This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone tackle the collapse of the American family, Trump's beef import policy, election integrity, the SAVE Act, inflation, rising gas prices, and the future of the American economy with Delano Squires, Congressman Troy Downing, Derek Monson, and Gary Gygi.

Delano Squires, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Human Flourishing at The Heritage Foundation and author, examines the decline of marriage and fatherhood in America, particularly in the Black community. He discusses how welfare policies and second-wave feminism reshaped family structures, why Democrats have moved away from conversations about marriage, and a Trump administration proposal to provide childcare funding to married stay-at-home-parent households.

Follow on X & Instagram: @DelanoSquires

Check out his book: The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable

B's Crime Corner investigates the disturbing Eugene Horsch case in Philadelphia. What began with an illegally parked BMW and a woman pleading for help led investigators missing women, a forensic sewer search for human remains, and disturbing digital evidence connected to the property previously owned by Horsch's father.

Congressman Troy Downing, U.S. Representative for Montana's 2nd Congressional District, former Montana State Auditor, and U.S. Air Force combat veteran, shares how 9/11 inspired him to enlist and serve two tours in Afghanistan. He discusses the American Dream, housing affordability, Montana water rights, and Trump's beef import policy. Downing explains why an effort to lower grocery prices could unintentionally hurt American cattle ranchers and threaten future beef supplies.

Facebook: Congressman Troy Downing
X & Instagram: @RepTroyDowning
Campaign X: @DowningForMT

Derek Monson, Executive Director at Sutherland Institute, joins for a discussion about election integrity, the SAVE Act, voter ID, mail-in ballots, voter registration databases, and election security. They examine whether federal election mandates could undermine state-run systems, how Arizona and Utah protect their elections, and what reforms could strengthen voter confidence.

Website: sutherlandinstitute.org
Follow on X: @SutherlandInst

Gary Gygi, President and CEO of Gygi Capital, breaks down the latest inflation report, rising gasoline and diesel prices, the impact of the Iran war on energy costs, and America's refining capacity. He also discusses the AI-driven economy, diversified investing, index funds, and Elon Musk's flying-car ambitions.

Follow on X: @GaryGygi
Website: gygicapital.com

Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts.

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Breaking Battlegrounds, hosted by Sam Stone and Chuck Warren, is ranked #6 among the Best Arizona News Podcasts by Feedspot (2026). Covering Arizona politics, national news, U.S. elections, public policy, and political commentary, Breaking Battlegrounds features interviews and discussions with influential voices shaping today's political landscape.

Source: Feedspot's Best Arizona News Podcasts

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone welcome Chuck Flint, Henry Olsen, and Jon Riches to discuss the 2026 midterms, government fraud, IRS accountability, Democratic Socialists of America spending proposals, constitutional rights, and government overreach. Plus B's Crime Corner examines Colleen Slemmer's murder by Christa Pike and the controversy surrounding Pike's death sentence.

Chuck Flint, President and CEO of the Alliance for IRS Accountability, former Senate Chief of Staff, and prosecutor, joins Chuck and Sam to expose the staggering cost of government fraud. They discuss estimates of up to $521 billion in annual federal losses, fraud involving COVID relief, Medicare, Medicaid, and hospice programs, and proposals for mandatory minimum sentences and personal accountability for public officials who intentionally or recklessly ignore fraud. Flint also examines unpaid taxes among federal employees, the Democratic Socialists of America's multitrillion-dollar agenda, the growing national debt, and solutions including zero-based budgeting and a balanced budget amendment.

Website: irsaccountability.org

Substack: strikingflintdc

X: @ChuckAFlint Instagram: @chuckflintdc

Facebook & LinkedIn: Chuck Flint

B’s Crime Corner shifts the spotlight away from headlines about Christa Pike’s failed execution and back to the horrific crime that put her on death row. B revisits the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Tennessee, the jealousy-fueled killing, chilling trial evidence, Pike’s actions afterward, and the decades-long legal battle, reminding listeners of the horrific crime at the center of the controversy.

Henry Olsen, Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and host of Beyond the Polls and Conservative Crossroads, analyzes the battle for control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Olsen examines Republicans' chances of retaining the Senate, whether polls underestimate conservative voters, and key Senate races in Ohio, Texas, Maine, Michigan, and Minnesota. He also explores political shifts in Spain and France, Europe's populist right, and what early election-night results could reveal about a possible Republican upset.

X: @henryolsenEPPC

Jon Riches, Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute's Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation, examines government overreach and constitutional rights. Riches challenges Pima County's data center moratorium, discusses government restrictions on private property rights, and explains the Goldwater Institute's fight over mandatory DEI training at Arizona State University. He also addresses zoning, HOAs, taxpayer-funded film incentives, and how litigation can hold government agencies accountable when they overstep.

X: @GoldwaterInst

Website: goldwaterinstitute.org

Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts.

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We are one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, & world-recognized reporters about the opportunities & hurdles the U.S faces.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone are joined by Jonathan Butcher, Dr. Lars Powell, and Sine Kerr for a wide-ranging conversation on education, censorship, insurance, and the future of Arizona.

Jonathan Butcher, Acting Director of the Center for Education Policy and Will Skillman Senior Research Fellow in Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, joins the show to break down the Trump administration’s restoration of Title IX protections, the legal fight over Biden-era gender identity rules, and what the changes mean for women’s sports. He also discusses restorative justice in schools, classroom discipline, school choice, the Heritage Education Freedom Report Card, the “Mississippi Miracle,” and why civics education remains essential to the American experiment.
Follow on X: @JM_Butcher
Book: The Polarization Myth: America’s Surprising Consensus on Race, Schools, and Sex

In B’s Crime Corner, Brennen revisits the death of Kurt Cobain and the growing calls to reexamine the case. She walks through the forensic concerns that continue to raise questions, including the shotgun evidence, blood spatter issues, heroin levels, missing syringe concerns, and why some believe the case deserves a fresh look as a potential murder rather than a suicide.

Dr. Lars Powell, Executive Director of the Center for Risk and Insurance Research at the University of Alabama, joins the program to discuss research suggesting spam filters may have sent Republican fundraising emails to junk folders, potentially costing GOP campaigns an estimated $117 million in donations. He explains how the data was analyzed, what the findings may show about email bias, and why the issue matters. The conversation also expands into rising insurance costs, building standards, and how stronger construction can reduce losses and make coverage more affordable.
Find him on LinkedIn: Lars Powell

Finally, Sine Kerr, Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Arizona, joins Chuck to discuss the campaign trail, the major issues driving the race, and her vision for the state alongside Andy Biggs. She talks about Arizona water policy, agriculture, affordability, tax policy, Medicaid fraud, energy prices, and why she believes Arizona needs stronger leadership and a more serious long-term strategy.
Follow on X: @SineKerr

Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts.

Stay connected:

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Enjoy the show? Leave a 5-star review & share!

We are one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, & world-recognized reporters about the opportunities & hurdles the U.S faces.