The QBS Express

QBS_Ep33_Woodard
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Scott Heidner: [00:00:00] Welcome listeners to the QBS express, the ACEC Kansas podcast. I'm your host, Scott Heidner. And it is my pleasure today to have with me a state representative and house minority leader, Brandon Woodard thank you for being with us today. Representative.

Brandon Woodard: Happy to be here. Happy Friday.

Scott Heidner: Part of our ongoing, we always try to bring anybody that's rises to the leadership ranks onto the podcast and help our clients and members get a deeper understanding and not just of what goes on from a policy perspective, but the person behind the scene as well.

And to that end, we always ask everybody start us off all the way back at the beginning. If you would tell us where you grew up and, you know, what the metaphorical soundtrack of that childhood was, what filled your time and [00:01:00] activities and, and what was life like back then?

Brandon Woodard: Yeah. So I grew up here in Topeka actually just down the street, a couple blocks.

It's funny now being here because I drove by the state house of my parents a million times and was always like, wow, that building is really cool. Looking at senior pictures there, all that sort of stuff. But I grew up here. My mom cleaned houses. My dad, I was a truck driver and also on the weekend was spending his time as a plumber.

My mom spent her evenings as a bartender here in town. So they both worked multiple jobs and many of my early days were spent playing pool at whichever bar mom was bartending at here at, then it was Seabrook Tavern. Now, Specs and then ultimately at Skinny's. So it was super fun to like, be the little middle schoolers that are like

playing, becoming these pool sharks that are beating these guys that are there on a Friday night. Right. But you know, growing up here, I went to McCarter elementary land in middle school and [00:02:00] then finished up high school at Topeka West and spent a lot of my time. Truly outdoors. I feel lucky to be part of the generation before we had all these iPads and devices where our version of fun was going outside playing with the Tonka trucks in the backyard riding our bikes.

When I was 13, I got kind of the entrepreneurial bug and got sick of asking mom and dad for. dollars to play pool. So I was like, you know, the neighbor across the street who my parents keep making me mow the lawn for are doing it for free. I bet I could do this and make some money. And so we started a little lawn mowing business, my brother and I.

And ultimately got to the point where we had like 17 clients and so I'm making bank at 14 years old, right? And so, it was fun to be able to do that and upgraded the bicycle to an electric scooter because it was great with the electric scooter. I could just pull the lawnmower behind me going down over a couple of

blocks instead of walking and pushing.

Scott Heidner: So I have to interrupt, please tell me somebody has a [00:03:00] photo of you on an electric scooter pulling the lawnmower behind you.

Brandon Woodard: I'll do you one better. We have that of course, but we also have our We would my brother and I would send an annual holiday card to our 17 clients and there's a photo of the two of us with our lawnmowers in Santa hats saying like Merry Christmas to you and yours so early on I learned and I think that's why now as a, you know, my, my day job is in development.

So I do major gift fundraising and I've realized early on those sorts of client relationships truly make the difference. They could go hire any other neighbor kid on their street instead of the one. five blocks over, but we sent Christmas cards, so we kept our business. We retained our business. So that was super fun and it was, you know, kind of early on where I learned how to kind of manage funds and do all that sort of stuff.

And then both in middle school and in high school I was pretty active in theater and the arts and music. I played cello and violin and piano. [00:04:00] Which was, kept me busy with all the rehearsal and practice after school. But I also was in track and basketball as well. And finally got to the point in high school where I had to decide, you know, are you doing the winter musical and being on stage, which my orchestra teacher wanted me to play in the pit and play cello,

I love, I love music, I love cello, but I'm like, Uhuh, if I'm gonna be in a production, I'm gonna be on stage with that spotlight on me. So I did that, but that meant, my sophomore year of high school, I had to decide between basketball or theater, and I got a little bit more enjoyment out of that.

So I went to musical theater route which then, led me to going to ku, being part of Men's Glee Club orient Singers and all that. Kind of have retired from my theater and music days, but it's still something I do for fun. And, you know, Sing in the shower and my poor neighbors have to listen to that.

