Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams

Episode: How to Build a Winning Coalition in Trump’s Broken America

Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Stacey Abrams
Guests: Jane Coston (Host, What a Day; former Libertarian), Maurice Mitchell (National Director, Working Families Party)

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the urgent question: How do we build a coalition broad enough to defeat the forces of authoritarianism and defend democracy in today’s hyper-polarized, two-party-dominated America? Stacey Abrams explores why the US political system remains locked in a two-party paradigm, the barriers for third-party and independent candidates, what history tells us about moments of realignment, and how to strategically bridge differences to create a “winning coalition.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Authoritarian Threat and Why Coalitions Matter (00:36–07:36)

• Stacey Abrams opens by framing America's current political crisis: the intentional destruction of government institutions, the rise of authoritarianism, and the need for opposition to unite.
• She stresses the importance of broad, pluralistic, and ideologically divergent coalitions – including everyone from “never Trump Republicans to Libertarians to far left progressives.”
• The episode spotlights recent close calls for independent candidates (Dan Osborne, Evan McMullin, Greg Orman) as a sign of Americans' hunger for alternatives but also a warning about the limits of going alone.

“The coalition necessary to fight back against autocracy must be intentionally broad… That means defeating this regime and its aftermath must include everyone from never Trump former Republicans to Libertarians to far left progressives.”
— Stacey Abrams (04:57)

2. Why the Two-Party System Endures (07:40–11:16)

Jane Coston on Cultural and Structural Entrenchment

• Americans repeatedly “choose” the two-party system, despite frustrations.
• Alternative parties (Green, Libertarian) generally fade with little impact.
• Voter anger at the system is often anger at fellow voters' decisions.

“We keep choosing the two-party system and then we get really mad at the two-party system. But I think in some ways that is being mad about voters and ... the decisions that voters make or don't make.”
— Jane Coston (08:25)

Maurice Mitchell on Structural Barriers

• US elections are regulated at the state level, with each state designing its own barriers to third-party ballot access, including costly petitioning and legal obstacles.
• “First past the post” (winner-take-all) voting system severely limits multiparty viability.
• Notably, the US never exports this system when building democracies abroad, choosing parliamentary systems instead.

“When this country invades other countries and has to engage in rebuilding that country, they never have that country adopt our form of democracy. It's always some form of parliamentary democracy.”
— Maurice Mitchell (10:40)

3. How Do Third-Party or Independent Campaigns Make a Difference? (11:35–17:10)

Historical Impact and Risks

• Jane recalls Ralph Nader’s impact on the 2000 election and Bernie Sanders’ influence in 2016 as examples of outsiders shifting the debate but sometimes “spoiling” outcomes.
• She critiques “omniparty” thinking: the notion that major candidates are indistinguishable, which can obscure real differences.

Maurice Mitchell on Realignment and Fusion

• Before the GOP, new coalitions (Whigs, Free Soil, etc.) formed the Republican Party — realignment can happen.
• Working Families Party (WFP) has had success in local races, such as Letitia James in NYC, leveraging fusion voting to create novel coalitions and elect true outsiders who later become establishment.

4. Origins and Ethics of Third Parties: The Working Families Party Example (17:10–23:00)

Maurice Mitchell on WFP’s Founding

• WFP started as a response to 1990s Democratic triangulation and perceived betrayals on labor and economic policy.
• It now operates in a dozen+ states, focused on “democracy for people, not corporations.”
• Maurice highlights the urgency of creating a pro-democracy alternative before the right fills that vacuum.

“If we don't actually fill this demand for independent politics, the right wing will fill the demand. And so it's actually urgent...that we fill that demand with a pro democracy party...”
— Maurice Mitchell (19:21)

5. Jane Coston: Why I Left the Libertarian Party (23:00–29:37)

• Jane details her attraction to “small-l” libertarianism: skepticism of state power’s potential for violence.
• She saw the party overtaken by far-right, exclusionary elements (Mises Caucus, paleo-libertarians), driving out broader, more inclusive visions.
• Observes destructive “purity spirals” where winning includes self-sabotage rather than big-tent organizing.

“There is a thing that happens in third parties and in politics in general in which we become subject to purity spirals… the Libertarian Party basically saw Gary Johnson...winning more votes meant, ‘oh, we would be watering down our message.’”
— Jane Coston (28:40)

6. Avoiding Purity Spirals & Building Broad Anti-Authoritarian Fronts (29:37–36:36)

Maurice Mitchell on Leadership and Historical Lessons

• WFP is intentionally non-sectarian to avoid self-immolating in purity feuds.
• Historical analogy: German left-wing parties’ infighting allowed the Nazis to rise; unity is vital against existential threats.
• Calls for a “Cheney to Chomsky coalition”—allies regardless of past differences, united against fascism.

