The Campaign Strategist

• How Progressives Win in the Modern Media Age: Jenifer Ancona of Way to Win

  In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Pete talks with Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist at Way to Win, and co-host of Charting the Way Forward, about how progressives can thrive in a radically transformed media environment.Jenifer shares how she went from journalist to movement strategist — and how that journey shaped her understanding of what it takes to compete in an attention economy dominated by emotion, culture, and decentralized media. She explains why campaigns must merge organizing and media instead of treating them as separate worlds, and how creators, storytelling, and cultural authenticity can move people in ways policy briefs never will.If you care about how progressives can break through the noise — and build real narrative power — don’t miss this one. Find and subscribe:Substack and your favorite platforms.Contact: [email protected] us on LinkedIn and Bluesky

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• Shilpi Chhotray on Media, Power, and Climate Justice

  In this episode, Pete Altman talks with media strategist and Counter Stream Media founder Shilpi Chhotray, who makes a powerful case for rethinking how we build power for climate justice. Shilpi shares why she’s stepped back from the mainstream climate movement—and why philanthropy’s failure to fund narrative work and frontline leadership is holding the movement back. From global organizing to launching a frontline-led media outlet, she outlines how narrative strategy, not just comms, can shift hearts, policy, and power. “We’re not winning the narrative war,” she warns, “because we’re not investing where it counts.” Find and subscribe:Substack and your favorite platforms.Contact: [email protected] us on LinkedIn and Bluesky

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• The Democratic Party Isn’t Coming to Save Us: Tara Buss on Competitive Authoritarianism and the Path Forward

  Tara Buss, Senior Director of Research at the Research Collaborative, joins The Campaign Strategist to unpack what she calls "competitive authoritarianism" in the U.S.—a state that mimics democracy while systematically undermining it. She and Pete explore why mass non-compliance is critical, how narrative strategy can shape resistance, and why polling shouldn’t lead progressive strategy. “The rules of the game have changed,” she warns. “We can’t wait until 2026—we have to act now.” This is a compelling, clear-eyed look at the fight to preserve democracy. Find and subscribe:Substack and your favorite platforms.Contact: [email protected] us on LinkedIn and Bluesky

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• A Progressive Art of War with Eric Hensal

  What can Sun Tzu teach us about winning political power in 2025?In this new episode of The Campaign Strategist, I talk with Eric Hensal—veteran progressive strategist, author of A Progressive Art of War and host of the podcast Progressive Conjecture—about applying timeless military strategy to modern political challenges.We explore:Why progressives often lose not because of the opposition, but because of strategic misstepsHow to think like an organizer and a generalThe importance of deception, clarity, and preparation in narrative and coalition workWhy “knowing the ground” matters more than moral certaintyWhat Biden, rural outreach, and “melting ICE” can teach us about smart campaignsEric’s approach is provocative, practical, and rooted in decades of experience across labor, government, and political campaigns.#PoliticalStrategy #CampaignStrategy #Advocacy #ProgressivePolitics #NarrativeStrategy #MovementBuilding #TheCampaignStrategistFind and subscribe:Substack and your favorite platforms.Contact: [email protected] us on LinkedIn and Bluesky

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• Say It Like You Mean It: Narrative Strategy with Anat Shenker-Osorio

  Messaging maven and strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio joins Pete to unpack the mechanics of narrative, the seductive power of repetition, and why too much progressive messaging sounds like it came from a law school textbook. From “Florida fascism facilities” to “start how you want to finish,” Anat brings clarity and conviction to the question of how we talk about political danger—and what we should say instead. This is a sharp, funny, and necessary conversation about how to build power through language. Follow Anat's Substack Words to Win by and check out her firm's work: ASO Communications.Find and subscribe:Substack and your favorite platforms.Contact: [email protected] us on LinkedIn and Bluesky

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