The Camel, the Candidate, and the Coming Flip

This episode of It Takes a Village is exactly why we built this space — two grassroots candidates, two different states, one shared mission: flip the damn script on American politics.We open with Lexy Doherty, running for Congress in Georgia’s 10th District — a district so gerrymandered it looks like someone drew it during a caffeine crash. Lexy walks us through the moment she realized no one was stepping up to challenge a seat Democrats had basically been forfeiting for years. So she did what every exhausted, furious, politically‑nerdy millennial eventually does: she said “fine, I’ll do it myself.”Lexy talks about:* The “whole‑damn‑camel” moment that pushed her into the race* Why young and working‑class voters feel betrayed — and how she plans to stay accountable* The fight for rural healthcare, including counties with zero OBGYNs* The collapse of labor & delivery wards and what that means for women* Raising the minimum wage, protecting jobs from AI, and fighting for Medicare for All* Why broadband, clean energy, and infrastructure are non‑negotiable for rural Georgia* How small business support — especially for Black, Indigenous, and immigrant entrepreneurs — can transform entire communitiesThen we bring in Zuri Horowitz, candidate for Colorado’s 5th District, and the energy shifts from “one candidate fighting uphill” to “two women sharpening their swords together.” Zuri jumps in with her own lived experience, her state’s fight for reproductive rights, and the shared reality that women across the country are facing — from forced‑birth policies to hospitals refusing care during miscarriages.Together, Lexy and Zuri talk about:* The emotional labor of running for office while surviving the systems you’re trying to fix* The joy of finding an echo chamber where you don’t have to explain what a woman is* The power of grassroots candidates building relationships before they get elected* Why a rising tide truly does lift all boats — especially when women are steeringThis episode is raw, honest, and deeply human. It’s two candidates who aren’t running for ego or ambition — they’re running because their communities deserve better, and because no one else was willing to fight like this.If you’re tired, angry, hopeful, or all three at once, this conversation will feel like home.Welcome to the Village.Let’s get to work. Get full access to It Takes a Village Politics at ittakesavillagepolitics.substack.com/subscribe