Mar 31, 202647 minS2
Rep. Haley Stevens was chief of staff on Obama's Auto Rescue Task Force when Michigan was at the bottom of the Great Recession. She took calls from workers and small business owners who were scared they were going to...
About this Podcast:
Political interviews too often sound rehearsed and over-managed. Building the Bench breaks the mold.Each week, host Matt Staab sits down with the next generation of Democratic leaders for candid conversations about the experiences that shaped them, the mistakes that grounded them, and the ideas they’re eager to test in the years ahead.It’s a chance to see the people behind the podiums — and imagine the future of American politics with them leading the charge.Production/Film Location: Switch & Board Podcast Studio, Washington, D.C.
Pitch Analysis
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Contact path
Public web form
Booking probability
25%
Guest openness
Selective
80/100
Required Score
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Signup to Generate a PitchQuestions about Building the Bench
What is Building the Bench about?
Political interviews too often sound rehearsed and over-managed. Building the Bench breaks the mold. Each week, host Matt Staab sits down with the next generation of Democratic leaders for candid conversations about the experiences that shaped them, the mistakes that grounded them, and the ideas they’re eager to test in the years ahead.
What has Building the Bench covered recently?
Recent episodes include ""I Want to Rubber Stamp Michigan": Rep. Haley Stevens on Manufacturing, Running For Senate, and What Democrats Keep Getting Wrong" (31 March 2026, 47 minutes), ""Burn It Down or Fix It From the Inside"? A Conversation with Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA)." (23 March 2026, 43 minutes), and "“All Hat, No Cattle”: Congresswoman Julie Johnson on GOP Cowardice and the Problem With Ideological Purity Tests" (17 February 2026, 47 minutes).
How often does Building the Bench publish?
Building the Bench publishes roughly every two weeks, with episodes averaging 39 minutes across 16 episodes.
How hard is it to get booked on Building the Bench?
Booking probability for Building the Bench is 25%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Building the Bench requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Building the Bench's contact route on record: public web form.
Who should pitch Building the Bench?
The strongest fits for Building the Bench are Government & Politics. Building the Bench has a news audience.
About the host
Building the Bench is a news podcast with 16 episodes published.
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Recent episodes
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
Episode #1
"Burn It Down or Fix It From the Inside"? A Conversation with Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA).
Mar 23, 202643 minS2Congresswoman Emily Randall won her first state Senate race by 102 votes. She knocked more doors than anyone else in the race and asked every voter (including the ones who told her they'd never vote for her) what they...
Building the Bench
“All Hat, No Cattle”: Congresswoman Julie Johnson on GOP Cowardice and the Problem With Ideological Purity Tests
Feb 17, 202647 minTexas (and national) Republicans keep passing wildly harmful legislation legislation. Some of the lawmakers voting for it, Rep. Julie Johnson says, privately know it’s wrong. So why does it keep happening? Johnson, the...
- Feb 5, 202650 minS1
Millions of Epstein documents are now public. Millions more remain unreleased. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández , chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus , joins Building the Bench to explain how disclosure was...
Building the Bench
NAACP President Derrick Johnson Says the Most Important Political Battles Are Taking Shape Long Before We Vote
Jan 19, 202627 minS1The vanguard of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization shines a light on modern voter suppression and how democracy is quietly being reworked outside of public view.
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Building the Bench
Rep. Summer Lee on the Fight For ACA Subsidies, AI Guardrails, and Why Republicans Keep Dodging Accountability
Dec 14, 202529 minCongresswoman Summer Lee returns for a Building the Bench bonus episode to unpack a turbulent week in Washington. Lee discusses the ongoing Republican paralysis in the House, the approaching expiration of Affordable...
- Dec 8, 202548 minS1
Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth joins Building the Bench to trace the path from her first experience testifying before lawmakers at nineteen to becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the Maryland Senate. She talks...
- Nov 18, 202550 minS1
Rep. Summer Lee opens up about her upbringing in Western Pennsylvania, the pressures new members face inside Congress, and how big money shapes what gets attention in Washington. She reflects on changing representation...
- Nov 11, 202540 minS1
From space exploration to Congress, Whitesides shares how curiosity, empathy, and mission-driven leadership guide his work in Washington.
- Nov 2, 202530 min
Ramirez joins me to discuss the ICE raids upending families and neighborhoods, the grassroots networks stepping up in their wake, and why the real test of democracy is how people respond when government fails to protect...
Building the Bench
BONUS Ep: Rep. George Whitesides on the Moral Cost of the Shutdown
Oct 30, 202526 minAs the shutdown drags into its fifth week, Whitesides joins me to talk about the GOP using hunger as political leverage, the impact of Trump's attacks on science, and why hope still matters.
Building the Bench
BONUS Episode: Rep. Melanie Stansbury on the Shutdown’s Breaking Point
Oct 16, 202526 minOn the third week of the shutdown, Congresswoman Stansbury joins me to discuss skyrocketing health insurance premiums, the Adelita Grijalva standoff, and the fight to stop an authoritarian weakening of the legislative...
Episode #3
Rep. Melanie Stansbury on Owning Her Roots, Running Smart Campaigns, and Leading with Heart
Oct 8, 202540 minS1Stansbury shares how grassroots organizing and lived experience shape her approach to politics, from winning tough races to delivering community projects that change lives.
Building the Bench
BONUS Episode: Rep. Hillary Scholten on the Shutdown Showdown
Oct 3, 202521 minA candid follow-up with the Congresswoman on the shutdown, ACA tax credits, and why this is an “Article I moment.”
Episode #2
Rep. Hillary Scholten on Faith, Immigration, and Finding Common Ground in a Swing District
Sep 24, 202550 minS1Rep. Hillary Scholten talks about becoming the first Democratic woman to represent Michigan’s 3rd District, and how her experiences in faith and motherhood shape her approach to politics.
Building the Bench
Rep. Delia Ramirez on Working-Class Leadership and the Future of Democratic Messaging
Sep 16, 202552 minRep. Delia Ramirez opens up about her identity as a Guatemalan-American, the realities of running as a working-class candidate, and why Democrats are struggling to connect with voters.
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