in Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where the talking points disappear and the positions get clear.

What you’ll see here is a candidate trying to thread a tough needle:
Appeal to rural voters, suburban voters, and working-class families—without losing clarity in the process.

Whether that works in a district like this is an open question.

But conversations like this are where voters start to get real answers.

And in a race like this, that matters.

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It’s not just the geography—from Lafayette’s research economy to the rural farm counties, to the growing suburbs like Avon and Plainfield. It’s not even the fact that this is one of the most competitive Democratic primaries we’ve seen in years.

It’s the question underneath all of it: what kind of candidate can actually compete here?

In this conversation, I sat down with Jayden McCash, a candidate stepping into this race with a message that doesn’t neatly fit into the usual boxes.

Jayden isn’t running as a traditional party-line candidate. He’s running on the idea that this district is ready for something different—something more grounded in working-class realities, less driven by political labels, and more focused on what he calls a “Hoosier First” approach.

What stood out to me wasn’t just the policy positions. It was the perspective.

A truck driver by trade, Jayden brings a lived understanding of issues like infrastructure, rising costs, and the day-to-day pressures that don’t always show up in political speeches. From opposing toll roads to pushing for Medicare for All, from protecting family farms to challenging federal overreach, his campaign is rooted in a belief that government should work for people—not around them.

We also get into the realities of this district:

• How to connect Purdue’s growth to rural communities

• Why agriculture policy is hitting local farmers hard

• The role of immigration enforcement and where it’s going wrong

• What it actually takes to compete in a deeply Republican district

And then, as always, we put it to the test in Hold ’em or Fold ’em—where the talking points disappear and instinct takes over.

What you’ll see in this episode is a candidate trying to thread a difficult needle:
Appeal to disaffected voters across the spectrum while still carrying a message strong enough to stand out in a crowded field.

Whether that strategy works… that’s what this race is about.

But one thing is clear: voices like this are changing the conversation.

And in a district like the 4th, that matters.

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In this episode of Hold ’em Accountable, I sat down with Joe Mackey to dig into one of the most politically and economically complex regions in the state. From the research corridors around Purdue to the farmland stretching across rural counties, this district doesn’t move in one direction—it pulls in many at once.

And Joe makes it clear: policy doesn’t land the same everywhere.

We talked about what it actually means to represent a district where agriculture, manufacturing, higher education, and suburban growth all collide. Joe brings a blue-collar background and years of involvement across the district, and he argues that representation starts with understanding—not guessing—what people are dealing with day to day.

That means confronting the reality of rising healthcare costs, the struggle to retain teachers in rural communities, and the growing housing crisis that’s pushing families out of the places they’ve built their lives.

It also means addressing agriculture as more than a talking point. Joe doesn’t shy away from the challenges facing farmers—from market collapse to consolidation—and makes the case for diversification and long-term federal support that actually stabilizes rural economies.

But what stood out most in this conversation is the throughline: this isn’t about left vs. right—it’s about whether anyone in Washington is truly focused on the people back home.

Joe believes there’s still a path to building that kind of representation. The question is whether voters agree.

Watch the full conversation and decide for yourself.

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It doesn’t dominate headlines. It doesn’t get the constant attention from Indianapolis. But if you spend any time in places like Loogootee, Washington, Jasper, or around Crane… you realize pretty quickly something important:

People here aren’t asking for much.
They’re asking to be seen.

That’s where Tiffanie Arthur comes in.

When I sat down with her, what stood out wasn’t political polish. It was proximity. She’s not stepping into District 63—she’s lived it. Raised in the community, raising her own family there, running a small business, connected to agriculture, schools, and the people who make this region work every single day.

And that shapes how she talks about policy.

We talked about NSA Crane, not just as a headline, but as an economic lifeline. She understands that protecting those jobs means investing in education, workforce training, infrastructure, and the small businesses that support that ecosystem.

We talked about healthcare, and the reality that in rural Indiana, distance isn’t just inconvenient—it can be dangerous. When hospitals are at risk and families are driving over an hour for care, that’s not a policy debate. That’s a crisis.

We talked about schools, and the impact of funding decisions that are pulling resources away from public classrooms—especially in communities where there aren’t private alternatives to fall back on.

And we talked about something that doesn’t get enough attention:

What happens when rural communities are talked about… but not invested in.

