Congressman Mickey Edwards...From Conservative Insurgent to House Leadership to Nonpartisan Iconoclast

Mickey Edwards served 16 years in Congress, as the first Republican to represent his Oklahoma City-based district in almost 50 years. Prior to his time in the House, he'd already made a mark as a leader in early days of "New Right" conservative organizations like the Young Republicans and Heritage Foundation. In this conversation, he talks his early days as a conservative political outsider in a Democratic state, the upset victory that propelled him to 8 terms in the House, his ascent within the GOP House Leadership, and how conservatism and Congress have changed since he left elected office.

IN THIS EPISODE

Growing up blue-collar in the Rust Belt, before his family moves to Oklahoma City...

The incredible story of surviving three gunshot wounds while being robbed....

What led him to gravitate to conservative politics in a one-party Democratic state...

His roots as part of the "New Right" in the 1960s and 1970s...

His early days as a newspaperman before entering politics exclusively...

How he beat established Republicans and Democrats in route to becoming the first GOP House member to represent OK City in nearly 50 years...

How he caused a furor from both parties in his first floor speech in the House...

Why Tip O'Neil is one of his political heroes...

Why he views GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich and Democrat Jim Wright as harmful to the institution of the House...

His occasional role in the 70s and 80s as a conduit between the establishment and activist wings of the GOP...

Memories of working with Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Bush...

The entreaties he made to organized labor to try to forge common ground with the GOP...

Why he considers himself a "Jack Kemp Republican"...

How he became the GOP Policy Chair, the 4th highest leadership position in the House GOP...

Why advocating for the Osage Tribe was his proudest moment as a House member...

His analysis of how the conservative movement and Republican Party have gotten off track...

His level of his pessimism that our political system will become increasingly dysfunctional...

His thoughts on a career as a prominent Jewish Republican...

The current projects he's most passionate about...

AND Ethan Allen, the American Conservative Union, James Baker, Blair House, Lauren Boebert, cinder blocks, the Cleveland Guardians, Hillary Clinton, closed rules, Tom Delay, JR Ewing, Matt Gaetz, Barry Goldwater, Nathan Hale, Denny Hastert, Chic Hecht, Patrick Henry, The Heritage Foundation, Jewish Workmens' Circle, John Kennedy, Killers of the Flower Moon, Paul Laxalt, Look Magazine, Ed Madigan, Bob Michel, Richard Nixon, Oklahoma Sooners, night depositories, Ronald Reagan, Sandinistas, Chris Shays, shoe stores, the Sierra Club, John Sununu, tall grass praries, Marjorie Taylor Green, the Tea Party, Tinker Air Force base, Donald Trump, JC Watts, Paul Weyrich, Jim Wright, Lee Zeldin...& more!