On January 15, leaders from across Utah’s civic and political landscape came together for a virtual discussion on how the state’s shifting population is influencing organizing and electoral strategy. Katie Wright, Executive Director of the Utah Donor Collaborative, Emma Petty Addams, Co-Executive Director for Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and Matt Lyon, Utah Lead for the Rural West Project—joined by moderator Reed Galen, Co-Founder of The Lincoln Project and President of The Union—shared firsthand perspectives on the collaborative work underway to build durable, cross-partisan alliances across urban and rural communities. Throughout the conversation, the speakers underscored the central role of fair […]

On January 20, BigTentUSA hosted a discussion featuring public policy analyst and creator of the The Existentialist Republic newsletter Christopher Armitage, and political strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project Reed Galen. The two examined recent developments in ICE enforcement, including the fatal shooting in Minneapolis and the national reaction it sparked. The speakers explored the broader implications for federal immigration operations and public trust, emphasizing that law enforcement — particularly federal agencies — must operate under strict guardrails and be held to higher standards of justice and accountability. They also underscored that lasting change depends on consistent engagement with government […]

On January 29, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, journalist, and author of Autocracy, Inc. Anne Applebaum and journalist, lawyer, and founder of the Popular Information newsletter Judd Legum joined moderator Charlie Sykes, author of the To the Contrary newsletter and podcast, for a timely discussion on how political power is being reshaped in the U.S. and globally—and what it means for democracy. The conversation examined how democratic institutions are increasingly undermined through gradual, legal changes that concentrate power, weaken accountability, and reward loyalty over principle. Speakers emphasized that the greatest danger lies not in any single leader, but in systems that normalize corruption, […]

On Monday, February 9, BigTentUSA convened Lauren Groh-Wargo, Founder and CEO of Fair Fight Action, and Wendy Weiser, VP for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice, to sound the alarm on escalating threats to the 2026 election. From the unprecedented seizure of Fulton County voting records to pushes for proof-of-citizenship laws and federal overreach, speakers warned of a coordinated effort to reshape election control and suppress participation. The Constitution remains a guardrail, and courts have begun pushing back against unlawful overreach—but institutional defenses alone won’t hold. Protecting democracy now demands mass civic engagement: vote, become a poll worker, track ballots, […]

Democracy doesn’t defend itself—and the road to the 2026 midterms is already a battlefield. In this BigTentUSA spotlight event, legal experts Joyce Vance and Marc Elias, moderated by Reed Galen, broke down the growing threats to free and fair elections and what citizens can do right now to push back. The speakers warned that MAGA-aligned forces are laying the groundwork to challenge election results long before ballots are cast—through lawsuits, state-level rule changes, and coordinated efforts to undermine trust in the system. Elias highlighted how the courts remain a critical front line in protecting voting rights, while Vance emphasized the broader […]

On Tuesday, April 21, Congressional candidates, Shannon Bird (CO-8), Paige Cognetti (PA-8), and Nancy Lacore (SC-1), shared relatable stories in a powerful discussion moderated by Alli Peters of Majority Democrats. From voters struggling with rising costs and deepening distrust in government to a growing sense that leaders have lost touch, no issue was off the table. The candidates pointed to stark examples—a senior forced to choose between groceries and medical care, and communities demanding greater transparency—to underscore a consistent message: the country is facing a dual crisis of affordability and accountability. Each candidate emphasized practical leadership rooted in service—whether balancing budgets, […]

On Thursday, April 30 BigTentUSA hosted Amb. Rahm Emanuel in a candid discussion moderated by Rachel Janfaza of The Up and Up. In the discussion, Amb. Emanuel argued that corruption and dysfunction have become normalized in American politics, eroding trust at home and credibility abroad. His core message: the country doesn’t need more partisan reruns—it needs results. He laid out his vision for middle-class economics, strong public education, public safety, and restoring faith in institutions. He connected big-picture concerns—like global competition and democratic stability—to urgent domestic failures, especially in education, where declining literacy rates threaten long-term opportunity and economic strength. Amb. Emanuel […]

Democracy isn’t defending itself—and this conversation made clear that the frontlines run straight through the states. On May 6, BigTentUSA hosted a powerful discussion moderated by Joanna Lydgate of States United Action. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico’s Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin laid out the growing threats to free and fair elections—and the leaders fighting back. The speakers warned that attacks on election workers, misinformation campaigns, voter intimidation, and efforts to undermine public trust are already shaping the road to 2028. But they also emphasized that coordinated state-level leadership defeated attempts to overturn the 2020 […]

Democracy is under attack—and this conversation made clear that the fight for voting rights is entering a dangerous new phase. On Thursday May 14, Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight, and Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson joined BigTentUSA’s urgent discussion on the fallout from Louisiana v. Callais. Groh-Wargo and Pearson sounded the alarm on escalating efforts to dismantle fair representation across the South. From racial gerrymandering and attacks on Black voting power to coordinated pushes for partisan redistricting, the speakers warned that extremist lawmakers are testing how far they can weaken democracy—and counting on people to tune out. The conversation highlighted […]

On May 26, BigTentUSA hosted a virtual conversation with North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and North Carolina Supreme Court Justices Anita Earls and Allison Riggs on the political and legal battles shaping North Carolina’s future. The speakers discussed ongoing challenges facing election officials and voting rights advocates as court fights over redistricting, election certification, and ballot access continue across the state. They also highlighted efforts to create obstacles on election day, including reports of military veterans being removed from voter rolls after registering with military IDs — a major concern in a state with one of the country’s largest […]

On Tuesday, June 2, truth, accountability, and the future of American democracy took center stage in BigTentUSA’s conversation with Andrew Weissmann–MS NOW legal analyst and veteran federal prosecutor. Moderated by Reed Galen of The Union, Weissmann discussed themes from his new book Liar’s Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America, arguing that the growing normalization of political lies poses a serious threat to democratic institutions. He highlighted a key contradiction in American law: while lies in business, courtrooms, and congressional testimony can carry legal consequences, political lies often do not. Weissmann emphasized that restoring trust requires more than defending […]

On Thursday, June 11, our Spotlight Speaker event centered on COURIER Newsroom’s ongoing reporting into Jeffrey Epstein’s network and the launch of an AI-powered database designed to make thousands of pages of public records more accessible to journalists, researchers, advocates, and the public. COURIER Journalist Cameron Stevenson and CEO of Thorian AI, Josh Levine, demonstrated how technology can help uncover connections, identify patterns, and accelerate the search for facts hidden within massive volumes of documents. Panelists Nina Burleigh of COURIER and Ambassador Norm Eisen, co-founder of Democracy Defenders Action, emphasized that transparency, accountability, and persistence remain essential to protecting democracy. They discussed […]

Join BigTentUSA on Monday, June 29 at 1 pm ET for a virtual conversation with Michael Waldman, the president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School […]