Astead Herndon

So when we think about the priorities that Democrats and progressives have talked about, it doesn't always sound like cost of living.

Sometimes it's been LGBT rights, abortion rights, immigrant rights.

Like, you know, they've been thinking more about social cultural issues.

I mean, how much do they focus on that versus things like cost of living?

You think that you're saying focus on the money, focus on affordability.

So here's a little secret.

I actually live in New York's 7th congressional district.

So it doesn't surprise me at all that when you ask people about the progressive nature of this community or about the diverse nature of this community, they have a lot to say.

And when we talked to people, they really helped us understand buzzwords like affordability and progressive a lot clearer.

I feel like I heard people say that they wanted their members of Congress to prioritize cost of living above everything else, even if that means deprioritizing some of the cultural issues that progressives have focused on in the last four or five years.

In fact, it sounded pretty close to what Congressman Kesar told me in our interview.

that these are connected issues and that a politician gains credibility on one by leading on the other.

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I'm in Washington, D.C.

this week to interview Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego.