Flyover Country

Flyover Country was pleased to by joined by Lindsey Boylan, a New York politician and whistleblower, to discuss the New York City mayoral race. Boylan, formerly a prominent senior official in New York State government, was the first person to publicly accuse then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. She has shared her story in many forums including Medium, Vanity Fair, The Indypendent, X and Bluesky. I hope you enjoy our discussion of New York politics, housing affordability, income disparity, ranked choice voting, and much more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Flyover Country was pleased welcome by Becky Pittman and Emily Wineland, co-founders of GoodChange, to discuss the evolutions in online political fundraising and what to expect in the 2026 political cycle. A lot has changed since Becky and Emily first joined the podcast, and it was a pleasure to visit with them about the dynamism of the industry, candidate engagement, and breaking down barriers to political participation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Kendra Pruitt served as chief of staff to the Mayor of the City of Little Rock, Ark. before recently launching her consulting firm, Solution Seekers. She joined the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss politics and public service in the Heartland, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, and what municipalities should to address pressing needs of the future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Alice Driver is a J. Anthony Lukas and James Beard Award-winning writer from the Ozarks Mountains in Arkansas. Her most recent book is Life and Death of the American Worker: The Immigrants Taking on America’s Largest Meatpacking Company. You can explore all of her journalism here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

The Flyover Country Podcast is thrilled to be joined by Caroline McCoy of The Oxford American magazine to discuss her piece, “Arkansas’s Faulty Plan to Build a Mega Prison: And the Community that Exposed It.” Our free flowing discussion about the problems with this prison development informs broader attitudes about incarceration across the Heartland. Please visit Caroline’s exceptional writing here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Flyover Country was pleased to welcome JoBeth McElhanon, CEO of Lilias & Olive, to discuss entrepreneurship, Covid-19, and the courage to take a risk and launch a small business in the Heartland. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

The Flyover Country Podcast was pleased to be joined by an old friend, Aaron Ament, a former Department of Education official and the President of the National Student Defense Legal Network to discuss DOGE, Trump, and student loan reform. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

