Left Out Loud

In this episode of Left Out Loud, Ally and Seth speak with Angela Wynn, a candidate for Tennessee State Senate District 13. Angela shares her journey from domestic violence advocacy and public school organizing to running for office, and discusses Tennessee redistricting, maternal health, rural healthcare deserts, the school-to-prison pipeline, marijuana policy, community resources, and why constituent accountability matters.

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  • (00:00) - — Intro
  • (01:02) - — Angela’s story
  • (02:05) - — Domestic violence advocacy
  • (03:20) - — School organizing
  • (05:41) - — Tennessee redistricting
  • (08:41) - — Women’s health
  • (10:00) - — Maternal mortality
  • (12:00) - — Rural healthcare
  • (14:45) - — Justice and safety
  • (16:00) - — Youth resources
  • (18:00) - — Prison pipeline
  • (20:00) - — Marijuana policy
  • (22:00) - — Lobbyist influence
  • (24:20) - — Why Angela is ready
  • (26:00) - — Constituent accountability
  • (28:00) - — Final campaign push
  • (30:00) - — Progressive scale
  • (32:00) - — Closing with Angela
  • (34:00) - — Post-interview thoughts
  • (36:00) - — Midterm interviews
  • (38:00) - — Final wrap

What is Left Out Loud ?

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.

Hey, Seth

Hey, Ally

All right, so we have another
fabulous candidate today.

We have Angela Wynn with us.

She is running for state senate
in Tennessee's 13th district.

I feel like we have a
monopoly on Tennessee.

I don't know, th- is this like
the fifth Tennessee guest?

This is, this is the…
definitely the third.

Okay.

They-

And, and, and they Wynn.

They Wynn.

Yeah, we got- All they do is Wynn … I
think, I think we're two for two

…
win.

Yes I

think we're two for two.

So-

And,

and- At, at, at the primary level.

We'll, we'll, we'll say that, right,
the primary level But we seem to have

some good luck with Tennessee, so-

We do, we do

yeah And so we're gonna spread that
luck with Angela hopefully today.

Welcome to Left Out Loud, Angela.

Hi, thank you for having me.

Absolutely.

Um, all right, before we get into the
campaign and the politics of it all, let's

talk about just Angela Wynn the person.

So give us a little bit
about, about your background.

I know that you spent over 20 years
doing advocate work and organizational

leadership, so that sounds like a lot.

Tell me, tell me about what
that has been like for you.

Yeah, I, I guess I have done a lot.

Um, I'm, I'm way older than I look So, um,
I'd, I say my journey probably started,

um, when I decided to go to college,
um- I think my third year there I found

out I was pregnant with my oldest son.

So I tell folks, you know, I graduated
from Howard University, but I also

graduated with a four-year-old,
so my journey was a little bit

different than everyone else's.

Um, so for me, it's always
been, like, work, kids, school.

Um, and it was that way for a long time.

And then, um, I got married.

Um, that didn't turn out very
well, which actually started my

advocacy with domestic violence.

Um, I actually received a lot of, uh,
help, myself and my, uh, three boys at

the time, um, counseling and, um, food
services and, you know, Christmas two

years when I just did not think that I
would be able to do anything for my kids.

Um, and then I met my now husband.

Um, he moved me and my three
boys out here to Tennessee.

Uh, we got here about 2015.

Um, him and I got married that same year.

Uh, we had our daughter.

And so, uh, the first couple
of years we were in Antioch.

Um, but then I, we learned about…
Well, not we learned about, my husband

told me about Rutherford County
and how amazing the schools are.

And I am a huge, huge
advocate for education.

I feel like education is really, um,
is what will save us in the long run,

because I feel like people who are
educated understand how to be, you know,

compassionate and empathetic, you know,
not necessarily as apathetic as, you

know, a lot of people are right now.

Um, but yeah, so here we were,
like, happy-go-lucky family.

Um, I had just had my
youngest son, who's seven now.

Um, COVID came along and that's when
I kinda just learned a lot more about,

um, things that were happening on
the national level with Project 2025.

But what really hit home for me was, um,
when kids were getting ready to go back to

school and they didn't want to have a mask
mandate in, uh, in our, in our county.

And so, um, myself and a couple of
other moms, um, one of whom is my

campaign manager today, uh, we got
some other parents together and

other interested parties and we
advocated, and before our kids went

back to school we had a mask mandate.

And so, um, once we kinda got past
that and COVID was kinda over for

everyone, we kinda migrated over to
Safe And Equitable Schools For Everyone.

Um, I found an organization called SACM.

