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Left Out Loud is a progressive political podcast breaking down the biggest stories shaping our democracy. From up-to-the-minute political news and midterm election coverage to in-depth interviews with grassroots Democratic candidates, the show spotlights the voices and movements fighting for real change. Smart, informed, and unapologetically loud, Left Out Loud pairs sharp analysis with humor and plain-spoken commentary, cutting through the noise to focus on what actually matters. If you care about elections, organizing, and the future of the Democratic Party—and you like your politics with a little personality—this is the podcast for you.
Ally: Yet again, we have a fantastic guest
today, a somewhat famous viral guest.
Brianna Woodson.
She goes by Brie Woodson.
She also goes by the controversial blonde.
If you have not followed the controversial
blonde on Instagram, on TikTok, on
all the things, please check it out.
She is incredible.
And now she is the youngest
black woman to ever run for
Congress in the state of Georgia.
Absolutely inspirational, backstory.
Incredible person.
She is, um, her, she's a
therapist in residency right now.
Just brilliant, beautiful, wonderful.
Brie.
I'm so excited to have this
conversation with her and.
You're gonna notice I'm alone again today.
I'm so sorry.
Um, Seth and I had connected on this
time earlier in the week, but again,
he's in the gig economy and his gig due
to weather delays got pushed back today.
So his start and end time got pushed back.
So I am here all alone.
Sad, sad me yet again.
But we have a great guest, Brie Woodson.
Stay tuned.
Alright, Brie Woodson, AKA,
the controversial blonde.
I'm so excited to have
you here with me today.
I'm sorry my co-host couldn't make it.
He had a, a work gig and um, the time
got pushed back, so just me today.
But that's okay.
Um, no worries
Bri: at all.
Thank you for having.
Ally: Thank you for coming.
Yeah.
So Brie, you are the youngest black woman
to ever run for Congress in Georgia.
I'm, you're already in the history books.
Bri: Yes.
Ally: Yeah.
And I have a feeling that's like the one
sentence of a whole chapter that you're
gonna write in the history books, but
Bri: thank you.
Ally: Let's start with
just some background.
Tell us about yourself.
Tell us about your background.
Tell us about what sort of prompted or
motivated you to wanna run for Congress.
Bri: Yeah, absolutely.
Um, so my background definitely is
not in politics side is for sure.
I'm not a politician.
I don't come from a history
of politicians, you know,
family of politicians.
Um, the field, I actually, you
know, claim as my career field.
Um, I'm a therapist in residency, I
just wrapped up all my residency hours.
I have a focus in substance use.
Um.
Before that dabbled in property
management, but, but really the,
the meat of it is, um, which is what
everybody loves to talk about, is
I had 10 years in active addiction.
Uh, towards the end of
it I was trafficked.
Um, ended up getting outta that obviously.
I went to treatment, got help, finished
up my, um, bachelor's degree, then just
finished up my master's, like I said.
Um.
And as far as political anything, um,
last year I went viral on accident.
It was a complete accident.
Mm-hmm.
And, um, you know, I posted a
video criticizing the current
administration fairly harshly.
Mm-hmm.
Ally: Pretty
Bri: harshly.
Ally: I
Bri: saw it and yeah, like no hashtags.
I just posted and went to bed
and I woke up to over a million
views and I was like, oh.
Okay.
Um, and then MAGA was not very
happy that a black woman was
criticizing Trump with blonde hair.
Ally: Sure.
Bri: And, uh, so at the
time, my, my username wasn't
even the controversial bond.
It was something completely different.
That wasn't the focus, you
know, I wasn't setting out to
create, um, political content.
Right.
Um, and so I guess they thought
they were gonna bully me
outta my hair, which is wild.
So, uh, I changed my username to the
controversial bond and the brand was born.
Ally: Oh my God, I love that.
I did not know that backstory.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: Um, I obviously know it's Mag Soul.
I know that you're somewhat controversial
just in the fact your delivery, the,
your style, the way that you do critique
or talk about this administration.
Obviously I love it.
That's how I found you.
But I love knowing that backstory
in the, uh, in the username that's.
That's amazing.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: I love it.
Bri: Yeah, it is.
It has been, it is been quite the journey.
So every time they complain about
my blonde hair, I just tell 'em
it's, it's your you guys' fault.