Scott Heidner: Well, this is off the subject a little bit But you said you had a choice between playing the cello down in the pit or being on stage. I think you're probably [00:05:00] always more fascinated with whatever you haven't done, you know seems less attainable to you I've always thought it would be awesome to be a skilled enough musician that they actually wanted you in the pit.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, I still get the cello out when I've had maybe one too many glasses of wine and I'm tired of singing. So, you know, it's fun. And I think I've told a couple of people that are very close to me that If and when I get to a place of no longer being in the legislature freeing up a little bit of time, I think community theater might be that little side project or hobby that I jump back into.

Scott Heidner: I suspect you said you might get the cello out after a little bit of wine. Musicianship and golf have one thing in common, the practitioners, we all think we do and sound a little better after we've had a glass or three. Most of the listeners and watchers would probably not agree.

Brandon Woodard: You, although, you know, I might ask our colleagues we always have a karaoke caucus before the end of session every year. There's a group of us that get together over at Skinny's. Yeah, They close it [00:06:00] down just for legislators. So phones are put away, no one's taking videos. And so, you know, I've had those moments where I've had my ups but I've definitely seen the one time we allowed videos and I was like, Oh, that was not our best.

Not the best moment

Scott Heidner: Did you have control of said video or is it out there for distribution at somebody's whim

Brandon Woodard: It is controlled. It is only allowed to be released if representative I can I think she'll be okay with me saying this it was representative laura williams and I who we were opponents in the 2020 election.

She's now here in a new district. But We were both the only, like, theater kids at karaoke caucus that night. So we sang a song from Wicked, which we thought only we would know. And now, of course, with the movie, several more people do. But it was, what is this feeling? So you're talking about loathing each other which everyone in the room thought was hilarious because The two, you know, former foes have become friends and work very [00:07:00] well together.

Scott Heidner: Yeah, that's super cool. Well, I want to ask you one more question about your childhood about anybody that you might want to take a moment to give a shout out to that was a mentor and inspiration. But before I do, I have to say a couple of things, you know, we've had the. The privilege of hosting these type of podcasts for a few years and visiting with folks as they come into leadership and Some elements tend to have a little bit of repetition, you know, the stories Are similar the journey two things very unique about you already one Without question, you win the award for parent with the coolest job.

The fact that your mom was a bartender through high school and the fact that that meant you got to sit around and shoot pool with, you know, whatever at age. That's awesome. You are certainly not the first person to come on that found the entrepreneurial bug as a teenager, but you are the first one I've [00:08:00] heard of that sent Christmas cards when you were still in high school to your clients.

A man ahead of your time.

Brandon Woodard: Those things matter. We know they do.

Scott Heidner: They do. They do. Just most of us didn't know that at 15 or 16, which you apparently did. All right. Well, last question about the childhood again. Was there anybody outside of obviously your parents that had a lasting impact on you that shaped you maybe even when they didn't know they were?

Brandon Woodard: Yeah, I'd point probably to two different people. One was my elementary school music teacher, Mrs. Anderson, she my first year in of playing violin went to my parents and were like, okay, how often is he practicing? And they're like, Oh, you know, a couple hours every night. And she was like, he only has to do 30 minutes a day.

But she was like, I've never seen someone advance this quickly. He's to the point where he is. mastered the violin for an entry level and we don't have anyone else playing cello. I'd love to move him over to that. And so I had her not only as my music teacher, in elementary school, but she also taught [00:09:00] at Landon.

So I got her third, fourth, fifth grade and then middle school, sixth, seventh and eighth as our orchestra teacher, but also as our music director for the theater program. And so she is one of those people that truly changed my life. And it was kind of cool a couple of months ago, you know, I know she was at my high school graduation and We had talked about how I was so excited that I got to vote for the first time in 2008 and That was Barack Obama's presidential election.

So it's my first election I get to be a part of. I went in caucus during the primary season at my high school. But she came to my high school graduation and we talked about it. It was really cool a couple weeks ago getting to speak at President Obama's first event post the 2024 election with Senator blue a Republican as our co chairs of the future caucus and talked about how it's so important to work across the aisle.

