Illinois State Senator Darby Hills joins host David From to share her path from prosecutor to community advocate—and now, as one of just 19 Republicans in the Illinois Senate, fighting to bring transparency and accountability back to Springfield. Darby explains why Illinois doesn’t have a revenue problem—it has a spending problem—and describes what she saw as a new senator: major bills and the state budget dropped with little time to review, late-night votes, and decisions made behind closed doo...
Mar 05, 2026•24 min•Season 1Ep. 412
On this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Philadelphia native Ernestine Johnson, whose story embodies the spirit of America’s 250th anniversary. A first-generation American with roots in Sierra Leone, Ernestine shares how her family’s experience with civil war and voter suppression shaped her deep appreciation for the right to vote and civic engagement. What started as working the polls in her community turned into a journey of political activism, running for office, ...
Feb 26, 2026•25 min•Season 1Ep. 411
On this episode of American Potential, host David Fromm sits down with Pennsylvania activist Angelina Banks to talk about taking that “one small step” into civic engagement—and how it changed her life. What started as frustration over local school board decisions turned into a journey through party politics, running for office, serving as a committee person, and even representing her county at the Republican National Convention. Angelina shares how moving back to Pennsylvania opened her eyes to ...
Feb 24, 2026•29 min•Season 1Ep. 410
Americans are capable of achieving extraordinary things when they have the freedom and opportunity to do so. This is American Potential, and in this episode, host David From continues the “50 Stars, 50 Stories” series with a February-themed deep dive into the states that joined the Union during this month. David is joined by Ross Connolly, Americans for Prosperity’s regional state director for the Northeast, and Stephen Shadegg, AFP’s state director in Arizona. Together, they test their knowledg...
Feb 19, 2026•23 min•Season 1Ep. 409
In this episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Emily Seidel, CEO of Americans for Prosperity, live from Philadelphia as the America 250 celebrations begin. Together, they reflect on the founding principles that shaped the nation — self-governance, individual liberty, and the belief that our rights come from our Creator — and why those ideas are still essential 250 years later. As pride in America declines and more people feel the American Dream is out of reach, Emily expl...
Feb 17, 2026•19 min•Season 1Ep. 408
In this special VOLentine’s Day episode of American Potential , host David From shares the heartwarming story of Pat Sterck and Bo Bolling, two New Mexico volunteers in their 70s who met while serving their community — and unexpectedly found love. What started as volunteering with the AFP New Mexico team turned into friendship, then romance, and eventually marriage. Pat and Bo talk about how shared values, faith, civic engagement, and a commitment to making their state better brought them togeth...
Feb 12, 2026•23 min•Season 1Ep. 407
In this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Lynette Breedlove, director of Kentucky’s Gatton Academy, to explore how one innovative public program is transforming opportunities for gifted and high-achieving students across the Commonwealth. Located on the campus of Western Kentucky University, Gatton Academy gives students the chance to complete their final two years of high school while earning college credit in a rigorous STEM-focused environment. Lynette explains how...
Feb 05, 2026•29 min•Season 1Ep. 406
In this episode of American Potential, host David From talks with Sarah Scott about the remarkable story of Michael Yakubovich and the successful push to pass Right to Try legislation in New Hampshire. A former state representative, Michael was diagnosed with a terminal illness and quickly ran into the harsh reality many patients face: limited treatment options and government barriers standing between them and potential hope. Rather than accept those limits, Michael turned his personal fight int...
Jan 29, 2026•27 min•Season 1Ep. 405
In this episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Blake Fuhriman, founder of the Veterans Navigation Network, to discuss his journey from Army Ranger to veteran advocate in Montana. Blake shares how combat injuries, the difficult transition to civilian life, and gaps in veteran support inspired him to create a veteran-led network built on mentorship, connection, and purpose. Blake explains how Veterans Navigation Network helps veterans navigate healthcare, benefits, employme...
Jan 27, 2026•35 min•Season 1Ep. 404
In this episode of American Potential, host David From talks with Christie Black and Matt Black, Illinois homeschool parents who became grassroots leaders in the fight against a proposed state mandate that would have forced homeschooling families to register with the government—backed by fines and even jail time for parents who failed to comply. They explain why the proposal represented serious government overreach and how vague enforcement powers could have punished families over paperwork inst...