They had a platform called Public
School Strong, and that's when I started

doing my public school advocacy on
a, on a bigger level, more so on the

state level, um, especially a- with
vouchers, um, which is not a popular

thing at all here in Tennessee.

So, um, so yeah, that, that's
pretty much my background.

Um, I was just a mom who had been
through a lot and came out on the

other side and just wanted to make sure
that people that are in my situation

right now, um, have the resources
that they need in order to do well for

themselves and, and for their families.

Amazing.

And so much starts out
at that local level.

Yeah.

Even at your school level, right?

I don't think enough parents are
really aware of the power that they

hold, right, in terms of influencing
positive change in their local schools.

And kudos to you for making that happen.

That's incredible.

Oh, thank you.

I mean, our, our public schools are the
cornerstones of our communities, right?

It's where all of our kids come together
and learn about their differences,

and truly what makes, um, America
great when it comes to, you know,

what we thought was supposed to be
this melting pot of individuals.

Yes.

Um, folks don't think that you can
get that here, but you definitely

have it in Rutherford, Tennessee.

Um, my kids have friends of all
backgrounds, um, ethnicities and,

and I just, I love it here and I
want to be able to keep it like this.

Love that.

Love that.

Absolutely.

And I mean, we're, we're all hoping
for a return to that eventually.

Yes.

Yes.

You know,

once,

once we, once we stop dumping a
trillion dollars into the Pentagon

with, with, you know, just, uh, go
ahead, see, see what happens with it.

We'll, uh- Yeah … we'd love to
returns a lot of the, a lot of our

funding to our schools and to our kids.

Um, Angela, Tennessee right now,
like a lot of southern states,

is in the spotlight because
of, uh, all this redistricting.

Yes.

And I'm sure… And you being
caught in the middle of it.

So I, I, I wonder if you, if you
could tell our viewers just what

it's been like having to adjust
on the fly to this redistricting.

What have been, what have the challenges
been, and how have you been kind of

meeting those challenges in this moment?

Yeah.

So, um, this happened really
during, uh, the primaries.

And so, uh, for me as a state candidate,
how it changed, uh, my ability to,

um, kind of understand where I was
going with my, uh, my campaign is that

my, my district completely changed.

So instead of being in District
4, I'm now in District 9.

And, you know, some of us have
been campaigning for a while now.

Yeah.

And you've built relationships
with certain people.

You know, you've decided that
y- what campaign stops you guys

are going to meet together.

And I mean, that changes, right?

When, when they crack the districts.

Um, I think I also saw a lot of my fellow
candidates on the, on the, uh, on the

federal level, you know, really having
to spread themselves thin because now

they found themselves in a district that
covers, you know, from Williamson County,

which is close to Nashville, all the way
to Memphis, which is three hours away.

Like, I right now share the same
congressional district as people that

live in Memphis, and I can guarantee
you that, you know, Shelby County and

Memphis is, is very different than- Yeah
… Smyrna and Rutherford County, right?

Just the rural aspect in itself.

And, you know, Memphis being so steeped
with, with history and, and way more

people that, that look like me, um, I
just, I don't feel like whoever would

come to represent someone in Williamson
County or Rutherford County is not

going to be able to represent the needs
of, of folks in Shelby County too.

So, um, so yeah, it definitely
affected a lot of the folks around me.

It definitely affected the way that,
you know, we decided we were gonna move

forward with, um, how we were moving as
far as canvassing and things like that.

So definitely, um, they think that
they're going to halt it, but it's just

making everyone a lot more angry and, and
making us work a lot more, a lot harder.

I believe it because, I mean, for
c- for context, folks, I mean,

Tennessee is a super long state.

I mean, it has like 9 or 10 border states,
and the distance that she's talking about

is literally like a five-hour drive-

Yeah

…
from tip to tip.

And so, you know, to, to try to … To
ask people to cover and represent

a, a space that huge, they don't
ask people in Texas to do that.

No.

They don't ask people in
other states to do that.

So it's an incredible challenge.

Yeah.

Yeah, it definitely is.

I just … Seeing them really try hard
to dig in and to reach everyone that

they could in their district, knowing
how insurmountable that was because

your district is three hours apart.

Yeah

Crazy

Absolutely.

Um, okay, so one of the first
policies listed on your campaign

website, which of course caught
my eye, um, was women's health.

Angela, okay, we talk about universal
healthcare, and clearly that is important.

I believe, you know,
healthcare is a human right.

In a country as rich as America,
we should all have access to

healthcare, affordable healthcare.

But to talk about women's health as
a policy platform is, I'm sh- ashamed

to say, it's almost revolutionary.