Thanks.
Ally: Yeah, exactly.
Bri: I, I, if they never said a word,
I would've just changed my hair color
like I normally did every two months.
Right.
Ally: It
Bri: would've been
Ally: now you're blonde forever.
Bri: Now I'm blonde forever,
Ally: or at least the foreseeable future.
So, I mean, and, and
also, you know the story.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Yeah, I know that's really personal.
Um, and, and a vulnerable thing to do.
Um, so you went from obviously.
Um, active addiction being trafficked,
recovery, um, your journey through
education, the viral moment.
And so how did all of that sort
of translate into, you know,
what I'm gonna run for Congress?
Bri: Yeah.
Um, so I think just with.
Most people, it's just a series of events.
Um, republicans are doing what they
do very well, which is flooding zone.
Um, you know, this fire pops up,
this fire pops up, this fire pops up.
So it's just a series of events
that, that really lined up
and, and culminated together.
And then when the woman called ICE on the
Hyundai plant, um, in Georgia, and she's
also running on the Republican ticket, um,
Ally: oh, you're kidding.
That woman
Bri: that
Ally: actually is responsible for
that plant, is it still shut down?
Bri: Um, so it, it's.
It's delayed.
Okay.
Um, they don't plan on shutting
it down forever, but people
aren't gonna get those jobs.
Right.
Um, it's gonna be robots and machines
taking over where there should have
been people and we needed people there.
But yes, she is 100% running
on the Republican ticket for
Congressional District 12.
Yeah.
Um, and so that, that moment in time was
part, was very much a catalyst as well,
is I, I kind of thought, you know, if
she can make such an impact with that
much vitriol and hate and, and anger.
I imagine the impact I can make with
actual good intention behind me.
Um, and, you know, 30 seconds of
insane courage will change your life.
Yeah.
Next thing I know, I'm filed
with the FEC and I'm on a ballot.
Ally: That's just amazing.
Yeah.
Um, I, I, I'm still stunned.
I'm recovering from the fact
that that woman that shut
down the Hyundai plan mm-hmm.
Has the audacity.
To run for office.
I can't imagine why any
constituent would support that.
She literally stripped
the District of jobs.
Bri: Uh, y you know, the, the, her
social media presence is something else.
Um, you know, oh, I can only
Ally: imagine.
Bri: She is, um, very
anti-US anti-immigrant.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: It, it's a lot to unpack.
Ally: Yeah,
Bri: it's a lot.
Ally: So you're on the ballot.
Um, how's campaigning
going for you so far?
Like, what are you hearing,
what are you hearing from
people as you go out and canvas?
Do you find that there is an appetite for
a progressive candidate like yourself?
Like how's just, what's the vibe?
Absolutely.
Especially in Georgia.
Absolutely.
Bri: Absolutely.
Well, you know, Georgia
gets a, a misrepresentation.
A dog is doing something, one of
them is doing something weird.
He is very non-food motivated or dog.
Mm-hmm.
And so he is resource guarding,
which is crazy 'cause if you just
ate the food, you wouldn't have
to worry about the other ones.
Um, but you know, I think people overall
are itching for selling progressive.
Um, I'd venture to say that I'm the most
progressive, if not the only progressive,
uh, candidate on, on my ballot.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
I am, as you know, from my
content, I'm very assertive.
I'm, I'm, I'm just gonna say the things.
Yeah.
But no matter how uncomfortable it
makes someone, um, and I, I think
that's really appreciated right now.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: Um, and I personally think
holding tongues and purity politics
is part of what got us into this mess.
Absolutely.
Um, yeah.
Like, you know, I tell Donald Trump to
his face, he's an orange demon, and I
wouldn't, I wouldn't think twice about it.
You know,
Ally: Uhhuh.
Bri: Like it, it is just this, this level
of, we can't say this or we can't do that.
We can't.
No, no, no.
People are losing their lives.
Mm-hmm.
I lived less than two miles away
from a proposed detention center.
DHS actually bought it.
It was listed for $8 million.
They bought it for 68 million.
It's less than
Ally: two.
Why?
Why is that happening?
There's all these detention
centers that, and they're
Bri: over, have a
Ally: list price and they're over.
I There has to be a slush
fund somewhere, Brie.
Bri: Yes, there
Ally: has to be.
