Navigating Nuance in Politics: Reflecting on Our Interviews with Ohio's State Representatives from Each Party

Ashley: 0:00

in any career you go into, in any job you do, and whatever it is, there's always going to be, unfortunately, like a bad apple, but there are so many good, genuine people working for our state and country, in both parties as well, and so I think that's just something we should remember. Welcome back to the United she Stands podcast, the show that brings kindness and women into politics. I'm Ashley.

Sara: 0:26

And I'm Sarah, and we're two women from Ohio who are here to become more educated about American politics and build a community so we can all get involved and make an impact together.

Ashley: 0:36

We hope we'll inspire and empower you along the way. Hi everyone, and welcome back to another week of the United she Stands podcast. This week we're going to talk all about two different guests we've had and the different experiences we had interviewing each of them. So Sarah and I have been fortunate enough now to interview two of our own state reps here in Ohio, one being from the Republican Party and one being from the Democratic Party and after the second interview we really reflected back on our conversations and we were very pleasantly, I would say surprised and a little bit disappointed in some things that happened and it led us to say, like it feels, episode worthy, we should probably have this conversation in front of a microphone and kind of share it with all of you. So that is what this week is going to be all about.

Sara: 1:38

Fun stuff.

Ashley: 1:39

Yeah, so we're going to talk about what we're drinking, which is water, because we're recording this on January 3rd, which is dry January for us still, so we're drinking water today.

Sara: 1:51

Speaking of dry January, just as a funny little note, I saw this, this like reel on Instagram and it was like that friend that's doing dry January and it's just like a whole bunch of different like instances of the friend, like like suddenly saying that, oh, I'm better than you, I'm better than you because I'm doing dry January. So just want everyone to know that we're all better than you because we're D. I'm kidding.

Ashley: 2:15

Or we just want to make sure that we get our shit together. I don't know which one, but sure that's my goal. We're gonna have my shit together.

Sara: 2:23

We keep our tolerance at an appropriate level, so we have to take them off.

Ashley: 2:28

Yeah, all right, do you want to jump into?

Sara: 2:30

it, let's do it. Let's start off talking about how we felt going into the conversation with the Democratic rep.

Ashley: 2:35

Yeah, so maybe the back straight. The Democratic rep was the first when we interviewed and I was super nervous because we were interviewing a state representative and I was like, holy shit, like we had interviewed local politicians, you know, I mean definitely amazing people with incredible experience, but this was kind of this was our first state level politician that we had interviewed. So I was nervous for that reason and I just, you know, wanted us to I don't know make sure like we came across well and all that which I knew we would. But you know, it's just. It felt much more professional than some of our other interviews and conversations.

Sara: 3:08

For sure. I felt the same way. I was hoping that we came off professional enough and I'm like, oh my goodness, maybe I should have worn like a nicer shirt, like you know little things like that in my head. And then also this person mixed up the dates and we almost accidentally got stood up, but they came through, so that was like also a nervous moment. We're like sitting there for 15 minutes like, okay, what's happening?

Ashley: 3:33

Yeah and we were like so excited because we're like it's a state rep we're going to interview. And then it was like we're like oh no, are we getting like stood up? Are they going to no show? But yeah, but they came through. So, yeah, all right. So Sarah, talk a little bit about what this conversation with that Democrat was like.

Sara: 3:46

So they were fired up. I was fired up about the same thing. We were talking about somewhat of a hot button issue in Ohio at the time and I really didn't think much of it, other than like, oh, there's a lot of like cussing and kind of like not nice talk to the other political party, which maybe at some points you know we agree with, but we certainly don't want to like broadcast that as like our brand here at United she Stands, you know, because we're all about kindness. So I was like, yeah, okay, this is going to be an editing nightmare, Like that's going to suck, but like I was fired up with this person and I'm like, yep, like I hear you, I'm all about it, but reflecting back and we'll we'll, of course, touch on our conversation with the Republican representative, but reflecting back, I'm like yikes, yikes this person was a bit aggressive towards others and specifically the other party, which, again at the time, I was fired up and I was totally into because I agreed. I was like, yeah, you know, but just different, different feelings.