It- I haven't seen this from any
other candidate, and I'm so happy

you have it on your campaign website.

Women's health is so
underrepresented, underfunded,

and Black women especially, right,
are consistently underserved

when it comes to healthcare.

Um, maternal mortality rates among
Black women is three to one times

higher than white women in this country.

So talk to me about your kind of stance
when it comes to women's healthcare.

What kind of changes would you
like to see happen in your state

of Tennessee for the women there?

Yeah, so, so you're absolutely correct
in the statistics being, uh, being

disgusting, honestly, on some- Yeah

levels.

Absolutely.

Um, here when I started my advocacy,
uh, as it relates to maternal health,

I was learning to become a doula.

And, um- When I heard that we were
the third worst in the country when

it came to maternal mortality rates,
you know, it was disappointing for me.

And so, um, providing education was
something that I felt would kinda

help me spread the word faster
than, um, than one-on-one service.

Um, that and my dad came to live with
me, so I had to get a, had to get a,

a full-time job and not necessarily
go the route that I wanted to.

Mm. But, um, but the job that I'm in
right now really allowed for me to explore

that, especially considering some of
the programs that we have within, uh,

within the university that I work at.

I was able to partner with some
of our, um, one of our local

organizations that caters specifically
to, uh, to low-income women when it

comes to providing doula services.

But, um, here we are today, and now
we're the worst in the country when it

comes to, um, maternal mortality rates.

And that is an exact, um, result
from, um, the Affordable Health

Care act being gutted and so many
people living, losing their services.

Um, when it comes to Black women
and maternal health, right, of

course, it's, it's worse for us.

But when it comes to just Black women,
um, health care, period, right, we,

we've … It's been said that, you know,
our, our skin is thicker, you know, our

pain tolerance is a lot hard, higher
or, um, our, our blood is different

than somehow than other folks's are.

And you're not

believed.

Yeah.

You're not believed
crisis situations, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Like, when you're trying to
advocate and tell folks that

you are in pain or something is
wrong, they don't wanna lose you.

Like, I've almost lost two people
that I know personally because, um,

someone was not advocated for, right?

And unfortunately one of them who fought
for the ability to have this one miracle

child that they, that they finally
were able to have cannot have kids

anymore because unfortunately she had an
emergency situation, and it robbed her

of the ability to even try to have more
children, and all because no one would

listen to her and her family when they
were saying that something was wrong.

So for me- In America … you know-

In America.

In

America.

In America.

This is happening

everywhere.

Yeah.

And so f- and so for me, like,
this is super important, especially

when it comes to our rural areas,
because our rural areas are suffering

more than anywhere else, right?

They talk about food
deserts in certain areas.

Well, I talk about, um, healthcare
deserts in our rural areas.

Yeah.

Not just for the fact that they
don't have primary care physicians,

but they don't have any type of
maternal obstetrics care at all.

Right.

Imagine being in a high-risk pregnancy
and your hospital is an hour away Right?

You don't, you don't even
have access to someone that is

right there that can help you.

So what I love what's happening in the
state now is we're trying to advocate

more for services, um, like, uh, like
doula services, like, um, midwives, right?

We really wanna be able to, for
people to have access to that care.

But unfortunately, for them to have
access to that care, they need to

have a way to be able to pay for it.

Yeah.

And so, um, one of the great things
that we've been able- that I've been

able to see in the state of Tennessee
is for, uh, doulas and midwives

to become covered under Medicaid.

And what we really wanna be able to do
is expand on that to make sure that women

are getting the services that they need.

We also have a lot of resources here
in Rutherford County through our health

department that a lot of folks are not
aware of, and I'd really like to be

able to use my platform to help the
health department get the word out

to folks who may not understand that
these services are available to them.

Now, I know it's not gonna
solve everything on day one.

I know it's not gonna be
a Medicaid for all plan.

But if we can come together as a community
and work with what we have, then we can

work as hard as we can so we can get
to a place when, you know, the cavalry

decides to come, you know, we're in a
better place to be able to be helped.

I love that.

I- that's such incredible work.

I just have to just put an exclamation
point on that, um- … Angela, because

I, I haven't seen it yet, and it's
specific and a little bit niche, but so

very needed in this country, and as you
said, in your great state of Tennessee.

Yeah, and e- and especially in
the, in the rural South, you know?

Yes.

I'm in, I'm in Alabama.

You said, I believe you also … You
said y'all, y'all the third worst.

Well, we're the worst.

And, uh,

so-

Not a great trophy.

Yeah.

Like, not something you wanna
put on the shelf, probably.

No.

No.

No.

Not at all.

