Guests

Margot Cleveland is an investigative journalist and legal analyst and serves as The Federalist’s senior legal correspondent. Margot’s work has been published at The Wall Street Journal, The American Spectator, the New Criterion, National Review Online, Townhall.com, the Daily Signal, USA Today, and the Detroit Free Press. She is also a regular guest on nationally syndicated radio programs and on Fox News, Fox Business, and Newsmax. Cleveland is a lawyer and a graduate of the Notre Dame Law School, where she earned the Hoynes Prize—the law school’s highest honor. She later served for nearly 25 years as a permanent law clerk for a federal appellate judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Cleveland is a former full-time university faculty member and now teaches as an adjunct from time to time. Cleveland is also of counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Cleveland is on Twitter at @ProfMJCleveland where you can read more about her greatest accomplishments—her dear husband and dear son. The views expressed here are those of Cleveland in her private capacity.

Tano Tijerina (Republican Party) is the Webb County Judge in Texas. He assumed office in 2015. His current term ends on December 31, 2026. Tijerina is not running for re-election to Webb County Judge in 2026. Tijerina (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 28th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026. On December 10, 2024, Tijerina changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.[

Carlos enlisted in the Air Force at just 17 years old, beginning a 20-year journey of service. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, served at Lackland Air Force Base, and deployed to the southern border to fight criminal cartels. After retiring from the Air Force, he and his wife built a successful San Antonio business, mentoring young people and cutting through government red tape to succeed. Now, Carlos is stepping forward because he believes America needs more servant leaders and fewer corrupt politicians. He'll bring the discipline, integrity, and mission-first mindset he learned in the Air Force to Congress - fighting for working families, securing our border, standing with law enforcement and veterans, protecting parents' rights, unleashing American energy, and vote to ban members of Congress from trading stocks.

Robert Allen Riggle Jr. is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and retired United States Marine officer. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, joining the Marines in 1990 and later attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Peter grew up working in his family’s meat market in Schenevus, New York, starting at just eight years old. It was there he learned the values that still guide him today, hard work, discipline, and finishing the job. From his father, he learned the day doesn’t end by the clock, but when the work is done. From his mother, a local elected official, he learned that public service is about giving back to the community that raised you. Peter Oberacker is a proven businessman, a results-driven leader, and a dedicated public servant. He believes in common sense, accountability, and putting people over politics, and he brings that mindset to every decision he makes.

Gregory Scott Stadthagen Jr. is an American politician who is a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 9th district since 2018. He was elected under the Republican Party and, as of 2026, is the incumbent chair of the Alabama Republican Party. Stadthagen held the position of majority leader in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2022 to 2026. He resigned from the majority leader position to run for chair of the Alabama Republican Party; Stadthagen was elected and sworn in as chairman on March 7, 2026.

Casey Askar is a national business leader, U.S. Marine, philanthropist, and family man, who will to work alongside President Donald Trump to fix the economy for our families in South Florida, and across America. Casey comes from very humble beginnings. His family legally immigrated to the U.S., escaping religious persecution, and is a product of public education. Casey’s first jobs working at McDonald’s and mopping floors at CVS, taught him the value of hard work. Now, Casey is running in new Congressional District to put his job-creating expertise and business leadership to work for all of us in Washington.

Esteban Elizondo received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in Political Science and is a former communications director in the U.S. House of Representatives. His writing and commentary have appeared in Fox News, the New York Post, and the Washington Examiner. He has secured media placements on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and Newsmax. Prior to his career in journalism and communications, he served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy, deploying throughout the Pacific.

Project 21 Ambassador April Chapman is a Christian conservative speaker, author, independent media personality and American patriot. As host of the “Unshakable with April Chapman” podcast, she discusses all things social, cultural, political, and theological from a biblical perspective. April has previously served as the assistant state director and Georgia state advisor for Blexit, and was also active with the Black Voices for Trump Coalition. As a pro-life advocate, April has a personal mission to defend the lives of our most precious image bearers, and she uses her voice to raise awareness and to speak out against what she calls “womb assassination,” formally known as abortion.