Bri: There has to be.
It does not make any sense, but
yeah, but, but I tell people all
the time, I would exactly tell
any member of this administration
exactly what I thought about.
Mm-hmm.
And what they're doing to the
American people and our government.
I think more of that is what's
needed, because the right has no
issue telling us exactly what it is.
Say thank
Ally: you are already on the ballot.
So right now, I'm sure you are
just campaigning constantly.
Um, do you feel like Georgia is
ready for a progressive candidate?
Bri: Um, yeah.
I, I, I think we are.
Um, you know, you, you look at.
Especially on our state level, represent
representation, who we have, you know,
um, even federal, like, you know, we
have Ossoff, we have Senator Warnock.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: Um, they, I wouldn't necessarily
consider them fully progressive, but
the Democrats were here, we're around.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Mm-hmm.
Um, and you know, you look at elected
state reps like Ru Roam, who was the first
Palestinian woman to be elected to the,
to the, uh, Georgia State House reps. Um.
The coolest thing ever was when I
went to go qualify for the ballot.
I was leaving the state capitol building
and I'm crossing the street with my
social media manager and I hear my
name and I look up and it's my state
rep, Ru recognize me from the internet.
She's like, hi, my gosh.
She, she said, hi, Bri, you're awesome.
I was like, oh my gosh.
Ally: That's,
Bri: thank you.
Ally: So rewarding
Bri: it.
It really, it really was.
And you know, we have, so we
have individuals like Rua, um.
We have, um, what is his name?
Oh, his name is, is escaping me.
I'll think of it in a minute.
Mm-hmm.
But he is, um, the youngest in the, in
the state to, to hold, um, a state seat.
I think he's 22.
Ally: Wow.
That's
Bri: really young.
1 22 maybe.
Ally: Okay.
Bri: Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, very, very young.
Um, he might be 23, but he
is, he's very, very young.
So the state is, is getting parts
with purple roots, I feel like.
Ally: Right.
That's great.
I'm glad to hear that.
Yeah.
Bri: Oh yeah.
Um,
Ally: and
Bri: you know, just recently the
Democrats flipped a seat, um, here
locally that hasn't been held by
a Democrat in over 20 years, and
plus a black woman flipped it, so.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Love
Bri: it.
We we're making our waves.
Ally: Love it.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: So you are, you said
you're a therapist in residence?
Bri: Yes.
Ally: How do you think
all of that training.
Would benefit someone in politics,
especially a Congress member.
Bri: I'm very hard to gaslight.
Ally: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's what I'm talking about.
Yeah.
Bri: Yeah.
And I make it known that
I'm very hard to gaslight.
Um, I'm not scared of bipartisanship.
Um, one of the, the strengths that
I have, I think, is I, I teach.
Groups, right?
Mm-hmm.
And I teach addiction from, um, a,
a disease model, neuroscience stuff.
Uh, so I could have in a, in a full
group room, let's say 20 adults, I
could have a CEO on the side of the room
and a former gang member on this side.
I have to talk to everybody at the same
time, and we all have to walk out of the
classroom with the same understanding.
Mm-hmm.
If I can do that, I can talk to
anyone and I have a lot of patience.
I have a lot of patience with people.
Yeah.
Which I think helps.
Um, and like I said, it's, it's very
hard to pull the wool over on someone
who is trained to read between the lines.
Ally: Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's absolutely what I suspected
what you might say in terms of why
you're prepared for this moment.
Because the gaslighting that's
happening all around us.
Mm-hmm.
Not just, not just in Congress,
um, but to the American people.
Mm-hmm.
Bri: You
Ally: know, if, if you can be resilient
to that and actually counteract that
narrative, that's gonna be so effective.
It's so needed right now.
Bri: Yeah, it's, it's, it's been,
it's already been really helpful.
Ally: Do you think that, do you feel like
establishment or corporate democrats in
Congress are meeting the moment right now?
Oh, love it.
Bri: That means everybody
Ally: that is that yours?
Yes.
I love that.
Bri: Um, we actually are
doing a faceless ad campaign.
We start next week just dropping
these off around the district.
Um, but it's just my website.
That's brilliant.
Share code at the bottom.
Brilliant.
And it's just where's, where's congress
Ally: Uhhuh,
Bri: because valid
question, where is congress?