It's like all the bad… It's, it's like
all the bad records that Trump keeps

breaking, which are his own records.

Um, i- it's just not, not, not something
you want up on your mantle at all.

Uh, but, uh- … you know, again, you
know, i- it's just, it's something that

we struggle with and, you know, I mean,
those hour-long ambulance rides, right?

Yeah.

I mean, stuff that shouldn't
happen, but here we are.

Yeah.

You know, we lose our rural
hospitals, and we don't- Yeah

we don't, and we… 'Cause we don't
opt into our Medicaid expansion.

I mean, just- Not at

all

…
it, it just seems dumb to not do
it, but here we are, you know,

trying to be self-sufficient.

It's crazy.

Uh, another part, another part of your
platform is justice and safety, right?

And, um, and you w- and you
talk about the, the pr- the

school to prison pipeline.

Yes.

And we were talking earlier about
education and how important that

is because- Our kids, you know, if
they aren't given options beyond

high school, a lot of them e- end
up falling into a life of crime.

Talk, talk a, a little bit about
that because it is especially

prevalent in the South as well,
I feel like, and we also are

You know, we have become a magnet
here in the South specifically

for for-profit prisons.

Yeah.

So, so talk about that a- and, and how
you wanna address that in your role.

Yeah.

So the first thing I, I would like to
preface this conversation, uh, is that

CoreCivic is right in our backyard, right?

And, um, right now we are dealing
with, in Rutherford County, our county

commission and, um, taking someone's
property away using eminent domain so

that we can build a new county jail.

And this county jail is going to
house up to 1,500, um, residents,

and that includes, uh, people who
are being, uh, held by the state.

Right?

They're just kicking us some funds to,
to keep their, their prisoners here.

Um, for me, recidivation
is a huge problem.

We, uh, we first of all, like
you said, we don't provide

resources for our kids, right?

Um, we don't provide them
options with things to do.

We don't have, you know, parks,
playgrounds, recreation centers, right?

We have the Boys & Girls Club,
we have the Ys, but not every

parent can afford those services.

Where are our community-based resources
where our kids can, you know, learn

how to use their hands, right?

Learn how to draw, learn how to, you
know, act, or music, or things like that.

All of these things that are being
taken out of public schools, those are

the things that are not allowing for
our kids to figure out ways to spend

their time other than what they may see
or hear on the TV, on the internet, on

YouTube, in their video games, whatever.

We need to be able to provide
more resources for our children.

Um, I love when you talk about ex-
exposure in high school, like in

talking to our local unions, and
that's one of the things that they've

talked about is this fact that we have
so many, um, professionals who are

ready to pass along their businesses.

But they really don't have anyone to
mentor and groom into those roles, because

there are just not enough kids coming
out of high school and understanding

the opportunities that are available
to them if they go into the trades.

Now, love, we're not gonna, you
know, say that, you know, kids can't

go to college, things like that.

You know, some of the members that I
met on the board are very well-educated.

You know, I'm not talking about just
bachelor's, I'm talking about master's

degrees, doctorates, things like that.

These are very intelligent people.

But when they're offering programs where
all you have to do is come to work, learn

the job, if you're good after 90 days
you get health insurance, and you're

actually being paid while you're on the
job, and it offers you the opportunity to

be your own business owner, that's what
we're supposed to be focusing on, right?

We're supposed to be building a generation
of small business owners, because small

businesses are what's supposed to,
you know, have our communities thrive.

And we're taking opportunities away from
our communities by, one, not providing

them with the opportunities in high
schools through public education, and

two, punishing our small business owners
by allowing these big corporations to

come into our state, take advantage of
not having to pay taxes, and then dumping

off all of our employees and moving
along when the benefits run out for them.

So it's just, it's, it's so
super important that we Stop this

pipeline to prisons that we have
going on for our kids right now.

All of our children deserve an opportunity
to be able to be great, to be successful.

And for those that do end up in our
system, we really need to provide

resources for those in our systems,
especially those that are dealing

with, um, addiction crises right now.

Um, people don't understand it, but
Rutherford County, our number three health

concern right now is opiate addiction.

And I don't wanna say any names, but
somebody that's running for governor has

been pointed to as the reason why we have
such a dramatic problem with opioid use

and addiction in this, um, in this state.

You can, you can say the

name if you want to.

Everybody knows who I'm talking about.

Everybody knows who I'm talking about.

But I mean, but, but for me,
like it is Marsha Blackburn, and

people need to understand that.

You all need to understand that the
way that our systems are working

right now are not to your benefit,
but to the benefit of those that are

currently running to be your governor

Yeah.