Disagreement is fine, but being able to sit there and have a friendship beyond just, you know, your work that you're doing and seeing each other as [00:10:00] people before politicians. And I got to send her a text and just be like, I don't think I would have been here without you, which was awesome.

Scott Heidner: That is awesome.

So you read my mind. I was going to ask you, have you ever verbalized that to her, which obviously you have which is

Brandon Woodard: I have. And it's amazing. Cause she gets a lot of the updates of my day to day life, her best friends sense, I think her college days as a constituent of mine who's come up here, her kids have paged for me, they're on my newsletter list, so they see all the sort of updates and she's like, Oh, Missy keeps me posted about what you're up to.

So, She was really a formative one, and then my, my music teacher in high school, who has since passed away Nancy Eppick Just was one of the brightest people. And, you know, she walked in the room and everyone starts giggling and laughing just because of her personality. And I was really lucky to be at Topeka West where we had a, our, our theater set designer who came from Broadway.

And a professional theater director and having Mrs. Epic who had mentored so many students that [00:11:00] my Sophomore or junior year, we went to Los Angeles and got to see Wicked and we got to go backstage and Megan Hilty at the time was the person playing Glinda, who I believe was Kristen Chenoweth's first understudy when it was on Broadway, and we got to meet her, and she's gone on to be in a ton of different things and she starred in nine to five, the musical about Dolly Parton.

And we got to do that because one of her students was in the show. Actually the other day found my playbill, which was signed by the person playing Elphaba and Glinda. And I was looking through it and Adam Lambert was in the cast. He hadn't even made it to Fiero status yet, but was in the cast.

And so both of those people were the ones that. were my, extra moms and the people that would just, they were there for all of the big formative years of my life. That's awesome.

Scott Heidner: Very, very cool. And super cool that you've expressed that. to your grade school and middle school teacher. That is awesome.

Well, let me ask [00:12:00] you phase two, which is when did your journey into public policy begin? And I choose the word public policy specifically because that may or may not coincide with your interest in running for office. Not entirely the same thing, although sometimes they happen at the same time. What piqued your interest first and what was the beginning of your journey?

Brandon Woodard: Yeah, I'd say the thing I started paying attention to first being in high school being here in Topeka, while I was kind of figuring out who I was You know, I, when I got elected, I was one of the first openly LGBT lawmakers in the state of Kansas. One of, well, it's representative Ruiz and I were the first, right?

But I really started paying attention. I watched my parents watch the evening news here. And I started seeing the coverage about the potential constitutional amendment on banning same sex marriage. At the time, 2004, I was 14, 15, I'm kind of figuring out who I am. I started watching some of the policy debates [00:13:00] and the newspaper coverage and the TV coverage of just being like, Whoa, I think it's kind of wild that our government's wanting to, put not only in law, but in the constitution of the state of Kansas that people like me couldn't get married one day.

And so that's really where I first started following this. And, you know, now to get to serve with people who are either still there or have stayed involved in that learned about the kiddie caucus which we have our own version of that now we call the future caucus, right? The younger lawmakers, but seeing The bipartisan coalition of young lawmakers that at least successfully for one year blocked the Ban on same sex marriage.

And so that's where I really started paying attention to what was happening in the building. You're from Topeka I obviously went on my high school, you know tour here during the renovation. So you couldn't really see anything, right?

Scott Heidner: Can I interrupt you just tell me again how old you were at that time?

14, Okay, so middle school ish, early high school.

Brandon Woodard: Freshman year of high school, [00:14:00] yeah. So that's really where I started paying attention and realizing that at the state level, government makes a big impact on you, which is why I think ahead of 2008, I started paying so much attention because I actually got to vote.

And I knew Kansas was a Republican leading state. I knew that they weren't going to vote for Barack Obama, but it felt really cool being able to cast a ballot in that election. And so, that's really where I got the, you know, interest in following what was going on. Probably where I got the bug was While I was at the University of Kansas, I got involved in a ton of different organizations, but ultimately decided you can't do everything.