Um, and I guess, you know, with
being a progressive and it, the, if
you're part of the old guard mm-hmm.
You're part of the problem.
Because if the old guard was guarding
the establishment, we wouldn't be here.
Ally: Yeah.
And so, you know, you have, I think
being a Congress person, you have
sort of this dual responsibility.
Mm-hmm.
You have to serve your, your local
constituents and make sure that
their needs are being met as best
you can via policy initiatives.
But also you have this
role at the federal level.
Do you think.
Do you think that you would, do you
feel comfortable or do you think you
would feel comfortable challenging
some of the establishment Dems to,
to meet you where you are to kind
of raise their game a little bit?
Bri: Oh yeah.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: Um, I,
I, I'll put it this way, um.
I've, I've already had an ego death.
I've, I've already survived my worst day.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: I am very unshakeable when it comes
to the things that I've decided that I
want to represent and the things that
I decide that I wanna push forward.
Right.
So it's either get right or get left.
Mm-hmm.
Because I'm not gonna
fold and conform either.
You're going to get with this bandwagon,
I guarantee you someone will, will
replace you in the next election cycle.
Ally: I believe you.
I mean, I, I'm not messing with Brie.
I don't think anyone should
mess with Brie in Congress.
I need to see you in there.
Bri: You, it's just, and it's
just, it's just a very quiet,
like, you know, I'm not gonna make
a big hapo, but I just, you know.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: It's like, okay.
Ally: It's that, it's that sort
of steely determination for me.
There's so much strength
and power in that.
Um, and it resonates from you.
Truly does.
Bri: Yeah.
I'm just, I, like I said, I don't feel the
need to yell about it, scream about it.
You know, buck up about it.
It's just literally, you know, it
is, this is what it's gonna be.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: And I, I have a lot of
constitution and a lot of spite.
Ally: You sure do.
I mean, to survive all that you've been
through, you absolutely are made of.
Tougher stuff.
Tougher stuff than many Americans could
possibly even relate to or understand.
Um, Brie, if you had a wishlist, a
progressive wishlist, not only for your
community but for America, what kind
of things would you see on that list?
Bri: Oh, just social, social,
you know, safety nets for sure.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, you know, you, you hear the
president of the United States saying,
oh, I don't have time for daycare.
I don't have time for
Medicaid and Medicare.
It's like, oh, okay.
That's crazy.
Ally: I can't believe he said that.
Bri: It's like, oh,
he, he's like verbatim.
He quite literally told you guys that
he does not give a damn about you.
Ally: Right?
Bri: He literally just told you.
Um, so it would be the polar
opposite of that would be all my.
Switch flips.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: Um, healthcare for people access
to mental health, you know, obviously
is someone in the mental health
field that's very close to my heart.
Um, parody.
Would be on the list as of May 15th.
The of, of last year, the Trump
administration put a positive parity
law, which requires your insurance
companies to treat mental health along
the same lines as your physical health.
Um, so if you, if you see differences
in, in how your mental health services
are being paid out and uh, treated
with your insurance, that would be
one of the reasons why, um, yeah.
You know, affordability.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: It would be awesome for things
not to cost a billion dollars.
Like I feel like every
time I open my door.
I lose 50 bucks.
Mm-hmm.
Um, definitely access to healthcare,
mental health included affordability.
Um, social safety nets are,
are the most important.
I think, you know, especially when you
look at districts like mine, um, that
are made up of a lot of rural counties.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: And, and just like a lot of
rural places across America often
get left outta the conversation,
but they're the backbone.
You know, they're, they're more rural
counties than there are large cities.
Ally: Yep.
Absolutely.
Do you think, um, I mean I
think there's an appetite among
Americans for social safety nets.
I don't know why they get such a bad
rap, but do you think, um, do you
think we're at a place where some of
these progressive policies, if we get
the House and the Senate, for example,
you know, fingers crossed we have a
blue wave and Democrats take over.
Um.
Obviously things still have to get signed
off by Trump, but do you think maybe
with the next presidency even there's a
real possibility to see these progressive
policies take form at the federal level?
Like,
Bri: um, well, the reason why
we have such a issue with social
safety in this country 'cause racism
Ally: mm-hmm.
Bri: We, we had them.
We literally had free healthcare, free
college, free, free, a lot of things.