Because that’s the thread running through everything in District 63.

Whether it’s farmers dealing with consolidation pressure, families struggling with housing availability, or communities trying to keep their hospitals open—the question isn’t abstract.

It’s personal.

What Tiffanie Arthur is arguing is simple:
You can’t represent a district like this from a distance.

You have to understand the farm and the factory.
The school and the small business.
The family trying to stay and the young person deciding whether to leave.

And for her, this isn’t about stepping into politics as a career move.

It’s about stepping up because she believes someone has to.

So the real question isn’t just who she is.

It’s whether District 63 is ready for someone who’s already living the same reality they are.

🎥 Watch the full conversation and decide for yourself.

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Some come in with policy papers. Some come in with talking points. And some come in with something you can’t fake… lived experience.

Todd Shelton is one of those people.

When we talk about District 25, we’re not talking about theory. We’re talking about places like Anderson, Alexandria, Pendleton, and Atlanta—communities that know exactly what it feels like when jobs disappear, when factories close, and when families are left asking what comes next.

Todd doesn’t speak about that from a distance.

He worked at General Motors. He lived through a plant shutting down and jobs moving overseas. He stepped up as a union committeeman to fight for workers who didn’t always have someone in their corner.

And that story doesn’t stop there.

He served in the military. Came home. Used the GI Bill. Built an education. Spent years teaching. Started a small business. He’s lived multiple versions of what it means to be a working Hoosier trying to navigate a system that doesn’t always work the way it should.

And sitting across from him, you can tell… this isn’t about building a political resume.

This is about fixing something that’s been broken for a long time.

We talked about jobs. Not just bringing jobs back, but making sure people are trained for the ones that actually pay.
We talked about healthcare. The reality that people are waiting months just to be seen.
We talked about schools. Funding them, respecting teachers, and making sure kids are actually prepared for the future.

But more than anything, we talked about voice.

Because District 25 doesn’t need another polished speech. It needs someone who understands what happens when a paycheck disappears, when a business struggles, when a family is trying to hold it all together.

Todd Shelton isn’t coming in as a career politician.

He’s coming in as someone who’s been there.

And now he’s asking voters for the chance to take that experience and turn it into action.

So the question isn’t just who he is.

It’s whether District 25 is ready for someone who’s actually walked the same road they have.

🎥 Watch the full conversation and decide for yourself.

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You can feel it in the new neighborhoods going up…
in the traffic that wasn’t there a few years ago…
and in the conversations families are having at their kitchen tables.

Growth is happening. Fast.

But the real question isn’t whether we’re growing—
it’s whether we’re growing in a way that actually works for the people already here.

That’s why I wanted to have this conversation with Devon Wellington.

She’s not coming into this from a typical political lane. Her background is rooted in education policy, small business ownership, and real-world advocacy—especially for families navigating systems that were never designed to be simple.

And what stood out to me right away is this:

She understands how policy actually moves. Not just how it’s talked about—but how it’s written, shaped, and sometimes quietly decided before the public ever hears about it.

So in this episode, we didn’t stay at the surface.

We talked about what growth really means in Hamilton County:

• The fear that kids and grandkids won’t be able to afford to live where they grew up

• The tension between development and preserving what makes a place feel like home

• The strain on infrastructure, schools, and community identity

We also dug into some of the biggest issues facing District 29 right now:

• Property taxes and why broad solutions often miss the people who need relief most

• Public education and the ongoing fight over funding and stability

• Mental health access and the workforce challenges behind it

• Small businesses trying to compete in systems tilted toward large corporations

• And the growing concern over outside investors reshaping local housing markets

But more than anything, this conversation kept coming back to one idea:

Representation isn’t about holding a title.
It’s about understanding the system well enough to actually change it.

And that means being in the room where decisions are made—
before they’re finalized, before they’re voted on, before they’re out of reach.

Because once those decisions are locked in, the conversation is already over.

That’s what’s at stake here.

Not just who represents District 29…
but whether that representation actually reflects the people living in it.

So whether you agree with Devon or not, this is a conversation worth hearing.

Because growth is coming either way.

The real question is—who gets a say in what it becomes?

So stay informed, ask questions…
and as always—hold ’em accountable.

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This one falls squarely in the second category.