You can try to do everything, but you're not going to do it well. And so I really focused on student government which I, you know, joined a coalition at KU. We kind of have this, like, pseudo political party system, right? And I joined a coalition just because I, they were fun. And honestly, I just liked that they had a bar crawl with a keg on the bus and, you know, they maybe didn't check IDs back then.

Right. [00:15:00] And so I joined the cave night coalition because I just wanted to learn more. And ultimately I ran for student Senate. I won and immediately had to resign my seat. I was appointed to the cabinet. So I was the communications director. The year after that I ran for student body vice president Which was the same years that here at the state house.

They were considering not only conceal carry firearms on college campuses but we were in the midst of the brownback tax plan, So the budget was really tight and tough and so we were here advocating multiple times throughout the legislative session to invest in higher education so that we'd minimize our tuition increases.

And unfortunately that year we did see another cut and tuition went up eight and a half percent that year, I believe. And so, you know, getting an interest of leading the coalition of Student body presidents and vice presidents partnering with the chancellors and the presidents of the universities and unifying all of the public safety offices to come unanimously oppose and allow [00:16:00] us to have that local control was really my entry into this building and I saw a bipartisan coalition of people listen to the stakeholders that said, we don't want this.

Please keep us out of this. And I watched Democrats and Republicans vote against the will of a local unit of government. And that's when I truly I remember leaving the state house one day and driving back to Lawrence and thinking, I am going to get rid of one of these people one day.

Scott Heidner: And you would have been what, 20,

Brandon Woodard: 22.

And so, you know, at that point I was like, well, I said that and then I get home like, okay, I can make much more of an impact if I continue being a little bit more involved. So let me just get more involved in the local democratic party. You know, and we love our friends in Lawrence, but you know, when I graduated from ku, I was like, no, I don't wanna go to Quentin's, which was the Tuesday night bar.

And when I have a 7:00 AM meeting the next day on campus, right? And so, ultimately moved to Lenexa and really found campaign management or working or volunteering on campaigns to be a [00:17:00] nice little side hustle of being involved, being around like-minded individuals, but making a difference and to do, doing something more than just voting.

And so. From there I had kind of gotten to the point where I swore off ever running for office. But it was really in, I had worked on Hillary Clinton's campaign in the primary in Iowa in 2016. So I'd work my day job and then drive up to West Des Moines every single weekend for three months and worked on Hillary's campaign.

And that's where I was kind of getting a little bit more interested. When Donald Trump won the first time in 2016, a group of friends and I, that had all been involved on campaigns, either as paid staff or volunteers or just, you know, the super volunteers, just cause we cared a lot, we saw a number of our friends who voted, but they would protest Trump rally or the, you know, they would protest because Donald Trump won the presidency.

And I was like, you don't even know who your state legislator is. You don't know the name of your city counselor. And we're like, we have got to do something about this. So we [00:18:00] met for brunch and you know, as, Good Millennials

Scott Heidner: And tell me again who we is.

Brandon Woodard: It was a group of friends that Were kind of just you know, either there are folks that I met on Hillary Clinton's campaign Locally, there were folks that had managed different legislative races One of them was Logan Healy who in 2016 ran for state Senate He's now a city councillor in Oakland Park and we were like we have to do something So we go to Brunch at Hy Vee, I think in Overland Park.

And we're like, okay, between us, we have a former candidate. We have organizers. We have people that have been paid campaign staff. Let's just reach out to folks and say, we want to channel your energy into action. So we're going to create the Johnson County young Democrats. We're going to have a monthly meeting where we can kind of organize.

And we had this goal of electing on young person to local office in 2017 school board, city council, name it. Our first meeting, we sat up 20 chairs at a library in Johnson County, printed off 21 agendas just in case, you know, one or two extra people came [00:19:00] and we had 200 people walk in. Wow. The day before Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017. And we, that's the moment we realized we we're on to something here and it was folks that wanted to get more involved.

We had a newly elected state representative with Brett Parker that was there sitting front row in the photo. I still go back every year when I get a memory about us restarting that is now representative Lindsey Vaughn. We had a number of folks that came in that wanted to get more involved and we brought in speakers.