And so to piggyback off that a
little bit, we talk about, like,

that school to prison pipeline.

Um, you are … You have said that
you're in favor of, um, legalization-

Oh, yes … of marijuana in
the state of Tennessee, right?

Another, another big issue are, you
know, people being in prison for

these very low-level drug offenses,
um, especially in a country where

marijuana is legalized in a, you
know, predominant part of the country.

So talk to us about, um, what do
you think the appetite is there f-

in Tennessee to legalize marijuana?

Okay.

So THCA was just recently banned
in the state of Tennessee.

Mm-hmm.

Um, as of July 1st, you are no longer
allowed to sell or distribute or possess

any THCA product that is above the limits,
um, according to our state legislator.

The problem with that is, is we
are now realizing a $55 million

loss in taxes to our state.

Mm. Not only is that tax revenue going
out the door, but now some of us … I

remem- I was knocking on the door for
someone, it wasn't even him I was supposed

to talk to, it was, it was his wife.

But, um, of course they're all
like, "Oh, yeah, I don't have any

problems, I don't have any issues."

And so I had mentioned the THCA
ban that was about, that had

just recently come into effect.

And he was like, "You know, I did
just go to my favorite shop down

the street and it looks kinda
empty over there." I said, "Yeah.

Yeah, I went to my favorite shop
a couple of weeks ago, and there

used to be five guys in the store
during the day, and now there's one."

That is a huge loss, not only
for that small business, but

for the people that work there.

Yeah.

And what most don't understand is
these are not burners and burnouts

that are going to these places
to, to use these services, right?

I saw somebody on TikTok saying,
"People are going back to the…"

Nobody's going back to the street.

Right.

They're going across state lines
and spending money in Illinois

and in Kentucky, and bringing
their stuff back to Tennessee.

That is what's happening, right?

These people in these stores- I'm
pretty soon those flock cameras are

gonna start getting people for doing-
Oh, girl … God forbid what happened

don't get us started on flock cameras.

I mean, it's crazy to me.

Because you go into these stores and these
are people that are genuinely there to

help those that are looking for it, right?

Weed is not just for people
who wanna chill out and watch

a movie or something like that.

Right.

A lot of people have medical problems that
they use, you know, they use cannabis for

in order to alleviate some of that stress.

I have fibromyalgia.

I understand what it means in order to
not be able to get the help that you

need with just pharmaceuticals, which
that's another tangent I can go on too.

Oh.

But, um, but for

me- Yeah, because when we talk
about things like this, Angela, I

would reckon I, you know, I can't
say this with any authority, but I

would suspect big alcohol, you know,
their lobbyists are probably part

of this decision-making process.

Big pharma is probably a part
of this decision-making process.

And, and the for-profit prison system-
Yeah … are probably a part of

this decision-making process, right?

It's not necessarily they're fundamentally
opposed to people having access to

marijuana, it's that there's more
money in banning it from a government

perspective, from a lobbyist perspective.

And that's, I think, probably
the truth in this situation.

So I think the truth lies-
Yeah … somewhere in there.

Liquor lobbies, that's what's
happening to us- Yes … in Tennessee.

It's the liquor lobbyists.

Yeah.

And it's a shame.

Yeah.

'Cause to me, I mean, to be honest
with you, like, police here don't care.

You know what I mean?

Right.

Like, they don't, they don't…
It's, it's such a stupid thing.

Nobody cares.

But, um- You know?

But not being able to purchase
at a store, they think people

are gonna go back to alcohol.

They're not.

No.

No.

No.

And, uh, and this is the
part of the interview where,

again, I say we did that, too.

Uh, and again, you know, it- it's like
you said, tax revenue out the window.

Out the door.

Jobs out the window.

My, my, my, uh, my girlfriend was,
you know, she was basically running,

like, social media and, like,
managing a shop here in Alabama, THCA.

And they, and, and Governor Ivey
removed that, removed… I mean, that

shop shut down, and all of a sudden-
Yeah … she had a, she had a great

career, full time, benefits, and
all of a sudden, poof, that's gone.

Gone.

Yeah.

And, and, and, like, i- it's, if
we're taking away tax revenue and

jobs, what's the benefit again?

Like-

Exactly

…
some kids don't get high?

Like, they're just gonna- Well, the

benefit, the benefit is to the
alcohol industry, or so they think.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And, and it, it's so weird to me how
states, specifically in the South,

you know, they will either send
people across state lines or send

people back to the black market.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And it's like, you don't, like,
you're taking this stuff away from

kids, but they're just gonna go
to Johnny in the trailer park or

wherever to get what they can.

