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.

Stay connected:

• Substack: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

We are one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally.

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.

Stay connected:

• Substack: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

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.

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:

• Substack: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

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.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren is joined by Brian McDonald, Annie Chestnut Tutor, & Jay Feely for a packed show on the new Greenland agreement, China's control of critical minerals, Russia, NATO, artificial intelligence, data privacy, Arizona's water crisis, Social Security, the national debt, & the 2026 midterm elections.

Brian McDonald, columnist & geopolitical analyst, breaks down the new Greenland agreement & why the Arctic has become increasingly important to American national security. From rare earth minerals & China's dominance in critical mineral processing to emerging Arctic shipping routes & the Golden Dome missile defense system, Brian explains the strategic importance of Greenland for the United States & NATO. He also discusses Russia's potential military ambitions beyond Ukraine, European security concerns, the future of NATO, & whether the U.S. can repair its relationship with Denmark following tensions over Greenland.

Follow Brian on X: @iamBrianBJ

B's Crime Corner takes on the disturbing Mississippi murder investigation involving a 29-year-old mother of four found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned house in Jackson. B breaks down the homicide investigation, reported arrests, unanswered questions surrounding the woman's death, & the public debate over whether race played a role in the tragedy.

Then Annie Chestnut Tutor, policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Technology and the Human Person, joins to discuss the future of artificial intelligence, the risks of autonomous AI, & the growing debate over whether AI development should slow down. Annie examines concerns surrounding AI-generated bioweapons, cyberattacks, consumer data privacy, & the dangers AI chatbots can pose to children. She also discusses U.S.-China cooperation on AI safety, the need for stronger consumer protections, & how local communities should approach the rapid expansion of data centers while balancing innovation with human safety.

Follow Annie on X: @AnnieChestnut

Check out her work: www.heritage.org/staff/annie-chestnut-tutor

In our podcast-exclusive segment, Jay Feely, former NFL kicker & Republican nominee for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, joins Chuck to discuss his 2026 congressional campaign, Arizona's growing water concerns, the Colorado River negotiations, border security, housing affordability, & the national debt. Jay explains his position on water conservation & how water shortages could impact Arizona farmers, housing development, & economic growth. He also discusses the financial outlook for Social Security & Medicare, government spending, inflation, Trump Accounts, & his differences with his Democratic opponent on economic policy. Jay shares how his NFL career shaped his perspective on public service & what he hopes to accomplish if elected to Congress.

Follow Jay on Instagram & X: @jayfeely

Facebook: Jay Feely for Congress

Website: www.jayfeelyforcongress.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.

Stay connected:

• Substack: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

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.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Katie Harbath, Kip Herriage, U.S. Senator Jon Husted, & Gary Gygi for a packed show on AI, politics, the Federal Reserve, data centers, immigration, college sports, the national debt, & the future of the American economy.

Katie Harbath, founder of Anchor Change & author of the upcoming book Disrupting Politics: A Front Row Seat to the Collision of Technology & Democracy, explains how social media transformed campaigns, why authenticity still matters, how candidates are adapting to podcasts & influencers, & what AI could mean for elections, information, & everyday life.

Follow Katie on X, Facebook, & Instagram: @KatieHarbath
Substack: Anchor Change with Katie Harbath
Check out Disrupting Politics: A Front Row Seat to the Collision of Technology & Democracy, October 6 or pre-order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, or Simon & Schuster.

B’s Crime Corner takes on a new Florida murder case. Attorney Steven Cozzi was representing clients in a legal battle against plastic surgeon Dr. Tomasz Kosowski when Cozzi vanished from his law office. B breaks down the trial, surveillance footage, & the trail of evidence found prosecutors say connects Dr. Kosowski to the disappearance.