We actually hosted the first Democratic congressional primary, not a debate, but town hall, we hosted the first democratic statewide candidate for governor because we had this organization where they just knew 250 to 300 people were coming every single month. But that little group of folks from brunch are now city counselors state representatives school board members, which is really cool.

I think all of that happened because we were like, we have to do something, but shouting into the void, it maybe makes you feel better, [00:20:00] but that's not, you know, at the end of the day, that's not going to accomplish anything. So, go from there, fast forward a couple months I get appointed to be the vice chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party and in that role I was in charge of recruiting candidates.

And so, House District 30 at the time. was one of those seats we knew we could flip. We had a candidate run in 2016 that dropped out of the race and still almost won. I had sat through, I don't know, seven or eight different meetings with pulling a list of PTA moms, of people that are on city council, just because I knew our representative at the time.

The things he said and the way he voted, I was like, that does not align with the people I've talked to when knocking doors for city council candidates. That is not the vibe I get from people when I'm talking about their school board candidates. And so, that's why we really focused on the PTA moms. I thought I was onto something.

And then one day I walk into Black Dog Coffee House in Lenexa and all seven of these moms are sitting there. And I was like, Ooh, what is [00:21:00] this? And I was like, what? And the intervention and they're like, we found a candidate. And I was so excited until they said, and it's you, yeah, surprise. So I I spent probably six months saying, no, it's not me.

This isn't the right role for me. It's not the right time. I was 26 when those conversations started happening. I was 27 when I ultimately, you know, filed to run. But I was on a New Year's Eve trip in Chicago in 2017. So it would have been December 31st, 2017 ahead of the 2018 election. And we had reached out to the moderate Republicans and we're like, if you all find someone, We will just stay out of the race.

We'll support them. We need, we just know that the person that represents the district now is, is not the right person for this district. And they said we didn't have anyone. And that was the deadline I had given myself. My, one of my closest friends now campaign manager. She was my interim chief of staff throughout the transition in this new role until we brought on Annie.

She was sick [00:22:00] of listening to me think about it for six months and talk to my family, my friends, everyone in the party was like, you have to do this. So she just went on, go daddy. com bought wooded for Kansas. com branded for Kansas. com wood word for Kansas. com because my name is always messed up and butchered.

And she was like, I'm sick of listening to you. You're doing this. We have a domain. And three and a half weeks later, we announced the campaign.

Scott Heidner: Isn't it funny how sometimes it takes a catalyst. It does. It does. Let me offer an observation to something else that is, appears to be a little different about your story than what we hear most traditionally.

And I have no doubt there were many, many, many mentors and influencers along your journey, but your Interest in your immersion into politics and running. And those seems to be largely just generated by your own interest. Whereas the much more common story we hear is [00:23:00] there was a person, somebody came to him, sort of the gray beard, the senior, whatever, and encouraged him.

And the sense I get from your comments is that while I'm sure there were many veteran people that invested time with you. It sounds like it was really a self driven passion.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah, I mean, I think I kind of fell into this, and I say that often about my profession too, with development. No one goes to high school, no one gets the question when they're young, and I hate the question for kids anyway, what do you want to be when you grow up, right?

Like, I want us to shift the narrative, like, what makes you happy? You know, what have you never done that you want to do? But for me, yeah, it was one of those things that I kind of fell into, and just life happened the way that it did, and something sparked some sort of interest where I'm like, I want to follow more about that.

I want to know more about this same sex marriage issue or higher education funding or anything like that. But I mean, there definitely was the person I remember and it out. I knew that [00:24:00] my friends were unanimous on, we will support you. This is yes, your name on the ballot, but all of us behind this movement.

But I remember having a conversation, I had to step out of the office because I was at work, and I picked up the phone, and I believe Brett Parker had just called me, and he was like, hey, then, now Senator Holsher, then at the time, Representative Holsher is going to call you, and she was like, Brandon, we get stuck with people like the representative that misses votes and refuses to meet with you, because people like you, who are qualified, who are ready, who have an interest and would be great at this job.