Jan 22, 2026•38 min•Season 1Ep. 403
In this episode of American Potential, host David From is joined by Elizabeth Patton, Americans for Prosperity–Kansas State Director, and JD Marmion, Americans for Prosperity–New Mexico Deputy State Director, for the next installment of 50 Stars, 50 Stories—spotlighting the states that joined the Union in January through a fast-paced trivia showdown. After the fun, the conversation turns serious: Kansas efforts to lower energy costs, rein in state spending, and a major August constitutional amen...
Jan 20, 2026•22 min•Season 1Ep. 402
In this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Brian Costin, Deputy State Director for Americans for Prosperity–Illinois, to talk about the power of citizen watchdogs and why transparency matters more than ever. From small-town library referendums to massive waste in local government spending, Brian shares how everyday residents can use tools like Freedom of Information Act requests and open meetings laws to expose misconduct and protect taxpayers. The conversation highlig...
Jan 15, 2026•32 min•Season 1Ep. 401
In this episode of American Potential, host David From speaks with John Spottiswood about a local ballot measure in Pelham, New Hampshire that unexpectedly banned livestock on properties under three acres. Because the town’s definition of livestock included animals like rabbits, goats, bees, horses, and alpacas, the ordinance affected families, pets, therapy animals, and small livelihoods—prompting fear, confusion, and frustration across the community. John walks through how a small group of res...
Jan 13, 2026•21 min•Season 1Ep. 400
In this episode of American Potential, host David From hits the road in Arizona with Mary Beth Cirucci, who has been traveling the country on Americans for Prosperity’s Road to Prosperity Tour. After visiting 11 states in 11 weeks, Mary Beth shares what she’s learned about America’s growing energy needs, the urgency created by AI and data growth, and why reliable energy sources like natural gas, coal, nuclear, and oil remain essential to keeping the lights on and costs down for families. They di...
Jan 08, 2026•31 min•Season 1Ep. 399
Fertilizer is essential to feeding America, and it all begins with natural gas. On this episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Perry Babb, CEO of Keystate Energy, to explain how modern fertilizer is made, why energy policy directly affects food prices, and how the U.S. became dependent on foreign fertilizer despite abundant domestic resources. Perry breaks down the science behind ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer, the role of natural gas as a critical input, and why current...
Jan 06, 2026•30 min•Season 1Ep. 398
In the final episode of 2025, host David From is joined by the American Potential podcast team to reflect on a year of major transitions, memorable guests, and powerful stories from across the country. They discuss stepping into a new chapter for the show, how the team finds and tells “one small step” stories, and the moments that stood out most—from deep dives into government waste to the real-world impact of the working families tax cuts. The conversation also highlights travel episodes like t...
Jan 01, 2026•40 min•Season 1Ep. 397
As America heads into an AI-driven future, energy demand, innovation, and economic competitiveness are all colliding. In this episode of American Potential, host David From talks with Kent Strang, Managing Director at Americans for Prosperity, about the major policy wins of 2025 and what’s coming next. They break down the passage of the working families tax cuts, why grassroots advocacy made the difference, and how cutting red tape through permitting reform is essential to lowering energy costs ...
Dec 31, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 396
On this episode of American Potential , host David From is joined by John Vick, Executive Director of Concerned Veterans for America, for a year-end conversation focused on restoring Congress’s constitutional role in decisions of war and peace. John explains why repealing outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force—passed in the wake of 9/11 with no sunset clauses—is essential to reestablishing accountability and preventing endless, open-ended conflicts. With most of the lawmakers who appr...
Dec 25, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 395
As 2026 approaches, host David From continues a year-end series with leaders across the Stand Together community—looking back at key wins from the past year and what’s ahead. In this episode, Sandra Benitez, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, explains how LIBRE empowers Hispanic Americans through limited-government principles, grassroots leadership, and policy advocacy in 13 states and in Washington, D.C. Sandra shares how LIBRE helped mobilize Hispanic communities around major federal ...
Dec 24, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 394
As America approaches its 250th birthday, American Potential continues its 50 Stars, 50 Stories series—exploring the history, culture, and defining moments of the states as they joined the Union. In this episode, host David is joined by Adam Thompson and Tyler Raygor to spotlight the states that became part of the United States in December, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Texas, and Iowa. Through stories, historical moments, and memorable fa...
