FYPod – "67,000 People Are Suddenly Running for Office?!"

Host: The Bulwark (Cameron Caskey & Tim Miller)
Guest: Amanda Litman (Co-founder & President, Run for Something)
Release date: September 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something, discussing the unprecedented surge of 67,000 people declaring their intention to run for office in the past 10 months. The conversation explores what’s motivating this new wave of (mainly young) candidates, how Run for Something supports and vets them, and what makes a compelling public leader in the TikTok age.

The hosts and Amanda also unpack the challenges and opportunities for young and nontraditional candidates, the role of authenticity and social media in politics, notable success stories, and how cultural anxieties—especially around family formation and youth priorities—are shaping political engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Amanda Litman’s Background & Mission of Run for Something

• Amanda’s political path (Obama 2012, Charlie Crist 2014, Hillary 2016) led her to found Run for Something, wanting to democratize access to running for office after seeing the process was deeply exclusive.
• Run for Something “recruits and supports young, diverse leaders running for local office all across the country” ([01:48]).

Quote

"What we have done is blown open the doors to that and said, if you want to run for office, we want to help you." —Amanda Litman ([08:11])

The Historic Surge in Candidate Interest

• Amanda shares that 67,000 people have expressed interest in running for office in the last 10 months—more than in all of Trump’s first term.
• The mood among prospective candidates is intense and angry: "They're fucking furious at Democratic Party leadership" ([07:43]).

Quote

"It's like people who are pissed. They are running locally... They want to talk about the issues." —Amanda Litman ([07:43])

How Run for Something Screens & Supports Candidates

• Amanda explains the challenge of filtering out “nutcases” among 67k sign-ups.
  • Language and curriculum naturally filter for values alignment; the endorsement process provides the "firm value screen."
  • Approach adapts for local context: pro-choice in rural Iowa looks different than in Manhattan ([09:54]).

Notable Segment

• Screening for values vs. purity tests ([09:54]-[10:42])
• Full-service candidate support: From application to post-election strategy, technology, and community building ([08:11]).

Inspiring Candidate Stories

• Highlight: Justin Douglas (Dauphin County, PA):
  • Fired from ministry for LGBTQ inclusion, Uber driver, CrossFit athlete, ran on pro-democracy & criminal justice reform, flipped county commission for the first time in 100+ years, now running against Scott Perry for Congress ([10:55]-[12:33]).

Quote

"He ultimately was able to win in 2023 by about 150 votes... flipping control of the county Commission for the first time in over 100 years." —Amanda Litman ([11:48])

What Makes a Compelling Candidate in the TikTok Age?

• Credentials vs. Authenticity:
  • Too many Democrats are still credential-obsessed (“Chamber of Commerce types"); now, value-driven authenticity matters more, especially with so much exposure on social media ([13:33]-[14:08]).
• Ability to "perform authenticity": You must have sincere values and an ability to communicate naturally—voters detect fakes ([14:23]-[18:24]).
• Parasocial relationships: Candidates today need to cultivate a “parasocial” dynamic with voters, blending on- and offline engagement ([18:24]).

Quotes

"You can’t manufacture authenticity... At the end of the day, people see right through the bullshit." —Cameron Caskey ([15:44])

"You have to know how to perform that authenticity... you are performing a certain amount… with some boundaries." —Amanda Litman ([18:24])

Lessons from Viral/X-Factor Campaigns

• Case Study: Zoran Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Campaign
  • Demonstrated the formula: values-focused, voters-first messaging, combining substantive content with high online and offline engagement ([19:58]-[21:25])
  • “He didn’t really do a bio-focused campaign… it’s about the way that they make you feel.” ([21:25]-[22:45])

Quote

"It wasn't really about him, it was about what people were going to get if you won." —Amanda Litman ([20:14])

Rethinking Qualifications & Encouraging Nontraditional Candidates

• Traditional “qualified” leaders haven’t stemmed the tide of authoritarianism; Run for Something is intentionally encouraging people without classic resumes to jump in ([24:16]-[25:28]).

Quotes

"You do not have to have experience as a politician... You need to care. You need to [be] willing to do the work. You cannot be lazy." —Amanda Litman ([25:28])

"We want people who can communicate, like normies... It's good to be a normal person who just cares enough to do what is... extraordinary." —Amanda Litman ([26:02])

Barriers & Attacks Young/Nonrich Candidates Face

• “Not a homeowner” smears (e.g. candidate is “just a renter”) are surprisingly persistent and coded as exclusionary and out-of-touch given young Americans’ realities ([31:03]-[31:50]).

Quotes

"We don't have freeholder shit anymore. You don't have to own property to have a say… but this idea... implies they're, like, transient or not welcome." —Amanda Litman ([31:06])

Youth, Identity & the Shifting Demographic of Candidates

• Youth alone isn’t a selling point—what matters is the experiences young people bring, e.g. dealing with student debt, housing, or family planning ([32:50]-[33:36]).
• Many young candidates struggle with their "old" social media histories; Amanda says most things don't matter unless they're "Mark Robinson-level bad" ([35:31]-[36:20]).
• “Normification” is important—a willingness to be open, relatable, and established in the community makes a bigger difference than credentials or perfect pasts ([25:54], [26:02]).

