Not every campaign can book the biggest podcasts — but every campaign is operating in a world shaped by them.

In this episode, Roger Salazar, AAPC Board Member and President of ALZA Strategies sits down with Dr. Megan Duncan of Virginia Tech to explore how podcasts fit into today’s political information ecosystem, what they tell us about trust and storytelling, and why traditional media assumptions no longer fully explain how voters learn about politics.

A must-listen for political professionals thinking beyond legacy media strategies.

Trust is changing, and so is the way influence works.

In a time when voters are questioning institutions, media, and even one another, political consulting is entering a new era. What does persuasion look like when trust is the most valuable currency in public life?

In this episode of The Future of Political Consulting, Matt Klink, Owner and President of Klink Campaigns sits down with Aaron Guiterman, Chairman, US Public Affairs at Edelman to explore the trust trends reshaping public engagement - from polarization and grievance to misinformation and AI - and what they mean for campaigns, institutions, and consultants moving forward.

Drawing on insights from the Edelman Trust Barometer, this conversation looks ahead to a future where rebuilding trust isn’t just a communications challenge, it’s the strategy itself.

According to recent Gallup data, a record-high 45 percent of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, outpacing both major parties. That means nearly half the electorate isn’t firmly tethered to traditional partisan labels — a trend that could reshape campaigns in 2026 and beyond.

In this episode, Mike Shields, Board Member of the American Association of Political Consultants and founder of Convergence Media is joined by Brett Loyd of Bulfinch Group and the Independent Center to dig into what this massive independent electorate looks like, how they behave, and, most importantly, what it means for campaign strategy — from segmentation and messaging to turnout and analytics.