And isn't that- Yeah … isn't
that substantially more dangerous?

I thought we were thinking about the kids.

I don't know.

Um, but, uh, the last question I have
for you, Angela, is, you know, like y-

like, you have a, you have a, you know, a
history of advocacy and working, uh, with

so many organizations in it- in Tennessee.

I just wanna tell, I just want you
to tell our viewers, specifically the

ones in Tennessee, just how, how that
has informed you and prepared you

for the role that you are going into.

And just, you know, uh, and tell them
why, like, this is your time and why

you're ready to, to meet the moment
for, for them right there in Tennessee.

Yeah.

So, um, so I work, you're right, I
do work with a lot of organizations.

Um, the YWCA of Nashville & Middle
Tennessee is where I started my domestic

violence work, but I've migrated
over now to their advocacy committee.

And so there, that's where I'm really
apprised of all of the legislation

that really truly surround not only,
um, women itself safety, but also

making sure that people are able to
retain their civil rights, right?

Yeah.

Um, I work with Need League Nashville
because I believe that folks should not

have to have their utilities turned off.

Folks deserve to have a roof over their
head, and we need the type of resources

to be able to provide folks with those
things that they need in order to be

able to take care of their family.

Um, my biggest flex, honestly, is
being on the board of SACCOM, um,

which is an organization that's over
50 years old in the state of Tennessee.

Started out with, you know, just
trying- To make sure that we

save the Appalachian Mountains.

But now we actually go into the
communities, we teach people how to base

build, we teach them how to rally around
each other on one issue, and we teach them

how to go to their elected officials and
talk to them about those issues, and how

to get legislation passed so that they
are actually getting their elected, um,

officials to work with them instead of
elected officials feeling like they can

do whatever the hell that they wanna do.

We really teach people to be a … to
hold their elected officials accountable.

So I believe that because of those things,
I am definitely suited for the job.

I understand what it means to be that
constituent speaking with somebody

across the aisle, because that's what
you have to do in order to get the

things done that you need to get done.

I understand what it means to
reach out to your elected official

and not get any type of response.

I know right now Charlie Baum is
working with one of my fellow organizers

on some environmental legislation.

And I would love to talk to him about
it, but I'm pretty sure that will cause

an issue with his, his friend that I'm
running against right now in my election.

Mm. So for me, it's about
getting in and doing the work.

I have been doing the work
for, for a very long time.

And for me, it's like if you want
something to get done- Give it to a Black

mom and she'll get it done, and that's-
That's right … that's me right there.

Okay.

That's

right.

Okay.

And I mean, so you, you've done the work.

You have a proven track record of,
um, like you said, voter education,

advocacy, you know, getting involved
with your, your local school district.

I mean, I'm convinced.

Um, I can't imagine anyone better
suited for this role than you.

Angela, talk to us about, um, where
you are, where people can find you,

what kind of help you need as we get
closer and closer to these midterms.

First of all, A Win For Tennessee.

A Win For Tennessee.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Love that campaign slogan.

Brilliant, awesome, amazing.

But tell our audience, um, where
they can find you and what you need.

Yeah, so the first thing I always tell
folks is just to find me on socials.

I'm at @awinforsenate,
F-O-R senate everywhere.

Follow me if you like what I'm saying.

Share my message.

That's the biggest thing for me right
now is just that name recognition, people

knowing who I am and knowing what my
campaign is about and, you know, finding

an issue that they agree w- with me and
wanting to take that to the next step,

which would be, you know, dropping a
little couple of dollars in my coffers.

Um, right now because we are in the
last 60 days of the election, um, early

voting start next month, my team is
working on getting, you know, mailers

and postcards out so that those folks
that we can't necessarily door-knock,

we still wanna be able to reach those
folks so they understand, um, not only

about my platform, but just knowing when
early voting is, where they can vote.

And, um, and you know, just please y'all
vote early and in person if you can.

Yes.

Please vote early and
in person if you can.

Yes.

One more time, Angela.

I'll probably say- Please.

Yes, yes.

Vote early- Please … and in person.

Please, please.

I just did a video, like maybe two
weeks ago, because I did not think

that the Supreme Court was gonna
do what they did, but they did.

So mail-in voting- Yes … go vote
in- That's exactly right … person.

And, uh, and,

and- Please, please, please do that

…
and Trump has, has officially
asked the Supreme Court to, uh, to

address this early mail-in thing.

Yeah.