We get stuck with folks that aren't that because people like you are afraid to step up and run. And I remember in that moment being like, you're right. I am going to do this. And that's when we really started all the conversations of, hey, people in the party, hey, people that support. Democrats generally for the legislature all these groups [00:25:00] labor, Planned Parenthood, all those, and I was getting into a primary.

So they're like, we're not touching that with a 10 foot pole. But ultimately realized that we had a plan that was viable and that we could flip a seat that had been Republican for 40 years. And, but yeah, I remember the minute where the fire really sparked was Senator Holscher, then representative Holscher saying, you have to do this.

Scott Heidner: Yeah. Well, take us through at least the Reader's Digest version, your career, very compressed in the sense that there are some people that may serve 15 years before they get into leadership and your ascent was much quicker than that, but take us through your journey since you got elected to your role now as House Minority Leader.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah, so I definitely, had the expedited path and I attribute that to, generally in the state house and as we're sitting here, I'm looking out your office, you know, window and seeing the beautiful building we get to work in but you get in the state house and I think that it's generally respected and [00:26:00] understood that if you show up prepared, you are willing to do your homework and be prepared and research ahead of a policy debate.

And generally you're just not a rude person that you get along really well with a lot of folks in that building. You know, I think as Democrats, we get some of our new folks that are like, Oh, lobbyists, I don't want to meet with them. That's scary. And I've always had to remind them, like, no, like we can be the subject matter expert on one thing.

One or two things probably, like here's why you want to work with them. Here is why I've had members that have complained about not having a bill that they've introduced heard in committee and I'm like, have you talked to the chair? I'm like, well, no, like that is part of the process. Or the speaker is blocking this bill because my name's on it.

I'm like, have you talked to the speaker? Like, I'm not allowed to do that. I'm like, yes, you are. You're one of 125. It's our speaker of the house. It's not a party leader. It's the speaker of the whole organization. And so I think my [00:27:00] freshman term, you know, we hear this from everyone, that it's like drinking from a fire hose, which it truly is.

Things go from zero to 100 miles an hour within a matter of days, and you're so inundated with your new so everyone wants to meet with you. They want to hear your story. They want to know why you are supporting the things that you do. They're trying to earn your vote on different pieces of legislation.

There's all these different caucuses, right? Like rural caucus and early learning caucus, and there's all these different groups that want your time and you only really have two 30 minute blocks a day where you're not in committee, you're not on the floor. You're not already at a dinner or reception or whatever else So you get to spend two blocks of 30 minutes to decide who you're meeting with You know all the advocacy groups, lobbyists, all the people that want five minutes of your time so I'm learning the place at the time Brett Parker had decided he did not want to the leadership role he held and talked me into running for agenda chair, which is one of our six leadership positions in our caucus.

It's the job no one wants because you have to be in the building early. [00:28:00] You got to stay late. And you manage the daily strategy sessions to talk about what bills are on the floor. Coming up with a plan for if there are amendments, who's running them, what does the amendment do? And that's also our morning meeting where we're able to have, our folks talk about the bill that's coming up for the day.

Who opposed it? Who supported the bill? What concerns are they? Can we make the bill better? Is this something the governor is going to, support. And so I think because of that, that is one of the more visible roles in the caucus. And I think people realize that I was running a very efficient meeting. If you talk too much, I would pull the Senator card and say, go to the other side of the building if you want to take 30 minutes to do.

And so I got, I had my two years of agenda chair. I continued learning a lot, but going from, you know, rank and file freshmen who has a lot of more free time than most people But my freshman term, I got promoted to ranking the top Democrat on the Higher Education Budget Committee. So I already started learning that with that comes a lot more [00:29:00] responsibility.

You are sitting down with all six CEOs of our universities. You are sitting down with Washington's president. You are sitting down with the community college, all 19 community college presidents and their representatives. You're sitting down with the seven technical colleges. And so I kind of made that like my issue.

At the time when the budget being where it was, we were able to not only restore the funding that was cut during the previous administration, but we were able to make the most significant investment in higher education and the history of our state from technical colleges to our PhDs and

I think because of that being an issue that's not partisan, I was able to work and build these coalitions and probably the reason I had three different chairs while I was in that ranking position is that I would maneuver and build a coalition that we could get whatever I wanted, almost always passed.

And so I, I got this reputation within my caucus as being someone that would work across the aisle and find solutions. So after my term as agenda chair, you add on that, I'm on appropriations, I'm on tax, I'm [00:30:00] ranking on higher ed. You're just running from meeting to meeting to meeting and you know in appropriations You get to work with every state agency head and tax obviously you're working with revenue and all those different stakeholders. Then you know after my second term I got elected to the third term Being unopposed as a candidate, it's way more fun than having two of the most competitive races in the state in 18 and 2020, but you know, you flip a seat that was Republican for 40 years, two years later, they want their seat back.

Luckily it's the people's seat and, and neither parties, but I stepped up and ran for minority leader after winning my third term. I was defeated by one vote and that is not a fun feeling. I knew that the only unit, our only power at the caucus with 40 members at the time was when all 40 of us would vote together.

So I did my best for two years to work with the leader to bring our two kind of opposing coalitions together, again, all on the same team, [00:31:00] but working to make sure that we could keep us all 40 together so we could find those two votes on the other side to protect vetoes and negotiate different policy positions.

And I think because I had those two years to go back to being a rank and file, I was, you know, ranking on higher ed, I was ranking on elections, which was a committee I'd never been on, and insurance. So you add in all these meetings with the insurance commissioner's team on elections, you add in all of your meetings with the secretary of state and their team to really find ways to impact policy.

So between all of that, you get a lot of access and face time to these, you know, CEO level individuals that are leading these huge institutions or state agencies and learned so much. And this truly I had folks that knew I was interested in running for minority leader again but knew I was kind of on the, this whole being a rank and file thing is kind of fun.

You can come to caucus meeting or do it online. You can sit in your committees online unless there's a vote, right? And so it was a [00:32:00] lot more flexible and free and, and when representative Miller, our leader decided to run for the Senate, I really started putting out the feelers sitting down with folks and saying, you know, I do think I'm interested in doing this, but I don't want to do this unless I know I have your support.

And when I got to the magic number, I just continued having those conversations, traveling the state, sitting down in people's living rooms or their coffee shop or their favorite restaurant that they take constituents to and hearing out the concerns. And before deciding to run for leader, I realized that the vast majority of the people in our caucus wanted someone that could unify

the 37 of us and someone that could work with the governor and someone that could work with the speaker of the house and You know, when I was a gender chair, our speaker then was the majority leader. He ran the Republican caucus meeting every morning. I ran the Democratic caucus meeting every morning. I would let him know, Hey, here's some of the concerns with the bill.

He would let me know, where they were at and he's like, you guys have plenty of time. And we built this really strong working [00:33:00] relationship to now to the point where, He is the speaker of the house and I'm leading our caucus that we work, continue to work well together. So I think once I realized that that people just wanted someone that could manage the 37 different egos that we have and our caucus and be able to work with the other side.

I got to the point of saying yes. And you know, going from losing by one vote to having a very decisive win feels a lot better. But I've joked with our team and folks in the building that when they congratulate me, I'm like, depending on the day, it could be condolences or it could be congratulations, but I'm really happy that I stepped up to do it.

And. I'm very, I feel very lucky as well, right? This is my seventh session and now I get to build and work with the leadership team that calls the shots.

Scott Heidner: Well, let me ask you three and I'm for listeners benefit. I'm probably going to up the tempo a little bit. I've promised your team who's here kindly helped us arrange all this and gave me a rough time frame to wrap things up and I don't want [00:34:00] to abuse that too much.

So maybe in a little more rapid fire style questions, three more. I want to ask you about your time as, as leader specifically, as opposed to just your time serving as a representative, what is the greatest joy or enjoyment that you found in this role as the minority leader?

Brandon Woodard: Next question. No, I'm just kidding.

Scott Heidner: Yeah, I tell you what, I can ask the other one first and buy you some time.

