Today on a special unlocked Patreon “Office Hours” episode, AJ sits down with producer Kylan and Brittany, owner of our partner bookstore, Tropes. They swap favorite book recs from the season, reveal where you can find a handy list of them all, and look back on Season 3, complete with some of Kylan’s burning questions for AJ. Check out the list of all the book recommendations we received this season! https://bookshop.org/lists/cpp-book-recommendations

And now for something completely different. In this Season Three finale, we debut our first-ever “Hidden in Plain Sight” episode. Instead of interviewing a politician, we spotlight a news story you may not be hearing elsewhere. To kick things off, AJ is joined by Basel Musharbash to discuss corporate consolidation. They unpack what a monopoly is, why Basel became an anti-monopoly lawyer, how monopolies impact public safety through something as basic as firetrucks, and how they’re reshaping American agriculture. They also explore potential solutions, and of course get some book recommendations for listeners who want to dig deeper into the issue.

In this episode, AJ sits down with Michael Gainer, an independent candidate for mayor of Buffalo, New York. They dive into Michael’s background and professional experience, his decision to shift from Democrat to independent, and his vision for the city. Michael shares his top policy priorities, why he believes he can win, and the one idea he hopes will carry forward even if he doesn’t. The conversation also explores the role of mentors (and their books that shaped him), and why holding onto joy matters in today’s often dark political climate.

This week, AJ is joined by Mississippi State Rep. Shanda Yates. They talk about her surprise victory over a long time incumbent Republican, her decision to switch from being a Democrat, some of her major policy priorities and wins, how she as an independent is able to get leadership positions, how she navigates being an independent in a heavily partisan environment, her love of Southern gothic literature, and why bubble baths and a glass of wine are a good way to end a stressful day.

AJ is joined by Vic Kaplan, the Libertarian Party’s 2025 candidate for Governor of New Jersey. They discuss his campaign policies and slogan “Freedom and Empathy,” the federal government’s role in immigration, and how alternative party candidates can achieve policy successes even if not electoral success. The conversation also covers lighter topics like Vic's enjoy ment of Taylor Ham, plus Vic’s recommendations, including the Season 3 history episode on Eugene Debs and some books!

In this episode, AJ talks with independent Donna Charles, who is running in the 2025 Virginia Governor election. They talk about her decision to run as an independent, her solutions to issues facing Virginia, what makes her different than the two major party candidates, how voters have reacted to her, elected officials she respects, book recommendations, and, of course, her love of the game Mortal Kombat!

This week, AJ is joined by Maine independent state representative from Bill Pluecker. They talk about Bill's background as a farmer, why he is an independent, some of his policy priorities, how to support independent and resiliant farming (where AJ makes a Lord of the Rings reference), what it's like to campaign (and win) as an independent, being an independent in a closely contested legislature, forever chemicals, and Bill teaches AJ about a giant festival held in Maine every summer!

In this episode, AJ is joined by Dr. Lee Drutman, an expert on electoral reform and American politics. They talk about the "two party doom loop", why it's bad, how American voters actually more resemble a six party system, why we have a two party system, and how changing our electoral system to one with multimember districts and proportional representation may transform America into a multiparty system. If you ever wanted to hear AJ really nerd out with someone, this episode is for you.

In our Season 3 Time Machine episode, AJ is joined by Allison Duerk, direct of the Eugene V Debs Museum to talk about who Debs is, the previous strength of the Socialist Party in America, why support for the party collapsed, what it was like for Debs to run for president from jail, why there has been increased interest in Debs in recent years, and what new research tells us about the importance of Kate Debs to Eugene and the Socialist Party.

In our third episode of the season, AJ talks with the Forward Party's nominee for the VA's House of Delegates District 11 race. They talk about who the Forward Party is, Brandon's decision to run as their candidate, his policy solutions to healthcare, education, election reform, and toxic politics between the two parties. They also talk about the process of getting on the ballot, how he is measuring success, some book recommendations, and what his campaign's mascot would be if it had one.

In this episode, AJ is joined by State Senator Tanya Vyhovsky from Vermont's Progressive Party. They talk about her biography, who the Progressive Party is, what makes the Progressive Party different from the big two, some of their major policies, why the Progressive Party has been so successful in Vermont, what in the world Fusion Voting is, what it's like trying to govern in a diverse political environment, and Senator Vyhovsky teaches AJ what Varenyky is.

Season 3 Premiere! AJ kicks things off with George Foreman IV, entrepreneur, educator, minister, son of the legendary heavyweight champion, and now independent candidate for Texas’s 18th congressional district. They dive into everything from growing up as a Foreman, to why he’s stepping into politics, his top three policy priorities, and how he plans to stand out in a crowded race. George also shares how he’d approach working in Congress, some of his favorite books, and perhaps most importantly, whether he ever flipped the Monopoly board as a kid.

To mark the end of Season Two, Dr. AJ Simmons fires up the Time Machine once again, this time landing in the chaotic presidential election of 1968. His focus is the third party presidential campaign of Alabama Governor George Wallace. Joining AJ is Dr. Aram Goudsouzian, Bizot Family Professor of History at the University of Memphis and author of The Men and the Moment: The Election of 1968 and the Rise of Partisan Politics in America. Together, they explore why Wallace is often called the “Most Influential Loser” in American politics and how his campaign shaped the political landscape we live in today.

This week, Dr. AJ Simmons sits down with City Councilmember Josh Michtom and School Board Member Shontá Browdy, elected officials in Hartford, Connecticut, and members of the Working Families Party. They discuss what the party stands for, breaking through in a city dominated by a major party, campaigning as third-party candidates, building coalitions, and staying true to their values in office.

This week on Crashing the Political Party, we're joined by Jim Walden, an independent candidate for mayor of New York City. We dive into his vision for the city, what it means to run outside the two-party system, and how he plans to build a governing coalition in a deeply Democratic stronghold. Walden also shares his take on the biggest challenges facing New York, and how he thinks real change can happen.

It’s International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, and AJ is diving into the politics of the Socialist Party USA. In this episode, he sits down with Greg Pason, National Secretary of the SPUSA, and Pat Noble, a local elected SPUSA official, to explore the the party, their platform, why local elections matter for third parties, and what governing outside the two major parties looks like.

In this episode, host Dr. AJ Simmons is joined by Dustin Pieper, a city councilmember in Batavia, Illinois and a member of the American Solidarity Party (ASP). They talk about what drew Dustin to the ASP, how the party’s "whole life" philosophy shapes his approach to local policymaking, and what it’s like to campaign and win outside the two major parties. Dustin also shares his insights on building unusual coalitions, navigating a nonpartisan council, and whether third-party candidates can gain real traction with voters.

In this episode, we sit down with Christina Henderson, an Independent member of the Washington, DC City Council. We dive into the unique structure of DC’s government and how it creates space for candidates outside the two major parties. Christina shares her thoughts on ranked choice voting, her policy priorities, what it was like to run in a race with 23 opponents, and more!

Hey there, bud! This week Crashing the Political Party goes Canadian! We’re joined by Dr. Richard Johnston, Professor emeritus of political science at the University of British Columbia, to discuss Canada’s multiparty democracy, upcoming election and why (and how) it got moved up several months, comparisons to America, and what Kiefer Sutherland has to do with Canadian politics.

In this unlocked Patreon-exclusive episode Dr. AJ Simmons answers political questions and discusses season 1 and what's to come in season 2. If you'd like to join our Patreon and ask your own questions for Office Hours head over to https://www.patreon.com/c/CPPShow