Adam Mangana, M.Ed is the Chief Executive Officer and a founder of Optima. Mr. Mangana has over 15 years of experience in education technology. He also launched Optima Classical School, the world’s first virtual reality charter school, a tuition-free online school serving students grades 3-8 in the fall of 2022. Prior to the launch of Optima Classical, he was the Head of School at Benedict Day School in Sumrall, Mississippi. At Benedict, he built the only virtual reality lab in the Pine Belt. He also served as the Director of the Extended Reality Lab at Jackson Preparatory in Flowood, Mississippi where he worked to build the Southeast’s largest extended reality lab in K-12 schools. This work is focused on curating the best educational experiences in virtual reality as well as teaching students to build their own experiences and content in VR.

Melanie Collette is a CFACT Policy Analyst. She comes to CFACT (Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow) with a background in environmental/energy policy work, especially in combatting the offshore wind turbine groups and green organizations in their plans for northeast construction of wind farms up and down the Atlantic coast. As a policy analyst for CFACT and host of the podcast How Money Works with Melanie Collette. Before stepping into the national spotlight, Melanie spent over 24 years in education, with 12 of those years dedicated to teaching business and technology. Her background as a former educator and current Cape May County Commissioner in New Jersey speaks to her deep commitment to serving her community. Beyond her local leadership roles, she’s also a former Vice Chair of the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women and now serves as Vice Chair of the Cape May County GOP.

As a senior Naval innovator, he led the creation of the STILETTO, the nation’s first all-carbon fiber stealth vessel, for special operations, mine warfare, and unmanned systems. He pioneered early Directed Energy weapons programs and led Operational Access to Space initiatives, awarding Elon Musk’s SpaceX its first U.S. Government rocket contract. As a Fellow in the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group, he helped shape the future of naval warfare against emerging threats. In parallel with his executive leadership, Mr. Glaros contributes to education and public service. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy’s Weapons, Robotics & Control Engineering Department, preparing the next generation of leaders to design and deploy emerging technologies critical to national defense.

Allen Mendenhall is a Research Fellow for the Institute for Economic Policy Studies, and Senior Advisor of the Free Enterprise Initiative at The Heritage Foundation. He develops strategy and leads outreach and coalitions efforts on ESG and capital markets. Previously, he was Associate Dean and Grady Rosier Professor in the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University, where he directed the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy. He serves or has served on numerous boards of organizations as wide-ranging as the Alabama Public Television Foundation Authority (2019-present), the Society for Law and Culture (2017-present), the Young Professionals Board of the Alabama Humanities Foundation, and Trinity Christian School. He served on the advisory council of the Ludwig von Mises Institute’s Master of Arts degree and Certificate Program in Austrian Economics. He has authored hundreds of publications, including fiction and poetry, and studied under the creative writers Gilbert Allen, Michael Blumenthal, William Aarnes, and Chantel Acevedo.

Trace Gallagher is Chief Breaking News Correspondent for the Fox News Channel and Anchor of Fox News @ Night, covering many of the most memorable stories of the past three decades. Prior to joining Fox, Gallagher climbed the ranks at local stations in Orlando, Las Vegas; Boise, Idaho, and Yuma, Arizona, learning to do TV his way. The dedicated dad of two twenty-something daughters, he lives with his wife, Tracy, near the Pacific Ocean, just south of Los Angeles.

Dan grew up in Indian River County learning about service, sacrifice, and solution-oriented leadership. Dan attended American University, Florida State University, and George Washington University with a focus on Political Science and International Relations. Dan was working in the Pentagon on September 11th and experienced the devastating attack firsthand. The attack on our nation greatly impacted Dan and strengthened his resolve to serve his country. Dan joined the United States Navy, where he completed four tours throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. He also completed a civilian tour of duty to southern Afghanistan with the U.S. Department of State. Dan has earned the rank of Commander and has been selected for promotion to Captain. While serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, Dan was attached to two SEAL Team deployments, including in Fallujah and southern Afghanistan; he also served in Baghdad and Kabul. His boots-on-the-ground experience has made him an expert in counterterrorism, foreign policy, and the toll of war on our brave veterans.

Eric Wayne Burlison (born October 2, 1976) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Missouri's 7th congressional district since 2023. He previously served as the representative for District 133 (Greene County) in the Missouri House of Representatives. A Republican, Burlison was elected to the Missouri House in 2008 and left office at the end of 2016. In 2018, he was elected to the Missouri Senate, representing District 20. He was reelected for a second term in the U.S House of Representatives in 2024. Burlison is a member of the new House Department of Government Efficiency Committee. He is a strong supporter of Donald Trump, having endorsed his 2024 campaign.