Ashley: 4:50

now, reflecting back after having the two conversations, yeah, for me, I was kind of cringing through the conversation and like I mean agree with you right. Like we were talking about what this Democratic representative, we were talking about the special August selection that happened in 2023, the then you know reproductive rights issue or rights amendment that was coming to the ballot in November, like things that you know Democrats were very proactively fighting for, and like we were on the Democratic side of those issues as well. I guess you could say even though I still go back to August should have been a nonpartisan thing, but anyway, technically we aligned more with the Democratic side on both of those issues. So, yeah, I mean it was like we agreed with his stance and like some of the things he said, but not what I had a lot of issues with was the way he said a lot of it.

Sara: 5:38

Yes, that's a very good way for you to say that.

Ashley: 5:41

It was just like you know, I think like there was literally name calling, if I remember correctly, which we added all out, but there was like a bit of name calling to your point, a bit of cussing, which like whatever we you know we can throw the cuss words around, but it was just the tone and just the way that it was kind of being done. It was very yeah I mean you said it was it didn't feel kind, it didn't feel on brand for what we want this community to be. It didn't feel like a Republican listening would feel safe or welcome here, which is also not what we would want. So, yeah, I kind of cringe throughout the whole thing and I mean, obviously I was definitely also thinking at the time I think we edited an episode. We edited an episode still. So I was like, oh, this is going to really suck to edit, you know. But yeah, that was, it was a yeah and I think I mentioned at the beginning like there was a little bit of a disappointment. That was my little bit of disappointment. I was, I was a little bit surprised at how much the focus was on bashing the other side versus yeah, like just talking about the issues and solutions to those issues and what was being done to, like you know, for the side we cared about or the side that we, you know the view that we believed in to win the on the ballot, whatever. So that was. That was kind of what I was surprised about.

Sara: 6:49

Yeah, it really felt like a vent session for them. Yeah, yeah.

Ashley: 6:53

Which, to your point, he's a state representative coming on a political podcast for an interview Like it just should have been a little bit more professional, in my opinion.

Sara: 7:01

Yeah, and I even think we like had specific questions that we didn't even have time to get to because there was just so much of this venting.

Ashley: 7:08

Yeah, we like skipped questions and so, if I remember me and Sarah in the background, we're like rearranging questions in our you know our Google doc and like saying we got to skip this, we don't have time for this and it was a long. It was a long interview too.

Sara: 7:19

Yeah, for sure. So now, how did we feel going into the conversation with the Republican representative?

Ashley: 7:25

All right. So, going into the conversation with our Republican representative, I was nervous, but for like different reasons. So at this point we had already interviewed a state rep. Like I don't know. I just feel, like you know we've been long further along in the podcast journey and process Like I don't know, I don't know that I get like super nervous, I guess, with interviews anymore, at least no one we've recently interviewed. So I wasn't nervous for that reason, but I was nervous because I have followed this person's career, like kind of followed their campaign they're refreshment, you know, in the Ohio State House. So like followed that campaign, followed some of the work they've done. And while I've liked some of the work they've done, I also knew that I was not aligned on some of the issues that you know you could call them the hot button issues and then things that we had certainly like voted on in the state. So I was nervous about that. And if, like stuff like that would come up in the interview, like how would we handle it? How would that conversation go? Obviously down to have the conversation if it came up? But we like set the interview questions and I knew it wasn't like something we were going to intentionally bring up. We wanted to more hear about their experience. We wanted you know, to hear about the bills that they had co-authored or, you know, cosigned. So I knew it wasn't on there, but I was still like, oh, if, like, a sensitive topic comes up, how will this go?