So we're, we're, we're gonna get a ruling
on it and- If anything that they've done

prior to this is any indication, I mean,
a- again, folks- We already know what's up

like you, you gotta make it too big to
rig, and you gotta- Yeah … you gotta,

you gotta duck whatever barriers they're
gonna put up against you, because they're

gonna put them up- Right … because they
don't want us getting our voice out there.

Yeah.

They know that their
message is not working.

It's why two progressives
have already, you know, won

their primaries in Tennessee.

And- Yeah … a- and I believe that
Angela is, is another one of those.

There's an appetite for this, because
what is currently going on is not

working, and it makes us look great.

So I think- Yeah … you know, I think
our, our message is perfect for right now.

Your message is perfect for right now.

And what we like to do, Angela,
uh, here at the end of the show,

we have a little, uh, we have a
little scale Uh, for, for Democrats.

And, uh, on one end is a, is
a, is a Chuck Schumer, and on

the other end is a- Oh, no, no,

no, no, not for Angela.

No, no

…
yeah, not for Angela.

What, what, what is that?

Nancy Pelosi.

Okay.

Nancy Pelosi on that.

Okay.

We, we, we put a Pelosi- Okay … on
one side and then an AOC on the other.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, and so… And, and what we like to
ask our candidates, because, you know,

progressive grassroots folks, we like
to, to make sure that everybody knows

that, you know, you are, uh, grassroots.

Um, you know, you don't take PAC money.

You don't take money… You don't
take foreign influence money.

Uh, you're doing this, you
know, by yourself- I'm barely

taking Tennesseeans' money

… from the shelf with your family.

There you go.

And so, uh, you know, that, that's,
that's what we're talking about.

So we, so we move Angela on over,
uh, to AOC, to that end- Yeah

of the aisle, and, uh, you know, once

again- I actually called her once.

Yeah.

Yeah?

Oh, yeah?

The, the, yeah, the first post that
we put up about my opponent's record,

and one of her colleagues came on and
told me that I was, you know, a s- a

socialist, communist like AOC, and I'm
just like, "Y'all come up with the worst."

Oh, gosh.

The worst digs at people.

I'm, I don't understand how I'm supposed
to be completely offended by that.

Right.

Exactly, exactly.

Oh, I'm sorry.

You don't like social programs?

Oh, no.

I'm like,

"
AOC, oh no."

How horrible.

So silly.

She

won.

Oh,

no.

And I just wanna see folks, can you
see my sign, "Work hard and be kind"?

That is my motto.

Oh, I like that.

"Work hard and be kind," up, a- below
my Howard University, my sa- 'cause

if I don't say that my, my, you
know, classmates will say something.

Uh-huh.

But, um, yeah.

Okay.

I'm also educated, folks.

I have two degrees, and I'm working
on my third one, so she's smart, too.

Get it.

Oh.

Angela, I'm in awe.

I'm in awe of you.

Um, yeah, you, you gotta win this race.

Tennessee needs you, clearly, and
Tennessee has been relying on you already.

So why not get you in
officially to this role?

I'm really looking forward
to seeing this race for you.

And you're a friend of the show for life.

If you need anything between now and
the midterm elections, a boost, a quick

convo, an update, whatever, you just reach
out, and we'll get you right back on.

Aw, thank y'all so much.

I appreciate that.

I wanna come to space two.

Yeah.

Yes

Let's go Okay, I- Let's go.

You, you just gotta travel-
I'm gonna be there forever.

You, you, you know, we're… Just,
just travel- Live long and prosper, my

friend

…
a little bit south to Huntsville.

Travel to Huntsville, Rocket City.

They'll, they'll send,
they'll send you right up.

Oh my gosh.

Forever in space.

Forever and ever.

Angela, this has been
an absolute pleasure.

Yeah.

I wish you nothing but the best.

I have… I mean, Tennessee, if you
do not elect this woman into your

state senate in the 13th District,
I don't know what you're doing.

Thank you.

But we're gonna stay tuned.

I'm gonna be watching this.

I'm gonna keep a close eye on this race.

You're fantastic.

You're amazing.

Thank you.

This was great.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

So much good going on.

All right, bye.

Bye.

Good luck.

Thanks.

All right, you guys- Bye.

Take

care.

Well, Ally, that was a great
conversation with Angela Wynn,

force running in the 13th District
for State Senate in Tennessee.

We've had some pretty good luck
with our people in Tennessee.

Yeah.

Obviously Joe Crowley, Victoria
Broderick, uh, great people, and

Angela, we can add her to the ranks.

I mean, just a, a, a great woman.

Uh, you know, j- like, like Victoria,
multiple kids, still getting it

done, staying busy, but being
kind, as, as her background says.

And I mean, just, uh, loved her energy.

I love that she's been so involved before.

