Power and Flour Podcast

Power and Flour Podcast
  • 5.0 (9)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast by political consultant John Hagner and political scientist Seth Masket. We look at the development and background of the 2024 presidential election, and we also make and discuss pastries. https://powerflour.substack.com/ Audio produced by Eli Masket. Title idea by Julia Azari. powerflour.substack.com

  1. 08/15/2025

    Episode 2-18: Redistricting Everywhere All At Once, with Eric McGhee

    Texas kicked it all off, but now lots of states are considering a mid-decade redistricting, potentially leading to a war of all against all for partisan advantage. Is this stuff legal? Constitutional? What could each side realistically hope to achieve? What does this looks like when the dust settles? To help explain this, Seth and John invited Eric McGhee of the Public Policy Institute of California to join the show. Eric is one of the nation’s experts on redistricting, and his formulation of the “efficiency gap” to measure gerrymandering has been used in Supreme Court cases. Links: * Lee Drutman, “What the Apportionment Act of 1842 tells us about today’s gerrymandering wars” * Seth Masket, “The Texas redistricting. No, the other one.” * Rucho v. Common Cause (2018) * Kyle Kondik, “How the Redistricting Fight Could Change the Bias in the House” Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min

  2. 07/23/2025

    Episode 2-17: The consequences of an Epstein rift

    John and Seth join the rest of the world in discussing the Epstein/Trump controversy and the extent to which it’s creating a real split between Trump and the MAGA base that cares so deeply about blowing the lid on this story. They talk about the evidence that actually exists to identify a rift or the rift’s closure, the political consequences of an angry and rootless base, the influence of the media in all this, and some actual evidence of savvy congressional Democrats. Plus, Bastille Day pastries and kolaches from Norm’s Coffee Bar in Newton, Kansas. Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    30 min

  3. 07/10/2025

    Episode 2-16: The Great Zohran Freak-Out

    John and Seth dig into the Democratic nomination of Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral race, examining how he put together a winning coalition, and speculating why so many establishment Democrats (more in the city than outside it) have been fearful about his successes there. They also discuss what kind of effects this race could have on 2026’s primaries, and also why leading political figures from New York tend to be uninspiring or corrupt. They also discuss Czech kolaches, as well as a Minnesota restaurant that cooks only with pre-Columbian indigenous ingredients. Links: * Seth’s Tusk piece on Mamdani * Article on the kolache diaspora * Owamni restaurant in Minneapolis Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min

  4. 06/26/2025

    Episode 2-15: War, what is/was/will it be good for?

    There’s some ongoing confusion over whether the U.S. is actually at war with Iran, whether Iran is at war with Israel, whether Israel and/or Iran are violating a ceasefire they may or may not have agreed to, whether the airstrikes succeeded or failed, and more. John and Seth stick with the part of it they know something about: How the American public thinks about war. This episode gets into shifting public opinion, the role that partisanship plays in forming opinions about the war, the public’s longstanding anti-interventionist beliefs, why Trump might be pursuing these options, and more. Plus: Seth bakes a rosemary bread in real time, and John provides a pastry update from his wedding. Links: * Economist/YouGov poll on the Iran/Israel conflict * Trump tries to oust Republican congressman for calling Iran strike unconstitutional * Minneapolis pastry chef Diane Moua’s Instagram page * Lékué silicone bread maker Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min

  5. 05/29/2025

    Episode 2-14: What Happened in 2024?

    John and Seth discuss the new Catalist report on what exactly happened in the 2024 presidential election. They discuss some fascinating trends, including the fact that higher turnout seems to be benefitting Republicans now, that the election was far closer in the battleground states, and that the electorate is getting less polarized by race and more polarized by education. Also on tap: Is pie ever appropriate for a birthday? Links: * Catalist report, “What Happened in 2024” * Bonica et al., “Does Higher Turnout Now Help Republicans?” This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    36 min

  6. 05/08/2025

    Episode 2-13: The politics of impeachment

    Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has introduced articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, and the House Democratic leadership is trying to distance themselves from the topic. This effort represents a lot of what Democrats are struggling with right now — dealing with demands from their activist base to do something about Trump’s lawlessness but also not wanting to screw up a favorable political environment in 2026. In this episode, John and Seth dig into the politics of impeachment and also the value of pursuing something that has symbolic worth but is almost guaranteed to end in failure. They also discuss sourdough croissant bread and the virtues of baking in a masonry oven. Links: * Axios article on Democratic in-fighting over impeachment * Julia Azari’s forthcoming book Backlash Presidents * Sourdough croissant bread recipe * Article about masonry ovens from Masonry Magazine Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min

  7. 04/25/2025

    Episode 2-12: Trump's sinking approval ratings

    John and Seth dig into Trump’s flagging approval ratings, and especially the role that the economy, and economic perceptions, have played in this. They discuss how polarization seems to limit just how popular or unpopular presidents can be, and how partisanship colors just how people perceive the world around them. They also talk about Democratic messaging and how it can influence Trump’s approval ratings. Finally, the conversation turns to Cuban guava pastries and almond croissants. Links: * Seth’s Tusk piece, “What would it take for Trump to become really unpopular?” * Civiqs polling on Republicans’ perceptions of the economy * Madruga Bakery in Miami * Porto’s Bakery in Los Angeles (Seth inaccurately called them Portillo’s) Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    35 min

  8. 04/10/2025

    Episode 2-11: Bathrooms, Sports, and Gender

    Dr. Sara Chatfield joins John and Seth for a discussion of her research on the politics of bathroom access. It ends up being a rich conversation about the inclusion and exclusion of trans Americans from aspects of society, why the Trump campaign pushed so hard on this issue last year, and what Democrats could or should be saying in response. There’s also conversation about wedding cakes, one-bowl recipes, and Passover cookies. Links: * Sara Chatfield’s 2024 book The Politics of Bathroom Access and Exclusion in the United States * AP article on gender and gymnastics * Diane Moua, Minnesota pastry chef * Yossy Arefi’s Snacking Bakes: Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More * Judy Zeidler’s Matzoh Farfel Nut Thins Get full access to Power and Flour Podcast at powerflour.substack.com/subscribe

    38 min
See All (34)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

A podcast by political consultant John Hagner and political scientist Seth Masket. We look at the development and background of the 2024 presidential election, and we also make and discuss pastries. https://powerflour.substack.com/ Audio produced by Eli Masket. Title idea by Julia Azari. powerflour.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Power and Flour Podcast
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Power and Flour Podcast
  • Show Website
    Power and Flour Podcast