But, um, after the civil rights movement
and the Civil Rights Act was passed,
um, white people said, Nope, we don't
want you guys to have free anything.
So, yeah, and that's why
we are still suffering.
Racism is expensive.
Very.
Um, so it depends on how
willing this country.
Is to come to terms with that part,
Ally: right?
Bri: Because if you look at the things
that like Ani is doing in New York,
there's no reason that that could
not be expanded on a federal level.
Ally: Yeah, agreed.
Uh, there's no reason.
I think, I think the only, the only
barrier to that is racism, as you said.
And some people being willing to,
um, harm themselves in the pursuit
of seeing other people harmed more.
Bri: Yes.
Right.
You know, there's actually,
there's actually a book about that.
Um, it's called Dying of Whiteness.
Mm-hmm.
And a, uh, psychologist actually,
um, he explores how time and time
again, white communities have
chosen to, for lack of better
words, shoot themselves in the foot.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: Then, then have easier systems
that would also benefit them, but
also the brown or black neighbor.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Yeah, I, I think it's
Bri: 100% a thing.
Ally: Oh, for sure.
We see it play out.
Mm-hmm.
Um, you see people that, that voted
for Trump still are riding with Trump
and are suffering financially, right?
Yes.
But they still rock with him because
he hates the same people that they.
The border, right?
Yeah, sure.
It's the border.
I mean, but it, you know, I, when I
look at sort of the remaining MAGA
people, the remaining Trump supporters,
especially with all of the economic
turmoil that we're now experiencing,
you know, what we did in Venezuela,
now we're in a war with Iran.
Nobody wanted that.
He was gonna be the no New Wars president.
If you're still rocking with this guy,
you've got some deep-seated hatred.
That's the only thing I can come up with.
Bri: Mm-hmm.
Ally: You're not benefiting
Bri: at all.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: Um, and you know, it's, it's you
literally looking at this political figure
and saying, yeah, you can, you can lie
to me all you want to, and I don't care.
I'll still go with it.
Ugh.
Ally: It's terrible.
Bri: It's like how?
How?
What's the limit?
Like where's the line?
Ally: I keep waiting for it.
I don't think there is
one for some people.
Bri: I don't think so either
Ally: there, there can't be,
because he's broken every promise.
He's fallen short on every
promise, and yet they're still
willing to support this guy.
I think for some people there is no line.
Bri: I think so too.
Ally: Yeah.
Which is really sad.
Bri: It's very sad.
Ally: Um, okay.
So being the youngest, uh, black woman
to ever run for Congress in Georgia,
when you're out there meeting with
people, do you find it difficult to
connect with people older than you,
easier to connect with people around your
age group, or is it like a mixed bag?
Bri: I think it's a mixed bag.
Um, you know, o obviously.
Just like women talk to women,
easier age groups talk to
age groups easier, you know?
And so I think that's the
natural flow of things.
But overall, I, I think it's a mixed bag.
I, I don't really have any issues
talking to people across the board.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: Um, again, that's where, you
know, the therapy background comes in.
Yeah.
It helps a lot being able to, to,
you know, um, not necessarily.
Change my wording or change my message,
but meet people where they are.
Ally: Yeah.
Yeah.
It's all about the approach, right?
Bri: Mm-hmm.
Ally: Not necessarily the language, but
just the way you connect with people.
Yeah,
Bri: absolutely.
Ally: So, okay.
What would you say?
Um, all right, how about this?
What's one really bold policy you
would like to see pushed out there
that isn't part of like, the mainstream
talking points when we talk about
like, universal healthcare and, um,
you know, we talk about workers'
rights, you know, as progressive.
These are the things that we typically,
those are our talking points.
Is there any.
Really bold policies that are
off the beaten path that you
would like people to talk about.
Bri: Um, data centers for one.
Okay.
I'm very much against data centers.
Um, I, I think that there's a reason why
they're popping up everywhere and mm-hmm.
Legislation is very slow to catch up.
Ally: Hmm.
Bri: Um, so.
People aren't, people are so thrilled
and fascinated by the things that AI
can do that they're not often thinking
about the negative impacts of it.
Mm-hmm.
You know, if you just look Oracle,
um, just laid off since last Tuesday,
just laid off, um, 30,000 people
and they're gonna take those funds
and put it into more data centers
and more ai, AI capabilities.