The Dark Side: Social Media & Running for Office

• Social platforms have made local races far more vicious (accusations of infidelity, paid influencers masquerading as independent, “wild west” campaigning).
• Amanda: "You gotta know what's out there... Also think about your friends and your family and how they're going to engage... cultivate a pretty good network of people who will be your online keyboard warriors" ([39:29]).

Quotes

"You have to have a tough skin because especially the more local you get, it's going to get real personal. It's going to get nasty." —Amanda Litman ([40:20])

The Upside: Opportunities Even in Tough Political Cycles

• Run for Something is recruiting in places newly competitive due to redistricting or demographic change—thinking long-term with an eye toward building infrastructure for future wins ([41:31]-[42:29]).

Example

• Lily Franklin, rural Virginia, running again for a House seat she narrowly lost: "I think it's cool when people lose and decide that doesn't discourage them." ([43:16])

Deep Dive: Youth, Values, & The Family Formation Crisis

• Gen Z’s relationship to marriage, kids, and “success”: Discussing provocative polling that showed Gen Z women (esp. Harris voters) don’t rate marriage/kids highly, while Gen Z Trump-voting men do—but may have regressive gender assumptions ([43:17]-[50:09]).
• Amanda reflects on her own experience: “I love being a mom way more than I ever expected... But it feels like a privilege... because I can afford full time childcare and have married well... It's hard to share the good sides publicly, because people will just say, ‘Yeah, but you have money’” ([48:11]).

Quotes

"Do you want to have kids, or do you want to parent children? Those are two different things." —Amanda Litman ([50:09])

• The hosts and Amanda discuss millennial/Gen Z parenting, hyper-involved parents, and how cultural norms have shifted to create new anxieties about when and how to have children ([51:20]-[55:30]).

Quotes

"I think that understanding and wanting to fix... what make[s] it expensive are cool and good. But I just wish that we could figure out a way to cultivate... how meaningful and great parenthood is alongside how challenging it is." —Tim Miller ([54:37])

Gender, Choice, & the Goldilocks Generation

• Amanda: Many thirty-something women are the first to really be able to choose both career and family—and are caught between generations, with Gen Z facing even less perceived choice due to economic precarity, abortion rights, and more ([54:40]-[55:30]).
• “It's really hard to decide when in your career do you want to have kids... When we can't talk about the joy and the meaning alongside the hardship, it’s really hard to see the upside.” —Amanda Litman ([55:30])

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "It's people who are pissed... and they are fucking furious at Democratic Party leadership." —Amanda Litman ([07:43])
• "You can’t manufacture authenticity. ...People see right through the bullshit." —Cameron Caskey ([15:44])
• "You have to know how to perform that authenticity... you are performing a certain amount with some boundaries." —Amanda Litman ([18:24])
• "He ultimately was able to win in 2023 by about 150 votes... flipping control of the county Commission for the first time in over 100 years." —Amanda Litman ([11:48])
• "What we have done is blown open the doors to that and said, if you want to run for office, we want to help you." —Amanda Litman ([08:11])
• “We want people who can communicate, like normies... It’s good to be a normal person who just cares enough to do what is... extraordinary.” —Amanda Litman ([26:02])
• “Do you want to have kids, or do you want to parent children? Because those are two different things.” —Amanda Litman ([50:09])
• “There’s never a good time. There’s only the time you decide to do it, and then you figure it out.” —Amanda Litman ([58:16])

Important Timestamps by Segment

• [01:25] Amanda describes her path into politics
• [07:34]-[08:11] The 67,000 candidate surge and motives explored
• [09:54]-[10:42] “Nutcase” filtering and value alignment in candidate support
• [10:55]-[12:33] Justin Douglas story—Run for Something’s impact
• [13:33]-[18:24] Credentials, authenticity, and the “performance” of sincerity
• [19:58]-[22:45] Zoran Mamdani’s campaign: lessons for future candidates
• [25:28]-[26:02] Rethinking “qualifications” for office
• [31:03]-[31:50] Homeowner bias in political attacks
• [35:31]-[36:20] The reality of candidate social media histories
• [39:29]-[40:20] Social media’s wild west in local politics
• [41:31]-[42:29] Where Run for Something is placing strategic bets for future wins
• [43:17]-[50:09] Youth, family, and culture wars: polling, parenting, generational divides

Tone & Takeaways

• The episode’s tone is sharp, candid, and energetic, blending humor with insight.
• Amanda, Tim, and Cam debate “serious” statistics, share hilarious campaign war stories, and inject self-deprecating admissions about both politics and parenthood.
• The discussion reframes "running for office" from an insular, credential-centric process to a populist, democratized movement, placing value on authenticity, resilience, and genuine connection with voters.

For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

If you care about the future of American politics, this episode illustrates a generational changing of the guard. It unpacks the new playbook for running for office—where values, relatability, and the courage to be a “normie” with convictions now matter more than resume lines. Whether you're a would-be candidate, a voter, or just a Gen Z observer of the political transformation, there’s wisdom here on how social change really happens from the ground up—and what it looks and feels like when 67,000 new people want to lead.

For more: Check out Amanda Litman’s books online and follow Run for Something for real-time updates on America’s next wave of public leaders.