It really kind of informed her in
the process and prepared her for

going after this role, so, uh, I
feel, I feel great about her chances.

I feel great about her chances too.

Um, Mike Crowley, by the way,
you love to call him Joe.

I do kind of call him Joe.

And

Joe is stuck

in your brain

forever.

Why?

Um, I don't know.

I don't know, he must remind you of a Joe.

But, um, yeah, we've had really
good luck with, with our Tennesseean

candidates, and really hoping
that luck continues with Angela.

She's just remarkable.

I mean, she's kind of had her fingers
in everything in terms of, you

know, connecting with her community,
connecting with local constituents,

connecting with fellow parents
when it came to school issues.

She's just… Wow, she's done so
much, um, in these past 20 years.

She's really already embodying the role.

I mean, really, when you think
about it, when you're t- thinking

about a, um, a state senator, right?

She's doing more right now today, I
promise you, than most state senators

are doing across the entire country.

So to not give her this
opportunity would be, I mean, it,

it would be to, to Tennessee's
detriment, is how I feel about it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

She's a person who can step right
in instantly, know what she's doing,

she has existing relationships, and,
and she's ready to get the job done.

And Tennessee needs a win.

Yeah.

So we g- so we give you Angela, right?

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Well, that was fantastic.

Um, we have another interview,
I think, coming up next week.

We haven't even talked about it yet.

So an immigration attorney in California,
happens to be my cousin, he's been an

immigration attorney- Nice … for 25
years, is gonna come on the show and talk

to us, um, kind of about what's, what he's
seeing, what's happening, you know, give

some- Not true legal advice, but advice
to immigrants who are trying to navigate

this new world under Trump, and I think
that's gonna be really interesting, really

informative, and something we haven't
really had the chance to do yet, so I'm

looking forward to that conversation.

And in the meantime, candidates, I know
you're super busy 'cause the midterms

are right around the corner, but if you
wanna come on, we'd love to have you.

So drop us a DM or c- you know, tag us
in a comment and we'll chase you down,

but we wanna keep this momentum going.

We've gotta get these great
candidates elected for the midterms.

Yeah.

And in, and in the meantime, in
between time, uh, we're, we're…

We've all been talking about,
uh, doing some live episodes.

Yeah.

Uh, just some catch-ups,
uh, as far as the news goes.

We'll just be handling the hot topics
like we used to before we got all

these midterm interviews going.

Yeah.

We'll, we'll get, we'll get a
little bit back to that, back to

the original format, but, but this
has been so much fun, Ali, right?

I mean, really, really getting to do
the work- Yeah … getting to know

these people who are giving up their
time and are true public servants.

Absolutely.

You know?

And, and this was… And, and it,
and it was so worth it to, to, to,

to do this series of interviews.

Absolutely, and it's not over,
and, and we'll do election

coverage around the midterms.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

And before we know it, guys, boom,
we're gonna be seeing presidential

candidates for the 2028 election, and
we're gonna wanna do deep dives on each

and every one of them on both sides.

So yeah, this has been a blast.

I- we've just met the most incredible
people who are willing to put

their time and their energy on the
line without a lot of money- Yeah

without that corporate backing,
and, um, g- it's just been…

It's been really life-changing.

It has- Yeah … for me.

Absolutely.

I mean, I, I, I look forward to, you
know, carrying these relationships on.

Obviously, we hope we get some, we get
some wins in there so we get a couple of

ears and eyes in the Senate and in- Yeah

and in Congress.

Um, you know, that, that would be great,
uh, because a- again, I… The, the

progressive message is translating.

It is speaking to people.

It is speaking to people in the South,
and it is… If it is speaking to

people here, it is certainly speaking
to everyone across the nation.

So, um- Absolutely … I, I, I feel, I
feel very confident and, you know, very,

uh, very happy for our, for our winners
and, and for the people who, you know,

this wasn't your time, keep working.

Keep going.

Keep working hard because the
people… Some of the people

who won this time around lost
their first time around, right?

The work continues.

Or won this time around by
the thinnest of margins.

Yeah.

We saw that with so many
candidates that we talked to.

You guys are right there.

You're just right there, you know?

Um, you've got two more years to get at
it and stay with it, and I, I guarantee

a lot of these people will end up in
Congress within the next two years.

So- Keep, keep going.

Keep going.

It's all we can do.

That's right.

Yeah.

All right, Seth.

Well, enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

I hope you have some fun.

Same to you, Lance.

Producer Lance, shout out.

Um, and I guess we will see each
other again early next week.

All right.

All right.

Let's

go.

Bye.

Bye.