So we're being replaced in real time.
Ally: Yep.
Bri: Um, and the other thing is.
Minimum wage, Georgia can do better.
Um, if it weren't for the
federal rate of 7 25 mm-hmm.
Georgia would still be paying, um,
minimum wage of $5 and 15 cents.
So I would love to see, uh,
what I call Patriot Pay at
least 1776 an hour at least.
Ally: Okay.
Love that Brie.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: Yeah, that,
that's, that's brilliant.
Um, so is Georgia still at
7 25 an hour for middle?
Uh, minimum.
Uh oh.
No.
Oh no.
Bri: And if it wasn't,
you know how it goes.
Um, the, the states have the choice
of setting their minimum wage.
Ally: Yep.
Bri: Of course.
If the minimum wage is higher than the
federal rate, you take the higher rate.
If it's lower than the federal
rate, you take the federal rate.
Mm-hmm.
We're at $5 and 15 cents an hour,
so we take the federal rate of 7 25.
Ally: Okay.
Bri: Yeah,
Ally: I can't believe I, I haven't
talked to many people where the states
are defaulting to the federal minimum.
Most states go mm-hmm.
At least a little bit higher.
Oh, that's, that's terrible.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, how do you, how do you survive?
Bri: You don't, in short,
you literally don't,
Ally: uh, you can't.
There's nowhere in America
that you can live on.
7 25 an hour, nowhere.
I
Bri: don't even, you can't
even rent a room on that.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
No, I mean, you'd have to be
living in your car at 7 25.
Mm-hmm.
You probably don't have a car.
Bri: Mm-hmm.
Ally: You might be
homeless at 7 25 an hour.
Bri: Absolutely.
Ally: There's literally nowhere that's
livable that you could afford to live in.
Mm-hmm.
For that kind of pay.
That's, that's terrible.
Hey, Brie, any leaders or books that
have kind of influenced you in this
journey of running for congress?
Bri: Is it over there?
Do I have it on the show?
I don't know if it's over there.
Um, but yes, I just recently finished,
um, oh gosh, I can't remember who it's by.
Um, it's called On
Leadership Words from MLK.
Okay.
Um, yes.
And it is a book on leadership.
Um.
Written, written by someone else, but
it's all from the purview of Dr. King.
Mm-hmm.
So, um, a lot of his, his letters, a
lot of his advice, um, things like that.
And I, I have marked in it
a bunch of times and I bet,
you know, flipped through it.
Yeah.
It's, it's been really helpful.
Ally: Okay.
Now you became sort of accidentally
viral, but you ran with it, right?
Yes.
And you continued to put
the work into your, yes.
Into your, um, social media platforms.
Do you find that it is easier to
run for Congress, having done all
of that networking and all of that
creative work on social media?
Bri: Um, I'd say it's definitely
helped as far as exposure goes.
Ally: Sure.
Bri: Um, that has definitely
been, been very helpful.
It's been useful in fundraising as well.
Mm-hmm.
Um, which has been nice.
But I, I think that's, that's been
my biggest strength is, is being
able to use it to get my name out.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: Has been great and you know, I
have now figured out recipes for viral
videos, so that's, that's also helped too.
Ally: Super important.
Yes.
I mean, when you're running, because
I think that's, you know, I, this
is why I created this podcast
because I believe there are so many
good people running for running as
progressive grassroots candidates.
They're operating on razor thin margins.
Based on, you know,
small dollar donations.
They may never have a national
presence because they can't
afford to buy the ad space.
And, you know, conseque, consequently
people don't hear about them.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and I think everyone
should hear about.
The great people that are running not
just ahead of these midterms, but all the
time, but unfortunately they just don't
get the recognition that they deserve.
Yeah, absolutely.
Because they can't buy it.
Absolutely.
Um, so that's my next question.
I ask this to every guest on the podcast.
I already know the answer.
Do you accept any corporate PAC money
or any APAC or foreign influence money?
Bri: No.
Ally: The laughter is perfect
because, I mean, you know, a lot of
people do Brie, it's not uncommon.
Bri: Mm-hmm.
Ally: And even though
Progressive fundamentally
don't do that, I have to ask,
Bri: I won't be taking funds
from the, um, the I place.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: I. It got us.