Then Kip Herriage, Managing Partner & Founder of Vertical Research Advisory, joins to discuss the Fed’s latest rate hike, Kevin Warsh, inflation, oil prices, Iran, AI, data centers, & the market outlook. Kip spent 15 years on Wall Street, helped take seven companies public, & raised hundreds of millions in venture capital. Vertical Research Advisory has outperformed the market in 19 of 22 years averaging 38% annually since calling the October 2022 bear-market bottom.

Follow on X: @KHerriage
Website: vraletter.com

U.S. Senator Jon Husted of Ohio discusses his push to cap foreign athletes on college rosters, the Ratepayer Protection Act & who should pay for data-center energy infrastructure, legislation targeting driver’s licenses for people in the country illegally, energy costs, & his Upward Mobility Act aimed at easing the benefits cliff.

Follow on Instagram & X: @SenJonHusted
Facebook: Senator Jon Husted
Official Campaign X: @TeamHusted
Website: www.jonhustedforsenate.com

Gary Gygi, President & CEO of Gygi Capital, closes with his take on the Fed, interest rates, inflation, the global oil market, U.S. debt, government spending, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, & whether stronger growth plus spending cuts can put the country on a more sustainable path.

Follow Gary on X: @GaryGygi
Check out his investment advisory services at gygicapital.com
or call 801-787-0342

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:

• Substack: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

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.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, what has America learned, and what have we forgotten?

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone tackle 9/11, socialism, child trafficking, police trauma, and the growing debate over government surveillance and Flock cameras.

Dr. Juliana Geran Pilon, Senior Fellow at the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization and an author, joins Chuck and Sam to examine what America has and has not learned since 9/11. She warns that America remains vulnerable not only physically, but psychologically and ideologically.

Website: www.julianapilon.com

In B’s Crime Corner, we break down the Florida operation that recovered 163 missing children. Chuck, Sam, and B discuss vulnerable children, abusive situations, foster care, trafficking, and how predators use dependency, isolation, and trust to exploit victims.

Next, Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret.), a retired police lieutenant with more than 34 years in law enforcement and founder and executive producer of The Wounded Blue, discusses police suicide, post-traumatic stress, and what happens when injured officers are abandoned by the departments they served. He explains how witnessing death and tragedy can follow officers home and why reducing the stigma around treatment is critical.

Sutton also shares how his own experience led him to create The Wounded Blue and Cops Coffee, which donates 100% of its profits to support injured and disabled U.S. law enforcement officers.

Check out Randy Sutton and The Wounded Blue:
Website: www.thewoundedblue.org
Cops Coffee: copscoffee.org
X: @LtRandySutton
Instagram: @lt.randysutton @WoundedBlue

Finally, Laura Bondank-Harmon, Manager of Legal Programs for the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice and Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies and Managing Editor of the Cato Supreme Court Review, joins the show to examine Flock cameras, automated license plate readers, AI surveillance, privacy, and the Fourth Amendment.

She explains how these systems collect far more than a license plate, creating searchable records of vehicles and their movements. Chuck and Sam ask where the line should be drawn between fighting crime and creating a surveillance state.

Check out Laura Bondank-Harmon’s work:
Cato Institute on X: @CatoInstitute

Website: Cato.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 or watch on Youtube.

Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:

• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

Enjoy the show? Leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend.

Breaking Battlegrounds is one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, and nationally and world-recognized reporters about the opportunities and hurdles the United States faces.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone cover the potential cost of the Democratic Socialists of America’s agenda, pressure on Iran, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Federal Reserve, and a major breaking development in the Lindsay Clancy case.

Adam Michel, Director of Tax Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, breaks down his analysis of the DSA platform and why he estimates its largest proposals could require roughly $70 trillion to $200 trillion in additional federal spending over ten years. Michel explains why taxing wealthy Americans alone would fall far short, while also discussing a federal jobs guarantee, Social Security, declining birth rates, immigration, and America’s growing fiscal pressures.