Sara: 8:39

Right, yeah, so very similar. Ash told me it'd be cool because she like doesn't know this person. Well, no, now, but there's like a connection and so, and like Ash said, like she has been following his campaign and things like that, and so she's like it's gonna be okay, it's gonna be cool and I'm like okay, okay, like we'll see about that. And you know, I was also like, yeah, I know we're crafting the questions. I feel good about that. You know, if anything else comes up that we certainly don't agree on, then that you know I don't know how that's gonna go. But, all that to say, I just had no prior knowledge of them going into this, other than just the connection that Ashley knows them through.

Ashley: 9:20

Okay, so then, after we had the conversation like what was it like? How did you feel?

Sara: 9:25

I was like I think I said at the end of the episode like this filled my cup, like it was a really. It was a really great conversation. I really enjoyed listening to all of the bills that he has backed and even introduced himself and things that he's been able to get across the floor and just kind of what he's trying to do in his community. I was like, yeah, like that sounds great, this is yes, I would literally. I was probably like geeking the whole time, like smiling, and I think I said like a few times like well, this is like so refreshing to just hear from a politician like you and blah, blah, blah, blah. And yeah, I don't know, it was like a. It was a really good conversation. I was very pleasantly surprised it was on a Friday afternoon. I'm like cool, this is going to make or break my Friday, but no, it totally made it. I was, I was very pleased with the conversation.

Ashley: 10:18

Yeah, that's how I felt too. I was so, so pleasantly surprised that not once did the other party even come up. It was not even. I mean I shouldn't say that. I think like at one point, right, he said something about like I can work with it, like something. It was very casual, it was not like bashing, it was not aggressive. Yeah. So I was really excited and just your point like refresh. That's how I felt. I felt refreshed walking out of that interview. I felt refreshed talking to him. He was so easygoing, so conversational, but so much passion and care for like his community and like being a state rep, like you could just tell. You could tell he understood the importance of his job and like how you know how much his decisions impact people's lives. Like you could get that from talking to him and I was just so pleasantly surprised. I just actually assumed after our first interview with a Democrat that just that was politicians. Anyone we brought on the show was going to just bash the other side. It was going to be kind of a nightmare and we were going to maybe have to see like if we could even air episodes. I was kind of like my assumption going in. So it was just so wonderful to not have that experience round two. And then I think obviously even more wonderful for us being kind of on the other side of the aisle than this representative, to just have such a wonderful conversation, a productive conversation, on topics that we very easily could agree on.

Sara: 11:38

Yeah. Yeah, I was like I'm not kidding, I was shook. I think I've mentioned I don't know if this episode is airing before the one that I mentioned this in, but like I talk about like my political maturity and going into this, I'm like you know, whatever, like it's good that we're going to have a Republican. I'm probably not going to like enjoy it as much because Ashley said like I definitely sit on the other side of the aisle but I. It was like a humbling experience for me because I really enjoyed the like. I said, I really enjoyed the conversation and I was just shook that I could enjoy the conversation so much with someone who isn't a part of the political party that I align with most and I think that's a really eye-opening experience and definitely like political maturity level up for Sarah. You know, like I definitely leveled up in that episode, our recording. It was fascinating, yeah, so were you surprised? I was totally surprised. Yeah, like shook. It shook it to the bone. Yeah, I mean, I didn't think this person was not going to be like a nice person. I just thought, you know, it was going to be a conversation, but like, what I was shook about was the feeling that it gave me. Like me actually saying, like this conversation filled my cup you know what I mean Like I'm not just going to throw that around for shits and gigs Like it left me feeling so good and feeling so, like you said, like we both said, refreshed. And so what's the word hopeful? Hopeful for just the future, and hopefully, I mean I know there's other politicians out there like him, or yeah. So it really just left me surprised and, like I said, mostly because of the feeling it gave me, you know.