The Flyover Country Podcast was pleased to welcome Hallie Shoffner, a sixth generation farmer from Newport, Arkansas to discuss agriculture policy, farm subsidies, and the implications of the Trump administration’s funding freeze on family farms. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Frank Scott, Jr. is the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas. He joined the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss the impact of the federal grant funding freeze on research universities and nonprofits, anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion rhetoric out of Washington, D.C., crime, economic development, and the role mayors can and should play in today’s political climate. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Randy Dixon, Director of News Archives and Media at the Pryor Center for Oral and Visual History at the University of Arkansas, joined the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss the importance of archiving our local news history, the value of news reporting on the present and the past, and the invaluable tool the Pryor Center archives will be for researchers across the world. Dixon is also a weekly contributor to “Ozarks at Large” on National Public Radio. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Jimmy G, a Flyover Country favorite and lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, joined the Flower Country Podcast for a deep dive into the Super Bowl LIX. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, strategies, coaching, fandom, and where to place your bets on the game. It’s a rollicking good time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin joined the Flyover Country Podcast for a free flowing discussion about energy developments, including efforts by utilities in Arkansas to bypass the Arkansas Public Service Commission, the national impact of human trafficking, Big Tech and deceptive trade, opioid abuse, and federal scientific research. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Kansas City Chiefs superfans Lisa and Allen Crouch joined the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss fandom, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the best advice for hosting a Super Bowl house party. The Super Bowl airs at 5:30p CST on FOX. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Becky Pittman and Emily Wineland, founders of GoodChange, joined the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss fundraising in the digital age and how their nationwide platform enables nonprofits and candidates to maximize their potential. If you are interested in running for office or shedding an analog fundraising model for your nonprofit, this is the conversation for you. You can learn more about GoodChange here, here, and here. And you should. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Amy Chozick, formerly a business and political reporter with The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, joined the Flyover Country Podcast for a freewheeling conversation about the California wildfires, politics, and Hollywood. A Texas native, Amy covered the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. These experiences became the foundation for her memoir, Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns, and One Intact Glass Ceiling (Harper, 2018), which was a New York Times bestseller. She is the co-creator and writer of the series “Girls on the Bus” on HBO Max, which was inspired by that book. Her debut novel, Some Part of Her, is forthcoming in 2026 and has been acquired for adaptation by Fifth Season. She also has a series in development at Netflix among other projects. A current L.A. resident, Amy’s recent essay, “Los Angeles Is Being Crushed Under the Weight of Inaction,” which considered the leadership response to the wildfires, appeared in The New York Times on January 13, 2025. Her work has also been featured in Vanity Fair and Vogue. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Philip Martin, the award-winning columnist and critic for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette joins the Flyover Country Podcast to discuss 2024’s year in movies, the nominations for the Academy Awards, and the death of filmmaker David Lynch. You can read Philip’s work here, and you can engage with his music on Spotify. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Kat Robinson, one of the most prolific food writers in the Heartland and an aficionado of pie, dairy bars, Delta cuisine, and more joins the Flyover Country podcast to talk about the impact that regional and culture influences along with wood smoke techniques and sauce recipes have on barbecue. Her new book, “The Arkansas Barbecue Traveler” is available now. You can explore her entire book collection here. This podcast will make you hungry. Act accordingly. Engage with her on Facebook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Rachel Stuckey-Slaton and Monica Diodati, owners of Two Friends Books in Bentonville, Arkansas discuss developing an independent bookstore on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, the joys of reading, creating community around books, and new non-profit initiative in northwest Arkansas to make book ownership more accessible. If you’re a fan of “Off the Shelf” in the Flyover Country newsletter, you won’t want to miss this lively discussion. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Flyover Country is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Chris Jones, the 2022 Democratic nominee for governor of Arkansas joins Flyover Country to discuss heartland politics, the future of the Democratic Party, and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Chris is also a candidate for Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, which you can learn more about here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Chai Komanduri, Democratic Party strategist and host of “Chai Day” on MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” weighs in on the mistakes of Democratic Party messaging during the Trump transition, opportunities and challenges of being the opposition party in the new Congress, leadership of the Democratic National Committee, and the need to identify a party message and messenger. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Jesse Ferguson, a seasoned and brilliant political strategist, offers important insights into the Democratic Party and the voter attitudes. His recent columns in The Hill, TIME, and The Messenger are a must-read. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Zac McCrary is a partner at Impact Research and the host of the Pro Politics podcast. An Alabama resident, he offers thoughtful and prescient insight into the state of our national politics, the challenges facing the Democrats going forward, and the effectiveness of Republican Party messaging in the heartland. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

I am trilled to be joined by Graham Cobb, CEO of Paceline Strategies, and formerly the CEO of Bentonville Chamber of Commerce and a senior policy advisor to the Walton Enterprises. In this episode he offers unique insights into the future of community building, economic development, and the future of growth in the Heartland. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Flyover Country was pleased to be joined by Arkansas State Rep. Ashley Welch Hudson and Heartland election attorney Jennifer Standerfer for a smart conversation about rural issues, including agriculture, infrastructure, public education, and faith, and their impact on voter sentiments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Heartland Gen Z voters Eva Becker and Siena Fusco joined the Flyover Country Podcast to unpack voter attitudes among 18-to-24-year olds before and after the 2024 election. Flyover Country is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Lauren Ashley Bishop, Arkansawyer, activist, comedian, actor, and writer joined the Flyover Country Podcast for a free-wheeling, hilarious, passionate, and (disclaimer for the prissy set) at times profane conversation about women and politics. Please connect with Lauren on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok. Flyover Country is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

I am thrilled to welcome Erin McPike, a political analyst and Ohio native, to Flyover Country to discuss the issues that impacted voters across the Heartland during the 2024 elections. We had a wide ranging discussion that covers the future of the Democratic Party, the impact of the economy on the 2024 elections, presidential persuasion, reproductive justice, and much more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

I am very pleased to discuss politics and candidate engagement with Stephannie Lane of Emerge America and the former executive director of Emerge Arkansas. She offers unique insight into Heartland politics, governance, and engagement. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com

Kate Bennett and I discuss the issues beyond the Beltway impacting the 2024 presidential race; the role of political spouses on the electorate; billionaires and newspapers; the VP choices; the media’s double standard regarding Vice President Harris’s qualifications; and the impact of women and reproductive justice on Tuesday’s outcome. You can follow Kate on X and Instagram. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blakerutherford.substack.com