Follow Adam on X: @adamnmichel
Read his substack Liberty Taxed: A Blog on US Tax Policy

In B’s Crime Corner, we break down the latest twist in the Lindsay Clancy case announced today and the major questions now surrounding what happens next. The conversation looks at the broader implications of the defense arguments and what this case could mean for how postpartum mental health, criminal responsibility, and even workplace or legal decisions involving women are handled in the future.

Ludovic Hood, Senior Fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and a former U.S. Foreign Service officer, examines Iran, sanctions enforcement, the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf security, Iran’s regional influence, and the future of cooperation between Israel and Arab states.

Follow Ludovic on X: @Ludo_Hood

Gary Marx, President of Madison Strategies and the Concord Fund and Senior Advisor to the Judicial Crisis Network, gives an on-the-ground look at Russia’s war against Ukraine. After multiple trips to the country, Marx discusses Ukraine’s expanding drone war, attacks reaching Moscow and St. Petersburg, missile strikes, air-defense shortages, the battlefield “kill zone,” and how the war could eventually end.

Follow Gary on X: @Garymarx
Listen to Peace & Power Ukraine

Finally, Gary Gygi, President and CEO of Gygi Capital, breaks down jobs, inflation, interest rates, tariffs, federal deficits, and the Federal Reserve. Gygi explains why upcoming inflation data could influence the Fed’s next move and why federal spending remains central to America’s fiscal outlook.

Follow Gary on X: @GaryGygi
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 or watch on Youtube.

Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:

• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds

• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote

• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news

• X: @breaking_battle

• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds

• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend. Your support helps keep the podcast growing.

Breaking Battlegrounds is one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, and nationally and world-recognized reporters about the opportunities and hurdles the United States faces.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam Stone is joined by Boad Swanson, Cory J. Ruth, Congressman Dusty Johnson and Max Klinger to discuss America’s crisis of character, socialism, government surveillance, rising beef prices, Washington dysfunction and ideology inside universities. Plus, B’s Crime Corner covers a horrifying North Dakota child murder case.

Author and entrepreneur Boad Swanson discusses his book, Great Souled Men: Reclaiming Aristotle’s Vision for Building Character and Virtue. He explains Aristotle’s 12 virtues, the crisis facing young men, the influence of the modern manosphere and how youth sports have shifted from teamwork toward specialization and burnout.

Facebook: Boad Swanson
Instagram: @rboads
Website: GreatSouledMen.com
Book: Great Souled Men

B’s Crime Corner examines the August 6 North Dakota case involving a 22 year old mother accused of killing two of her children and attempting to kill a third. B and Sam discuss reported postpartum depression, warnings before the killings, nine criminal charges and similarities to the Lindsay Clancy case.

Political strategist, economist and Mergence Global CEO Cory J. Ruth discusses the appeal of MAGA and democratic socialism, information overload and rapid cultural change. He also explains the growing capabilities of government surveillance systems and the need for transparency. Ruth previews Double Click: What the Numbers Really Say About Black America, examining Black America as an emerging economic market.

Facebook: Cory Ruth
X: @coryjruth
Instagram: @officialcoryruth
Book: Double Click, coming February 2027

Congressman Dusty Johnson breaks down Washington dysfunction, the Farm Bill and why beef prices remain high. He also discusses President Trump and Canada, affordability, legal immigration, nuclear power and permitting reform, warning that America is falling behind other countries in building major infrastructure.

X: @RepDustyJohnson

Journalist and political analyst Max Klinger discusses his experience studying social sciences at Cambridge and what he sees as ideological capture inside academia. He examines activism presented as scholarship, its spread into K through 12 education, pressure on academics to conform and professors who have privately contacted him with similar concerns.

X: @MaxE2review
Substack: @maxthinks

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 or watch on YouTube.

Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:

• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds
• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote
• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news
• X: @breaking_battle
• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds
• Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds

If you enjoy the show, leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend. Your support helps keep the podcast growing.

Breaking Battlegrounds is one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, and nationally and world-recognized reporters about the opportunities and hurdles facing the United States.