“Red County, Blue County, Orange County” addresses purple status
In a first-of-its-kind narrative, the School of Social Ecology is launching a podcast, “Red County, Blue County, Orange County.”
The podcast covers the transformation of Orange County from a sleepy homogenous county to the vibrant, diverse “OC” that is known across the nation today. Hosted by longtime political observer Mike Madrid, who is serving as a senior fellow at the School, the podcast features interviews with current and former politicians, journalists, political operatives and authors, showcasing the stories that have made Orange County “purple” and explaining why the OC’s congressional races are central to control of the U.S. House of Representatives
“From California to Washington, DC, Orange County has had an outsized impact on American politics, and the lessons it holds today are invaluable for anyone looking to bring together communities,” Dean Jon Gould said. “That’s why we created the Red County, Blue County, Orange County project. We are fortunate to have Mike as a partner in this endeavor. He combines unparalleled experience, a sharp mind, and tremendous advocacy skills. The issues on which he is working are those essential to the state and the nation.”
About the host
Madrid, a co-founder of The Lincoln Project, is a veteran political consultant and one of the country’s authoritative experts on Latino voters. His recently released book, The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy (Simon & Schuster) examines how and why the two major political parties have failed to appeal to the Latino vote.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Madrid served as the press secretary for Rod Pacheco, former California Assembly Republican leader, and as the political director for the California Republican Party. His unique experience as a senior adviser to the campaigns of Democrats and Republicans provides a rare perspective in today’s polarized political climate.
“The balance of power in this country will be determined by the demographics that play an outsized role in Orange County,” Madrid says. “The implications of how Orange County residents vote will reverberate across America and our podcast asks how and why.”
Guests
Podcast guests include: Dean Gould; political consultant Stuart Spencer; former U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez; California State Senator Tom Umberg; Huntington Beach Councilman Tony Strickland; Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano; Nguoi Viet TV host Christina Bich-Tram Le; David Wasserman, senior editor and elections analyst for The Cook Political Report; and former Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register politics reporter and former communications manager for the County of Orange Jean Pasco.
Schedule
The podcast schedule and topics:
Aug. 1 — “Orange is the New Purple”
Aug. 8 — “Reagan Country”
Aug. 15 — “A Dangerous Proposition”
Aug. 22 — “Age of Transformation”
Aug. 29 — “High-Tech Anxiety”
Sept. 5 — “The Collapse of the Orange Curtain”
Credits
The podcast producers are Madrid, Mimi Ko Cruz, director of communications, and Han Parker, digital media manager. Parker and Cruz are the podcast’s editors and Parker is the videographer, photographer and recording technician.
Media Contact
Mimi Ko Cruz
Director of Communications
949-824-1278