Around the Counter with Molly & Clare

Executive Summary How do you flip a working-class swing district to the Democrats in a heavily Republican election year, and what happens when out-of-state PAC funds and redrawn district maps alter the playing field? In this episode of Around the Counter with Molly & Friends, host Molly Jones sits down with Clare Collard—former Utah State Representative and current Democratic National Committee Utah Committeewoman—to pull back the curtain on campaign mechanics and statehouse power dynamics. Collard breaks down her “secret sauce” for connecting with voters on human terms, explaining how decades of nonpartisan community service built the trust needed to win over skeptical neighbors. The conversation moves beyond campaign strategy to translate complex legislative policy into real-world impacts for working families. Collard details her work passing landmark protections against surprise emergency medical bills—which paved the road for federal legislation—and securing $50 million in state funding for affordable housing. From navigating Utah’s legislative supermajority to addressing cost-of-living pressures, small business struggles, and immigrant optimism, this episode provides an insider look at how policy gets made and how everyday citizens can take meaningful action in their communities. Key Takeaways * Community Roots Outweigh Partisan Labels: Winning swing districts depends on deep, long-term local engagement—such as PTA involvement, planning commission service, and community volunteering—which builds neighbor-to-neighbor trust that transcends political affiliations. * Dark Money and Redistricting Impact Local Races: Strategic district redrawing and sudden infusions of non-disclosed PAC funds can dramatically tilt closely contested state legislative seats, even with strong grassroots efforts. * Bipartisan Collaboration Drives Real Policy Wins: Lawmakers operating within a legislative superminority can still pass high-impact bills—like eliminating surprise ER medical charges and expanding affordable housing funds—by finding common ground on practical issues with colleagues across the aisle. * Kitchen-Table Economics Unify Voters: National political rhetoric often misses the mark locally; effective outreach should focus on everyday financial pressures like housing costs, childcare, minimum wage stagnation, and gas prices. * Civic Engagement Requires Direct Local Action: Countering political exhaustion starts with accessible participation: checking your voter registration, volunteering for campaigns, serving as poll observers, and having open conversations with neighbors. *Executive Summary and key takeaways generated by AI and edited by humans. Podcast is purely human. Thanks for pulling up a stool. Want to grab a glass and join the conversation? Here’s how: * Love it: Hit that heart button to show you like this post. * Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s piece. * Restack: Share this out to your personal feed to help us expand our reach. * Share the warmth: If this resonated, feel free to forward it to a friend. We can also be found on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aroundthecounter.substack.com