AZ Political Podcast: ASU’s Brooks Simpson on presidential history

PHOENIX — Arizona has a rich history when it comes to presidential politics — both in terms of presidential candidates from Arizona and the choices our state makes in each election — so who better to talk with on the AZ Political Podcast than presidential historian Dr. Brooks D. Simpson, a professor of history at Arizona State University.

Join Professor Simpson and me for a fascinating discussion of presidential history. Both what we traditionally think of as history: that which took place in previous generations — and the history that’s occurred over the last few years (and seems to keep happening on a daily basis).

Professor Simpson is not one to expend a lot of intellectual energy trying to use the past to predict the future — but I do try to nudge him that way since both the Democratic and the Republican parties will need fresh candidates going forward.

But mostly we focus on how historical the last 8-10 years have been with the flip-flopping of presidential winners and losers. And the huge mood swing Arizona voters seemed to exhibit between the 2016 and 2024 elections. (“We want Trump! We want Biden! We want Trump again!”)

AZ Political Podcast is available at KTAR.com, the KTAR News app and everywhere you get your podcasts.

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