Can Ohio's 7th District Finally Flip Blue Against Max Miller? Ft. OH 7 Candidate Laura Rodriguez-Carbone

Host Radell Lewis sits down with Laura, candidate for Ohio's 7th Congressional District, to break down one of the most flippable Republican seats heading into 2026. Once a R+15 district, OH-7 is now R+5 after redistricting, and incumbent Max Miller squeaked by at 51 percent even in a friendlier map. With recent child abuse allegations surfacing against Miller and a brand new county (Ashland) full of farmers no one has bothered to talk to, this race has every ingredient for a flip.

Laura brings 23 years of federal public service to the conversation, including work at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights in Cleveland (an office that no longer exists thanks to this administration). Growing up between Cleveland and rural Athens County, she served patients, families, children, workers, veterans, and communities across seven federal agencies before being purged by DOGE last year. She has shown up in Northeast Ohio for years through boards, commissions, task forces, and community work. She is not running because politics is a career move. She is running because too many people in this district are being priced out, pushed aside, and told to expect less.

In this conversation we cover: the unconstitutional war in Iran and why ending it lowers prices, Medicare for All as a today-not-tomorrow policy, the fifteen dollar minimum wage fight, why corporate capture of farmland and homes is the real threat, the Mamdani playbook for transparent representation, the loss of plausible deniability when this administration finds money for Argentina and Iran but not for working families, the dangers of party hypocrisy and the politics of exclusion, a humanist take on faith communities and the loneliness epidemic, and an honest assessment of Gaza, Israel, and the case for a two-state solution rooted in diplomacy rather than blank-check military aid.

This is local politics done right: nuanced, honest, and built around results for actual constituents. Whether you lean left, right, or somewhere in the middle, this episode is for anyone who believes that the person we send to Congress should have the spine, the ethics, and the experience to challenge corruption on both sides of the aisle.

Learn more about Laura's campaign at https://LauraforUs.com

New episodes of Purple Political Breakdown drop weekly. Political solutions without political bias.

Standard Resource Links & Recommendations

The following organizations and platforms represent valuable resources for balanced political discourse and democratic participation:

PODCAST NETWORK

Check Out the Podcast Website: www.purplepoliticalbreakdown.com

ALIVE Podcast Network - Check out the ALIVE Network where you can catch a lot of great podcasts like my own, led by amazing Black voices. Link: https://alivepodcastnetwork.com/

CONVERSATION PLATFORMS

HeadOn - A platform for contentious yet productive conversations. It's a place for hosted and unguided conversations where you can grow a following and enhance your conversations with AI features. Link: https://app.headon.ai/

Living Room Conversations - Building bridges through meaningful dialogue across political divides. Link: https://livingroomconversations.org/

UNITY MOVEMENTS

Us United - A movement for unity that challenges Americans to step out of their bubbles and connect across differences. Take the Unity Pledge, join monthly "30 For US" conversation calls, wear purple (the color of unity), and participate in National Unity Day every second Saturday in December. Their programs include the Sheriff Unity Network and Unity Seats at sports events, proving that shared values are stronger than our differences. Link: https://www.us-united.org/

BALANCED NEWS & INFORMATION

OtherWeb - An AI-based platform that filters news without paywalls, clickbait, or junk, helping you access diverse, unbiased content. Link: https://otherweb.com/

VOTING REFORM & DEMOCRACY

Equal Vote Coalition & STAR Voting - Advocating for voting methods that ensure every vote counts equally, eliminating wasted votes and strategic voting. Link: https://www.equal.vote/star

Future is Now Coalition (FiNC) - A grassroots movement working to restore democracy through transparency, accountability, and innovative technology while empowering citizens and transforming American political discourse. Link: https://futureis.org/

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT

Independent Center - Resources for independent political thinking and civic engagement. Link: https://www.independentcenter.org/

GET DAILY NEWS

Text 844-406-INFO (844-406-4636) with code "purple" to receive quick, unbiased, factual news delivered to your phone every morning via Informed (https://informed.now)

Check Out the Unfuck America Tour & National Ground Game: https://www.nationalgroundgame.com/

Check Out the CIVICS App to Know More About Your Politicians: https://www.civicpolitics.com

ALL LINKS

https://linktr.ee/purplepoliticalbreakdown

The Purple Political Breakdown is committed to fostering productive political dialogue that transcends partisan divides. We believe in the power of conversation, balanced information, and democratic participation to build a stronger society. Our mission: "Political solutions without political bias."

Subscribe, rate, and share if you believe in purple politics - where we find common ground in the middle!

Also if you want to be apart of the community and the conversation make sure to Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/ptPAsZtHC9