“We have to join the Cheney to Chomsky coalition. It has to be that broad. It has to include everybody that agrees that fascism is bad.”
— Maurice Mitchell (32:19)

Abrams: Compromising Vision vs. Compromising Values

• Compromise can happen on policy details, but not on fundamental anti-authoritarian, pro-inclusion values.
• Values-based coalitions can win and govern while maintaining core principles.

7. Power, Policy, and Pragmatism: How to Get Results (34:01–37:36)

• Maurice: The right is clear-eyed about seizing and wielding power; the left and its allies need the same focus.
• Getting into power requires appealing to broad (even ideologically mixed) groups, then using that power for good.
• The WFP’s approach: challenge Democrats in primaries, but unite in general elections against authoritarian threats.

8. The Mission for Third Parties Now (38:09–44:36)

• Jane: Both third parties and Democrats need to move beyond reactive “anti-Trumpism” to articulate an affirmative vision that inspires and includes.
• Most Americans are casual about their political identities and want “good things” for their families, not ideological litmus tests.
• Healthy coalitions need to prioritize inclusion—not ideological gatekeeping—to grow and last.

“If you want to grow our politics...we have to be thinking about the people within our politics...I'm okay if you think that I'm some, like, horrible centrist liberal or something like that. I'm not okay with folks being put in ICE detention centers and just lost...”
— Jane Coston (43:18)

9. Racial Dynamics and Coalition-Building (44:36–53:02)

• Maurice: Racial politics are complex and deeply embedded in coalition strategy. Real community-building is hyperlocal and pragmatic.
• Black political strategy in the US is both pragmatic (choosing the “lesser evil” when necessary) and sophisticated in balancing conflicting interests for collective good.
• Jane: Political identity is fluid; progressives must leave space for growth and change, avoiding “hipster” exclusivity.
• Building a durable winning coalition against MAGA requires making the progressive identity inviting—a “big effing club.”

“If Democrats and progressives could learn from Black people and how Black people do politics, that might be an interesting exercise, because...Black people do politics...that is able to hold the nuances...and say, we're voting for these very important strategic reasons as a community.”
— Maurice Mitchell (52:09)

10. Action Steps & Listener Homework (53:04–57:10)

Maurice Mitchell/Working Families Party

• Anyone who believes in “governing for the people, not corporations” should connect with WFP (workingfamilies.org) and get plugged in, regardless of politics.
• WFP’s “academy” helps ordinary people run for local office: Text RUN to 30403.

Jane Coston

• Act locally, think globally: Engage in local politics—not glamorous, but essential for safeguarding democracy.
• Study history for context (“Evil and stupid go together” is a lesson from the rise of Nazis and other historical failures of vigilance).
• Don’t mistake inaction for a lack of success; it’s better to try and fail than not try.

“Run for something. Quite literally, there are so many local races in which a Republican candidate goes unchallenged...I would much rather have you running for office and failing than just never try when you could have won.”
— Jane Coston (56:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Abrams (04:57):
  “The coalition necessary to fight back against autocracy must be intentionally broad…”
• Mitchell (10:40):
  “They never have that country adopt our form of democracy. It’s always some form of parliamentary democracy.”
• Coston (28:40):
  “In third parties…we become subject to purity spirals.”
• Mitchell (32:19):
  “We have to join the Cheney to Chomsky coalition. It has to be that broad…”
• Coston (43:18):
  “I’m okay if you think that I’m some, like, horrible centrist liberal… I’m not okay with folks being put in ICE detention…”
• Mitchell (52:09):
  “If Democrats and progressives could learn from Black people and how Black people do politics, that might be an interesting exercise…”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:36: Introduction — Why authoritarianism exploits broken parties
• 07:40: Why Americans are “addicted” to two parties
• 09:20: Maurice Mitchell explains structural barriers for third parties
• 11:51: Third-party impact: From Nader to Working Families Party
• 17:37: The origins/story of the Working Families Party
• 23:00: Jane Coston on joining and leaving the Libertarian Party
• 29:37: Purity spirals and the need for coalition strategy
• 32:19: The “Cheney to Chomsky coalition” explained
• 38:09: What third-party candidates should do for democracy in 2026/2028
• 44:36: Race, identity, and flexibility in coalition-building
• 53:04: Listener “homework” — practical action steps from both guests
• 56:23: The importance of running locally for office, regardless of outcome

Final Takeaways: What Listeners Should Do

• Join or support broad, pro-democracy coalitions, even when it requires ideological discomfort.
• Engage in local politics—every seat matters; don’t underestimate your impact.
• Educate yourself on history to avoid repeating mistakes and to recognize patterns of autocracy.
• Reject purity spirals and exclusion in favor of actionable, inclusive organizing.
• Consider running for local office, or supporting others who do—resources and trainings are out there.

This episode challenges listeners to move beyond cynicism and ideological infighting, and instead focus on concrete, history-rooted, and inclusive strategies to win back democracy from the edge of authoritarian collapse. The homework is clear: get involved, get educated, and build something broad and durable—starting now.