Virginia Democrat Tom Perriello lost his congressional seat in the Tea Party wave of 2010. In 2017, he jumped back in the ring with a run for Governor, and his primary race against Ralph Northam was viewed as another skirmish in the broader Dem

What It’s Like To Be At The Center Of One Of The Biggest Political Sex Scandals In American History

Sep 27th, 2017 44m 48s

In 2006, John Edwards hired Rielle Hunter to produce a series of videos that would help lay the groundwork for his planned presidential run. That she did, but the two also carried on a affair that resulted in a child -- all of which Edwards tri

These Two Senators Voted Against The Iraq War. They Thought They Were Ending Their Careers

Sep 20th, 2017 28m 2s

When Senators Kent Conrad and Dick Durbin cast their votes against the Iraq War Resolution in 2002, they knew it was unlikely they’d be able to stop the invasion. They also knew that their votes might well be the end of their senate careers. To

The Only Person Ever To Lose An Election To Mitt Romney

Sep 13th, 2017 29m 32s

In 2002, Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien decided to throw her hat in the ring in the race for governor. Her opponent would be one Willard “Mitt” Romney, known for his failed senate run in 1994 and as president of the 2002 Winter O

The South Florida Dem Who Got Hacked By The Russians

Sep 6th, 2017 30m 7s

In early 2016, the race for the 26th congressional district looked like it was shaping up to be a pretty standard Florida election, as Democrat Annette Taddeo took on incumbent Republican Carlos Curbelo. To her surprise, Taddeo attracted an une

Revisiting The Last Disaster In The Gulf

Aug 30th, 2017 26m

In the Spring of 2010, one of the worst environmental disasters in history occurred when the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Over the next few months, over 200 million gallons of oil spilled into the ocean. Today,

What It Was Like To Be An Openly Gay Politician In 1996

Aug 23rd, 2017 48m 2s

In 1996, two of congress’s only 3 openly gay members were set to retire; only Barney Frank would be left standing. To fill the void, two new gay candidates stepped up. One of them was Rick Zbur in Southern California, and during that campaign h

The Day The Global Economy Stood Still

Aug 16th, 2017 44m 42s

In the fall of 2008, President George W. Bush warned top political leaders that without a massive infusion of cash into the market, "this sucker" -- that is, the economy -- "could go down." Days later, the House of Representatives balked at Bus

The Real History Of The Infamous Compromise Behind Don't Ask Don't Tell

Aug 9th, 2017 53m 57s

In 1994, Bill Clinton signed a directive allowing gays to serve in the military, provided they concealed their sexual identity. That policy -- Don't Ask Don't Tell -- had many critics and few proponents. And Clinton's legacy took a hit because

The Senate Candidate Who Put Together An AR-15 Blindfolded

Aug 2nd, 2017 39m 54s

Jason Kander ran what was widely considered one of the best Senate campaigns of the 2016 cycle. He combined an impressive resume with youthful vigor and a clear comfort with being on the trail. Oh, he also had the best campaign ad of the cycle.

How A Tea Party Darling Was Undone By Hubris, Drugs, and Washington D.C. (But Mainly Drugs)

Jul 26th, 2017 42m

Trey Radel had a promising congressional career ahead of him -- before it all came crashing down one night after he attempted to purchase cocaine from an undercover agent. In that moment, he became a cautionary tale and a pariah within his part

How A Conservative Writer Became A Target For The Alt-Right

Jul 19th, 2017 49m 56s

David French never thought he'd run for office, let alone the White House. But in the spring of 2016, as the Never Trump movement was growing desperate for a candidate, his name was floated by conservative stalwart Bill Kristol. French, a write

What It’s Like to Campaign Against Donald Trump And Vladimir Putin At The Same Time

Jul 12th, 2017 50m 48s

When Donald Trump won the Republican presidential primary, most Democrats cheered their good fortune. Not the Clinton campaign. They worried about an unconventional opponent who had already humiliated one establishment favorite (Jeb Bush). Litt

How One Senator Found His Calling In The Wake Of Tragedy

Jul 5th, 2017 43m 42s

Chris Murphy never thought much about gun control when he was serving in the House. In fact, he often parroted the NRA's talking points out of political expediency. But shortly after he won election to the senate in 2012, 20 first graders were

The Incredible Inside Story Of How Bernie Sanders Raised $218 Million Online

Jun 28th, 2017 47m 52s

When Bernie Sanders launched his presidential campaign, he needed someone to do his online fundraising. He chose the team at Revolution Messaging (or rather, they chose him), and together, they turned a candidacy that no one expected to go all

Trailer

Coming Soon: Candidate Confessional Season 2

Jun 21st, 2017 1m 35s

Sam Stein and Jason Cherkis will go back to look at some of the biggest stories from campaigns past - the scandals, the policy battles, the failures and everything in-between. Each week, Stein and Cherkis sit down with some of the biggest names

Bonus

BONUS: The Rise And Fall Of James Comey

May 11th, 2017 38m 10s

Candidate Confessional season 2 approaches! In the meantime, host Sam Stein sits down with Huffpost's senior justice reporter Ryan Reilly and former Department of Justice spokesperson Matthew Miller to discuss recently-fired FBI director James

Bonus

BONUS: Huffpost's All-Star Trumpcare Panel

May 5th, 2017 32m 38s

Candidate Confessional Season 2 is on the way! But in the meantime, we assembled a panel of Huffpost healthcare reporters to chew on yesterday's legislative bombshell: the House's passage of an Obamacare repeal/replace bill. Sam is joined by Hu

The Man Who Tried To Help Al Gore Win The White House

Jun 6th, 2016 58m

The 2000 presidential election was 16 years ago. But for Ron Klain, a lawyer for Vice President Al Gore, the loss still hurts. Klain sits down with Huffington Post's Sam Stein and Jason Cherkis to explain the intricate process of the Florida ba

Gary Johnson On His Run For President

May 29th, 2016 32m 43s

Gary Johnson was the governor of New Mexico before he decided to embark on a presidential run in 2012. Johnson talks to Huffington Post's Sam Stein and Jason Cherkis about his presidential bid as a libertarian, and why he separated himself from

An Obama-Backing Democrat On The Craziness Of Those First Two Years

May 23rd, 2016 1h

Tom Perriello eked out one of the closest wins in the 2008 cycle. But rather than tack to the ideological middle once in office, he chose instead to back virtually all of Obama's big priorities and then defend them vigorously back home. What he

Jesse Jackson On His Two White House Runs

May 16th, 2016 1h 3m

In 1984, Jesse Jackson grew convinced that for black Americans to advance their political causes, they needed a black candidate for president. The problem was, no one wanted to do it. So he took on the task, running a historic campaign for the

Sandra Fluke On Her Run For State Senate

May 8th, 2016 46m 30s

When Sandra Fluke was called a "slut" by Rush Limbaugh, simply for advocating for insurance coverage of contraception, she faced a choice: step back from the spotlight or fight back. She chose the latter, in the process launching a political ca

Jeb Bush's Communications Director On His Run For The White House

May 1st, 2016 49m 24s

Jeb Bush's campaign for the White House ended far more disastrously than many people predicted. In the latest episode, Bush's communications director, Tim Miller, offers several reasons why. He also offers unique insights and reflections on Jeb

Clay Aiken On His 2014 Congressional Campaign

Apr 25th, 2016 51m 40s

When Clay Aiken ran for Congress in 2014, most people assumed it was a vanity project: a former American Idol star trying to hack it in politics. But the campaign became defined by incredibly sensitive issues, from being a gay man in the south