Martha Jenkins was elected president of the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) at the 43rd Biennial Convention in Orlando, Florida, and took office in January 2026. Martha has served three terms on the NFRW Executive Committee, including as first vice president in 2024-2025. She was president of the North Carolina Federation from 2003-2007. In 2007, she received the NFRW Ronald Reagan Leadership Award for providing extraordinary leadership and inspiration to her state and to the NFRW. She also has served NFRW as chair of the Legislation and Research Committee, vice chair of the Public Relations Committee, member of the Resolutions Committee, and a Sergeant-at-Arms.

Kent Strang is Managing Director for Americans for Prosperity. Kent oversees AFP’s federal strategies and manages a team focused on policy reforms that empower citizens to pursue their American Dream. Recently he spearheaded the launch of AFP’s national “Bidenomics” and “Protect Prosperity” campaigns. He has been with AFP for over a decade serving in various grassroots roles at the federal and states level that have contributed to political and policy victories across the nation. Prior to joining AFP, Kent was the Youth Leadership School Director at the Leadership Institute. He has managed political campaigns and organized activist driven grassroots events and rallies that have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Fox News and more.

Bethany Miller is the Managing Editor of CrossPolitic News, a fellow at Concerned Women for America, and a senior communications strategist serving faith-and-policy organizations nationwide. She is a member of The Journey Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Lebanon, TN.

Peachy Keenan is the pseudonym for a writer and mother of five. A convert to Catholicism from secular nothingness and liberal feminism, she identifies as a husbosexual, which means she is only attracted to people who identify as her husband. Peachy is also the author of Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War (Regnery 2023), a humorous critique of modern feminist culture. Her bylines have appeared in The Spectator, The Los Angeles Times, The American Mind, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Blaze, Newsweek, and The Washington Examiner.

Jay is a visionary entrepreneur known for his innovative strategies and successful ventures across diverse industries. His journey began in Sulphur Springs, Texas, inspired by the legacies of his hardworking family. Jay introduces a groundbreaking model that transforms how investors approach the oil and gas industry in the Amazon #1 best-selling book The Upside of Oil and Gas Investing. This insightful guide helps you navigate complex investment landscapes with innovative strategies designed to maximize returns and minimize risks. Jay exemplifies philanthropy through his commitment to community impact. He serves on the executive board of Scouting America, mentoring future leaders, and actively supports the Alzheimer's Association in North Central Texas. As a board member of Nancy Lieberman Charities, he champions youth empowerment and social responsibility.

Scott Singer is an America First Republican running to represent Florida’s 25th district in Congress. As Congressman, he will keep taxes and costs low, ensure strong borders and national defense, and cut waste, fraud, and abuse. He will work with President Trump to advance the America First agenda. Scott has a strong record of results as the three-term Mayor of Boca Raton where he balanced budgets while working to advance public safety, education, affordability, and accountability. Scott voted seven straight times to lower the tax rate to ensure Boca Raton has the lowest property tax of any full-service city in Florida.

Michael Lucci is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of State Armor, which he created to develop and enact state solutions to global security threats. Mr. Lucci believes that a whole-of-government American response is needed to counter unprecedented global threats and ensure a free and peaceful 21st century. State Armor advances state policies to protect state critical infrastructure, build the supply chains of freedom, and cease malicious foreign influence operations. At State Armor, Mr. Lucci synthesizes a unique understanding of global affairs with deep experience in state policymaking. He works with both state and federal leaders to achieve State Armor’s mission. Mr. Lucci has worked in state policy politics for more than a decade. He has been a Senior Policy Advisor to State Policy Network and a Senior Tax Advisor to Platte Institute. Mr. Lucci previously served as a presidential appointee on the Federal Services Impasse Panel and as the Chief of Policy to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. He has been the Vice President of State Projects at Tax Foundation and the Vice President of Policy at Illinois Policy Institute. Mr. Lucci is a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame and lives in Texas with his family.

Diamant Hysenaj is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House in New York’s 14th Congressional District in the 2026 cycle. He has described himself as an immigrant who came to the U.S. at age nine, an entrepreneur, and a husband and father. He has been endorsed by the New York Republican State Committee chair for the NY-14 race.