Dec 22, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 393
Yuma, Arizona plays a critical role in feeding the United States, supplying much of the nation’s leafy greens during the winter months. But farming at the border comes with unique challenges. In this episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Cory Mellon, Chief Operating Officer of his family’s farm, to discuss the realities of agriculture in a border community. Cory explains how the H-2A visa program supports legal farm labor, why generational workers are essential to the in...
Dec 19, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 392
What happens to a community when the border system breaks down — and what does it look like when order is restored? In this episode of American Potential , host David travels to Yuma, Arizona, to speak with Mayor Douglas Nicholls, who shares firsthand insight into the strain massive border crossings placed on his community and what life looks like now as crossings have dramatically declined. Mayor Nicholls discusses the impact on local law enforcement, emergency services, nonprofits, and residen...
Dec 17, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 391
On this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down in Yuma, Arizona with Chris Clem, former Border Patrol sector chief and senior adviser on border security and child trafficking issues. Chief Clem explains how border security in Yuma has dramatically changed—from thousands of illegal crossings per day to a fraction of that—thanks to renewed enforcement, local–federal cooperation, and investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill. He breaks down why border security isn’t just about i...
Dec 15, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 390
On this episode of American Potential, host David From talks with Senator Jon Husted of Ohio about one of the most urgent—and least addressed—threats facing America: the out-of-control federal debt and the lack of any requirement to balance the federal budget. Sen. Husted explains why nearly every state, including Ohio, must balance its budget while Washington continues deficit spending that has produced a $38 trillion national debt and over $1 trillion in annual interest payments—more than the ...
Dec 12, 2025•23 min•Season 1Ep. 389
On this episode of American Potential, host David From speaks with John Leddy, a food truck owner in Alabama, about how complicated it is to legally operate a mobile food business. John explains how food truck owners are forced to navigate a patchwork of city and county rules—requiring different permits, health inspections, fire inspections, and business licenses for each jurisdiction. With some towns extending their police jurisdiction into county areas, food truck operators can unknowingly cro...
Dec 12, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 388
In this episode of American Potential, host David From talks with Ohio Representative Jennifer Gross, a retired Air Force combat lieutenant colonel and longtime nurse practitioner, about her push to modernize Ohio’s outdated healthcare rules. Rep. Gross explains how Ohio’s Standard Care Arrangement requirement blocks highly trained nurse practitioners from providing care they’re fully certified to deliver—especially harming patients in rural and underserved communities. She walks through why rem...
Dec 08, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 387
On this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Ethan Sanchez (Grassroots Engagement Director, Americans for Prosperity–Wisconsin) and Marine Corps veteran Jim Thompson to unpack a little-known piece of Wisconsin law: it’s illegal to open a new cigar lounge in the state. Because of Wisconsin’s Clean Indoor Air Act, only a handful of pre-2009 cigar lounges are allowed to operate—creating a de facto state-protected monopoly and shutting out entrepreneurs like Jim, who has a f...
Dec 05, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 386
On this episode of American Potential, host David From welcomes back Dean Clancy, Senior Health Policy Fellow at Americans for Prosperity, to break down the major health care wins inside the One Big Beautiful Bill passed this summer. Dean explains how the bill expands access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing millions more Americans to save tax-free for health care. Even more exciting — HSA funds can now be used for Direct Primary Care (DPC) subscriptions and telehealth, giving families...
Dec 03, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 385
On this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Patrick Fleenor, the Tax Policy Fellow for Americans for Prosperity, to break down how the One Big Beautiful Bill stopped the largest tax hike in U.S. history. Patrick explains how the bill simplifies parts of the tax code, keeps more money in the hands of families and job creators, and strengthens pro-growth policies like full expensing and R&D deductions. They also tackle common myths about who benefits from tax cuts, di...
Dec 01, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 384
In this episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Spike Cohen, founder and president of You Are The Power, to talk about how ordinary people can push back against extraordinary government abuse—and win. From eminent domain land grabs to “medical kidnapping” and CPS overreach, Spike shares how his organization uses public pressure and storytelling to force officials to do the right thing. Spike explains how his 2020 vice-presidential run opened his eyes to countless local inj...
Nov 28, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 383