You see my content, you see my content?
You know how I feel about that?
Ally: Yes, I do.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: And look.
And look where it got us.
Right.
Bri: Like getting the, the, the break
speed office is what's happening.
Ally: Yes, absolutely.
Yeah.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: So, okay.
What, what do you need, um, as a
progressive grassroots candidate?
Obviously you're not taking big corporate
pack money and APAC money, so you, you,
you need your small dollar donations.
Do you also need volunteers?
Yes.
Like is there anything missing
that could help you run your
campaign more effectively?
Bri: Absolutely.
Um, like you said, volunteers
always helps donations.
Mm-hmm.
Volunteers and donations are the
main focus, especially as, you
know, we're, we're starting to get
closer to that May 19 deadline.
Um, and those are really
just the main things.
And, you know, if you can't donate,
if you can't volunteer, always share
and interact with content because that
puts us, um, on the pages of people
that might be able to offer some talent
or have some, some cash available.
So sharing and liking and engaging
in content is just as helpful.
Ally: May 19th deadline.
Is that primary?
Bri: That's my, uh,
that's my primary, yeah.
Ally: Okay, good.
Bri: May 19th,
Ally: glad you said that
because I forgot to ask you.
Yes.
So May 19th is the primary,
how many people are you running
against on the Democratic side?
Bri: Four.
Ally: Four.
Okay.
Um, and then there's an
incumbent that's running, right?
Bri: Mm-hmm.
Ally: And it un
unchallenged, unop opposed?
Bri: No, Tori, the, uh, woman who
caught ice on the Hyundai plan
is running against the incumbent.
Nobody else.
Just her and the incumbent
Ally: poetic.
Bri: Yeah.
Ally: Tell me, why do you stand
out among your democratic, I mean,
among the other people running on
the democratic side for the primary?
Bri: Yeah.
Um, I think obviously, uh, I'm, I'm
more progressive than them my age.
Mm-hmm.
Definitely stands out.
Um, I don't have a background in politics.
Mm-hmm.
Everybody else, I think
say for one person does.
Okay.
Um, and, you know, my experiences are
completely different than the average.
Ally: Mm-hmm.
Bri: And, um, I think that that enables
me to see, see through different lens.
Ally: Yeah.
Bri: And I think it's a much needed lens.
It's how do you speak for the marginalized
if you've never been marginalized?
Ally: I love that.
Yeah, absolutely.
That's a great point.
I mean, your entire worldview
is informed by your history.
We all have different histories,
we all have different experiences.
Yours I think, has, in my opinion, and
based on, you know, I don't know you
personally, but I feel like I kind of do,
'cause I've been watching you for a while.
Um, I feel like your worldview
has sort of created this.
Endless empathy in you, and we need to
see more of that out of our politicians.
Bri: But yeah, one thing I say
often is, you know, um, criticism
without compassion is just brutality.
And we've got enough brutality right now.
Ally: We sure do.
Brie, I love talking to you.
I'm so, I feel honored that you
even decided to meet with me today.
Bri: Oh, oh, absolutely.
Thank you for having me.
Ally: Tell our audience how to find you.
I know, and if you don't know, you
need to know Brie, tell 'em how
to find you and where to find you.
Bri: Yes.
Um, TikTok and Instagram.
If you're looking for congressional
content, find me under b
Brie Woodson for Congress.
That's B-R-I-W-O-O-D-S-O-N-F-O-R Congress.
Um, my website is b brie
woodson for congress.com.
If you are looking for my, uh, digital
footprint and my take on some things
unfiltered, you will find me on TikTok and
Instagram under the controversial bond.
Ally: You should definitely be
following the Controversial blonde.
This podcast reaches a
lot of like-minded people.
They're gonna love your unfiltered
takes on politics and the world.
I know.
I do.
Thank you Bree Woodson.
What a pleasure.
Thank you so much for
meeting with me today.
Bri: Thank you for having me so
Ally: much.
I'm wishing you all the best.
Um, please reach out to the
show if you need anything.
Yes, as we get closer to that primary
date, I am cheering you on from afar.
I'm gonna keep my eye on you.
There's so many big things ahead of you.
I feel it in my bones.
Thanks so much for coming today.
Bri: Thank you for having me.
Thank you.