When I sat down with Jack Chance, I wasn’t just talking to a candidate. I was talking to someone who has lived the reality that so many Hoosiers are facing right now. Rent that doesn’t make sense. Paychecks that don’t stretch. Families doing everything right and still falling behind.

And that’s really where this conversation begins.

District 30 isn’t built in committee rooms or campaign mailers. It’s built in Kokomo, in Greentown, in Swayze, and in every household where people are trying to hold things together while the system keeps pushing back.

Jack’s story reflects that. He’s worked the kinds of jobs most politicians only talk about. He’s spent years in housing, seeing firsthand what happens when families are one crisis away from losing everything. And instead of just managing the fallout, he’s decided to step in and challenge the system itself.

So in this episode, I wanted to go beyond the usual talking points.

We dug into what’s actually happening in this district:

• What it means to protect union jobs while preparing for the EV transition

• Why housing costs aren’t just “market forces,” but policy failures

• How rural communities keep getting pushed to the back of the line

• And why public education, healthcare access, and economic dignity are all connected

We also talked about something that doesn’t get enough attention…
what representation is supposed to feel like.

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Because for a lot of people in this district, government doesn’t feel close. It doesn’t feel responsive. And it definitely doesn’t feel accountable.

Jack made it clear that if he’s elected, that changes.

Not with slogans.
Not with press releases.

But by showing up, listening, and making sure people are actually heard.

At the end of the day, that’s what this show is about.

Not telling you what to think…
but giving you the chance to hear directly from the people asking for your vote.

So whether you agree with Jack or not, this conversation matters.

Because democracy doesn’t work without it.

So stay informed, ask questions…
and as always—hold ’em accountable.

That’s the backdrop for this conversation.

In this episode, I sit down with Kristina Moorhead, a Democratic candidate for Indiana State Senate District 29, to talk about what that growth really means and who gets a say in shaping it.

We dig into the real pressure points people are feeling across the district. Infrastructure that hasn’t caught up. Schools facing enrollment challenges and funding gaps. Property taxes that continue to rise. And the broader tension between state decisions and local control.

Kristina brings a policy-heavy perspective, especially on healthcare and Medicaid, but also speaks to the lived reality of families trying to navigate rising costs, childcare, and access to care. We talk about everything from expanding the Healthy Indiana Plan to rethinking high deductible insurance models that leave families one emergency away from financial strain.

We also get into what it actually takes to pass legislation in a Republican-controlled State Senate. What issues can bring people together? Where does compromise work, and where does it break down?

And of course, we close it out the only way we do… with Hold ’em or Fold ’em. No long speeches. No dodging. Just clear answers.

This is what this show is about.

Not telling you what to think.
Giving you the chance to hear directly from the people asking for your vote.

Because in a district like this one, where growth is constant and pressure is real, representation isn’t abstract… it’s personal.

So stay informed, ask questions, and as always—hold ’em accountable.

Not just the traffic. Not just the construction. Not just the kind of growth that shows up in headlines before it shows up in a real plan. You feel something deeper than that.

Decisions are being made about you, not with you.

And that’s the tension sitting underneath everything right now. Because this district sits right at the intersection of rapid suburban expansion and long-standing communities that built their identity long before the boom. The question isn’t whether change is happening. It’s who that change is actually working for… and who ends up paying the price.

In this conversation, I sat down with Rev. David Greene, Sr. to cut through the usual noise and get into the real issues.

We talked about growth, but not the kind politicians like to brag about. The kind that clogs your commute, pressures your schools, raises your property taxes, and quietly reshapes your community without asking permission first.

We talked about what it actually means to have “smart growth without sacrifice.” Whether developers should be required to pay for the strain they create. And why too often, families end up footing the bill after the fact.

We got into public education, where strong schools are now being stretched by enrollment, policy shifts, and funding instability. Into property taxes and insurance costs, where even people doing everything right are starting to feel squeezed out of their own homes.

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And then there’s Eagle Creek. Not just a landmark, but a lifeline. A resource that raises a bigger question: are we protecting what matters, or gambling with it?

What stood out to me in this conversation is that none of these issues exist in isolation. They’re all connected. Growth. Infrastructure. Schools. Taxes. Quality of life. Pull one thread, and the rest start to move.

That’s why this race matters.