Ashley: 13:21

I wasn't surprised by him. Like I said, I had followed him his career but, like, since he's gotten into, you know, being a state rep, but but yeah, I guess I've just always watched the way he presented himself on Instagram and socials and the way you know I mean we've watched like the news, like he introduces a bill there's a video of that. Like I've seen him kind of present himself and speak. So I knew I knew I liked the way he carried himself and spoke. And then you know, yeah, like I said, I wasn't surprised by that, but I just was pleasantly surprised how well we got along. Not that I to your point, I didn't think it was gonna be like this cat fight or anything, but I just kind of thought it'd be like we'd hear him out. He couldn't hear us, but it wasn't like that. It was so much of us like aligning and agreeing on on items and I thought that was really really cool and powerful. So I was a little bit surprised. But yeah, like I said, I wasn't like shocked by by him. I think he was kind of what I expected him to be and it was really great.

Sara: 14:10

Yeah, I think what really like maybe also made me feel so good living the conversation. I think this is like my first. I mean, this is definitely my first or that was my first conversation with someone that high in politics talking about things so local. He was so community focused and not like. He talked about both like how the community looks, like how the area looks, but also the people in the community, like it was. I was like this is what politicians, all politicians should be like, really like caring for their district. Not saying that all politicians are but like you know what I mean, it was just like you could really sense the care and respect that he has for his district and I just thought that was that was just great to see firsthand from someone in our state's state house Like that's. That was just really cool to see.

Ashley: 15:03

Yeah, especially because he represents my hometown.

Sara: 15:05

So yeah, yeah, that's really special. So all that to say, I think we touched on this quite a bit, but you know what did? What did this really teach us and reinforce to us? I think it gave us some good lessons here.

Ashley: 15:17

Yeah, I think for me, kind of like, the biggest takeaways is that we can just accomplish so much when we look for things that we have in common, and we kind of talked about that with him in that episode too. I mean, he even said, like I don't like to focus on the hot button issues. Are they important? Yes, they're absolutely important. Like, we're not going to say that, but there are so many other things that impact people's day to day lives and there are so many things that we have in common, and so when we focus on those, I think you know we can reach across the aisle to have conversations and get something done. I think the other major thing I took away was there are bad apples and players on in both parties, I mean, which isn't surprising, right? That's typical across the world, like in any career you go into and any job you do, and whatever it is, there's always going to be, unfortunately, like a bad apple. But there are so many good, genuine people working for our state and country in both parties as well, and so I think that's just something we should remember.

Sara: 16:06

Yeah, I think, like huge emphasis on that, for what that conversation taught me as well, and I'll just sum it all up here by this fun little phrase that I totally made up Don't judge a book by its political party.

Ashley: 16:22

Good one, Sarah. Oh, they're going to get out.

Sara: 16:25

It is actually pretty funny. I appreciate that. Well, there you have it, folks. That's our reflection on talking to two state reps. Hope you enjoyed it. Hope maybe this lift you a little more open-minded as well. If you want to hear more about the conversations, reach out to us and we'll chat more about it. But wanted to throw this out there to share our quick learnings and we hope you will return to us next week.

Ashley: 16:53

We do, and if you enjoyed this conversation or you think somebody could take something away from it as well, please share it with friends or family or somebody who you think would enjoy it.

Sara: 17:02

Yeah, do that, do that, Do that. Ah, jijiwa, who that, who, that. Okay, goodbye See you next week. Thanks for joining us for today's episode. We really appreciate the support.

Ashley: 17:21

We would also really appreciate it if you hit the follow button and share this episode with anyone you think would enjoy it.

Sara: 17:26

And we'd like to thank Kevin Tanner, who edited this episode. If you're interested in learning more about him and his services, his website and Instagram are in the show notes.

Ashley: 17:35

With that, we'll see you next week Winging it. Well, really well. I just actually didn't think of any further ahead of what I was going to say, okay.

Sara: 17:57

Let me think so far, so good. The first sentence was great.