The Political Life
From campaigns to capitols and everywhere in between - a podcast about the people whose lives are immersed in the political world, and how they got there. Politicians, lobbyists, pollsters, and business people. If they're on the show, they're living the political life.
Episodes
In today's episode, Maggie Mick sits down with Deana Lykins, Lead for State Government Affairs at Haleon. A Kentucky native and now New Jersey resident, Deana has worn essentially every hat in state policy making and advocacy. From campaigns to state capitol aide before crossing over to the private sector where she's held roles as a contract lobbyist, running a state association, and now her role in the corporate sector. Learn how ...
For The Political Life's final episode of 2025, and to prepare our listening audience for state legislative sessions in 2026, we stood up a MultiState Group Chat to discuss all the emerging issues that may be coming to a state capitol building near you. This fall, MultiState released a 2025 Issues Review and 2026 Forecast Report. An extensive and large undertaking, the report pulls from the expertise of MultiState's Issue Managemen...
Next year is huge for gubernatorial races, but don't take your eye off the 30 state attorneys general races set for 2026.
Increasingly, AGs play an outsized role in state policymaking, multistate investigations, and federal activity. Beyond that, more of them are ascending to higher office including governor, Congress, and federal cabinet positions. In the eight 2024 gubernatorial races, three AGs (plus one former) ran and won the...
This week and next week's episodes on 2026 attorneys general races are rebroadcasts of recent MultiState client webinars.
Next year is huge for gubernatorial races, but don't take your eye off the 30 state attorneys general races set for 2026. Increasingly, AGs play an outsized role in state policymaking, multistate investigations, and federal activity. Beyond that, more...
Senator James Maroney was first elected to represent the 14th District (Milford) in 2018.
Senator Maroney currently serves as the Co-Chair of the General Law Committee. In his time as co-chair of the committee, he has p...
In this week's episode, Maggie Mick hosts David Hallock, president of Two Capitols Consulting in Virginia. With 30 years of experience working in the Virginia Governor's office and General Assembly, the United States Senate, and the private sector, David is one of the most seasoned and respected operatives in the Commonwealth. Maggie and David walk through the evolving dynamics in this year's statewide election including gubernator...
In today's episode, Maggie Mick hosts Bill Maer, senior partner wtih Public Impact Strategies. Bill is a well-respected New Jersey lobbyist and onetime political operative with a career spanning more than 30 years. He was appointed to Governor Phil Murphy's 2018 Transition Committee to advise the incoming Administration on State related policies. Maggie and Bill discuss the Garden State's colorful political dynamics and how histori...
On today's special episode, Maggie Mick hosts Minnesota state Sen. Julia Coleman to reflect on the life and legacy of her friend and mentor Charlie Kirk. The conversation took place on September 12, two days after he was assassinated while addressing an audience on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah. Sen. Coleman began her political career on the staff of Turning Point USA and later became the youngest woman e...
On today's episode, Maggie Mick hosts Amanda Nguyen, President & CEO of the American Distilled Spirits Alliance. Amanda, an accomplished attorney and seasoned government affairs executive, recently took the helm at ADSA. The two discuss Amanda's time working in a state legislature, her path to Washington, D.C. and raising her daughter as a single mom while building a successful career.
In today's episode, Maggie Mick sits down with Vartan Dijhanian, Director of Global Government Affairs for LAM Research. Vartan has worked on political campaigns since middle school and went on to serve on the staff for multiple Members of Congress before transitioning to the private sector. A native of Lebanon, he has a deep appreciation for American politics and how anyone can pursue public service and give back to their country....
In this week's episode, Maggie Mick hosts T.J. Birkel, Head - Government Affairs, West, for Kroger and host of his own podcast, Common Fan. They chat about T.J.'s time on Capitol Hill, his transition to the private sector and state affairs, building businesses and of course, Nebraska football. Go Big Red.
On today's episode, Maggie Mick is joined by New Mexico Speaker Javier Martinez. They discuss his ascent into politics and legislative leadership, the issues that matter most to him, how he leads his chamber, the big issues that the legislature tackled this session and what's ahead in 2026.
In today's episode, Maggie Mick welcomes back to the show Tim Storey, CEO of the National Conference of State Legislatures to mark the organization's 50th anniversary. The two discuss the origins of NCSL, its impact on states as well as thousands of state legislators and staff, current programs and NCSL's important role in states rights. Tim also shares a preview for the 50th Legislative Summit set for Boston next month.
In today's episode, Maggie Mick is joined by Nneka Chiazor, the newly installed President for the Public Affairs Council. The two discuss Nneka's career, her vision for the Council moving forward, and she shares all the ways any professional in public or government affairs can get involved. More about upcoming Public Affairs Council events here.
In the wake of the tragic political assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, Maggie Mick sits down with Cristine Almeida of Almeida Public Affairs in St. Paul, Minnesota. The conversation explores Speaker Hortman's career and legacy in Minnesota as well as the impact of her death reverberating in the community of states and the challenge to our country which faces increased t...
Today, we are rebroadcasting a recent MultiState virtual client event hosted by Maggie Mick on the budget reconciliation bill which contains President Trump's domestic policy agenda currently moving in the U.S. Senate. In May, the House narrowly passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" — which would cut taxes, increase border and military spending, and notably scale back Medicaid, among other provisions. Maggie alongside two of her ...
On today's episode, Maggie Mick hosts Fred Zeytoonjian, President of the State Government Affairs Council. This year, SGAC celebrates its 50th anniversary. Fred shares an 101 on SGAC and how the organization is marking this milestone year with a national campaign to celebrate the state government affairs profession and raising funds for Faces of Voices of Recovery. He also talks about his favorite new spot - Bowdie's Chophouse in L...
Machalagh Carr is a trusted and discreet counselor with decades of private sector and government experience. She has nimbly navigated the intersection of congressional investigations and oversight, law, geopolitics, international anticorruption measures, and policy, and served as the top staffer in Article I as Chief of Staff to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. She is the Founder & CEO of Quell strategies, a boutique consultin...
Jordan Rodell is a seasoned public policy professional specializing in technology and free speech advocacy. She currently serves as Public Policy Manager at X (formerly Twitter), where she leads legislative and executive engagement efforts across the U.S. Prior to this, she was the State Policy Manager at the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), advancing policy on content moderation, privacy, digital taxation, an...
During The Political Life podcast's legislative session recess, we bring you another rebroadcast of a recent MultiState virtual event. To gain insights on trends and a better understanding of the state of play with attorneys general, MultiState's Maggie Mick and Kelley Drye & Warren's Paul Singer, AG Practice Chair, hosted a conversation on March 25, 2025. For many states, March marks the halfway point for legislative session and a...
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