Because in 2026, your vote isn’t just a preference. It’s a receipt.

It’s your way of saying whether the people making decisions are actually accountable to you… or just operating above you.

So wherever you are in District 29, West Clay, Zionsville, Traders Point, Eagle Creek, Clermont, Chapel Hill, this conversation is about you.

Not politics for the sake of politics.
But what your everyday life looks like moving forward.

Stay informed. Ask better questions. And as always… hold ’em accountable.

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When I sat down with Kirsten Root, that truth came into focus even more clearly. This is a district where fast-growing suburbs collide with long-standing communities, where opportunity and struggle exist side by side, and where bad policy doesn’t show up quietly. It shows up first.

And people feel it.

In this conversation, I wanted to strip away the talking points and get into what actually matters. Not slogans. Not headlines. The real, everyday impacts. We talked about affordability, housing, public schools, healthcare access, and what public safety actually looks like when systems are stretched thin.

One thing that stood out immediately is how consistent the concerns are across the district. No matter where you go, people are asking the same questions:
Are we being heard?
Are policies helping or hurting working families?
And why does it still feel like the Statehouse listens to lobbyists before it listens to us?

Kirsten comes at this from a different angle than most candidates. Her background as a social worker shapes how she sees policy, not as theory, but as something that either helps people or fails them in real time. She’s worked in crisis response, healthcare access, and community support, and that perspective shows up in how she talks about everything from mental health to infrastructure.

One of the most striking parts of our conversation was around mental health. Across the board, law enforcement is telling her the same thing: jails have become the largest mental health providers in their communities. That’s not a partisan issue. That’s a system failure.

And it raises a bigger question.
If we know the problem, why aren’t we fixing it?

We also dug into education, where funding decisions are shaping outcomes in ways that leave some communities behind. Into housing, where rising costs are pushing families out of places they’ve called home for years. And into healthcare, where access still depends too much on where you live.

This wasn’t about easy answers. It was about clarity.

Because at the end of the day, this race, like every race, isn’t about party labels. It’s about whether the people in charge are actually solving problems or just talking about them.

If you live in District 21 or anywhere in Indiana, this conversation matters. The decisions being made right now are shaping what comes next, for your family, your community, and your future.

So don’t sit this one out.

Stay informed. Ask better questions. And demand better answers.

And as always… hold ’em accountable.

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That’s exactly why this conversation matters.

In this episode of Hold ’em Accountable, I sit down with Scott Houldieson, a Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 1st State Senate District, covering communities across Lake County like Highland, Griffith, Schererville, and St. John. Scott brings a background rooted in labor, as a longtime United Auto Workers member and community advocate, and he makes it clear from the start that his focus is on working families.

We dig into affordability, the squeeze between rising costs and stagnant wages, and how state policy plays a role in that pressure. We talk about property taxes, corporate influence, and whether everyday Hoosiers are being asked to carry more than their fair share.

We also get into infrastructure, environmental protection, education funding, and healthcare access, all through the lens of what these decisions actually mean for people on the ground. Not theory. Not talking points. Real-life impact.

What stood out to me in this conversation is Scott’s emphasis on shifting power back toward people, not corporations, and bringing what he calls “kitchen table sensibility” into the State House.

Whether you agree with him or not, the questions raised here are the same ones I hear across Indiana.

Who is government really working for?

Let’s get into it.

That’s exactly why this conversation matters.

In this episode of Hold ’em Accountable, I sit down with Racheal Bleicher, a Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 24, covering Westfield, Sheridan, and parts of Carmel and Boone County. Rachel isn’t a career politician. She’s a mother, a business leader, and someone who moved here for the same reasons so many Hoosier families do: strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and a real sense of community.

But what stood out to me wasn’t just her background, it was her perspective on what’s happening in this district right now.

We talk about growth, not just the kind you measure in new housing developments, but the kind that puts pressure on infrastructure, schools, and affordability. We get into childcare costs, housing access, public school funding, and what it really means to use taxpayer dollars responsibly. And we don’t avoid the bigger question either: what does effective leadership actually look like in a fast-changing suburban district?

Rachel makes it clear she’s running because she felt unheard. And whether you agree with her or not, that feeling is something I hear from voters all across Indiana.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about one race. It’s about whether communities like District 24 get representation that reflects their reality.

So let’s get into it.

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