Brandon Woodard: No, I think, honestly, it's an honor to have the trust of the colleagues. There are people who voted for me that I know don't agree with every decision we've made, or that we will make. But knowing that they have our back and they want someone that will take everything in, hear them out and call the shot is what we've been able to do so far.

And you know, I'm working with a speaker of the house who has been in leadership for six years and I've been on the job for six weeks. I think more than anything, I appreciate that all of the leadership on both sides of the [00:35:00] aisle and both chambers are willing to say, Hey, we've all been here before, like, we're willing to work with you.

Scott Heidner: When I asked the best part, let me ask this. What is maybe the biggest challenge that you didn't foresee and, you know, there probably won't be a lot because you were so close to the position.

You got to see it firsthand before you stepped into those shoes, but all the same, what's been one of the bigger challenges of that role that maybe you didn't anticipate.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah. I mean, I think, I think back to. You know, obviously I've been unopposed the last two elections, but I think back to how I felt when I was deciding on how to vote on policy when I was representing the district in the first four years, which was any vote I take is going to upset about half of the district and, you know, with 37 members, the only person that has to deal with more egos than I do is the speaker with his and the majority leader with their 88 members.

Right? But knowing that anything that happens a comment made on the floor an incident involving a [00:36:00] representative just how to vote on a policy has 37 really intelligent people having 37 different opinions on how we would make a decision. And I realized that the days of being able to just be a people pleaser are over in this role.

Scott Heidner: It is as long as you're in this role.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah. And so I mean, I think that's definitely a challenge, but I've also appreciated it because, you know, if they didn't. They didn't believe that I was willing to listen, they wouldn't be calling. They didn't believe I was willing to hear them out before making a decision, they wouldn't be stopping by the office.

And so, it's truly, I guess, comparing it back to how I would come to a decision making point on different votes. It is hearing all of the best information to make, and hearing the opinions and advice of everyone around me to make the most informed decision. So, I listened to my constituents and I vote the way that I believe that the vast majority of them would want me to but it's just doing that in a different way in this new role.[00:37:00]

Scott Heidner: Well, the last question for you I have a very self serving question after this about grassroots engagement because we're constantly urging our members to embrace that but last question about your time in the Kansas legislature I want to give you an opportunity to offer a shout out to anybody deserving.

I'd like to ask you and earlier You were very specific about the importance of bipartisanship and how it happens more than people think and that kind of thing If you would like we'd love to give you a An opportunity to name one person from each party who played a really positive role in your development as a legislator.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah, that's a that's a big one. I would say on our side It's probably representative Barbara Ballard our caucus chair. I've known her since I was 19. She's an administrator at ku When I was student body vice president, she would make us go out on Constitution Day on Wesco Beach and read the Constitution for all two people walking by but it was important for her.

And [00:38:00] I think we continue to get along for a couple of reasons. I think it's one, she's seen so much. She's essentially the dean of the house. She's the longest serving member of the House of Representatives in the history of the state. She's been here since the 1992 election.

Scott Heidner: Is that true? Longest in state history?

Brandon Woodard: In the house. Wow. And so, you know, she's been there through how many governors she's, and so I know I can go to her on even the toughest days and just say, well, that vote did not go the way I wanted. And she's always like chin up or she's rooting us on. And, you know, this is the second time I've served on the leadership team with her.

And so I, I really value her insights and her ability to negotiate with the other side. You know, she's in one of the safest blue districts in the state, and she's still able to get Republicans to come support the initiatives that she's working on.

Scott Heidner: Can I interrupt you to tell you something awesome?

Yes. I think you will think this is awesome. I don't know how you couldn't. Years and years and years ago, when Ron Reichman became speaker, we had him on this podcast, [00:39:00] and I posed the same question to him. You want to take a guess who the Democrat he said was his favorite, most influential, adored mentor, Ballard.

Yeah. That's awesome. How cool.

Brandon Woodard: Yeah.

On the other side, that's a lot harder because a lot of our Democrats come from parts of the state where they can go home to every night. Absent our folks from Wichita. So I stay up here. And so many of the folks that I engage with at receptions in the evenings Thursday nights here with you all are Republicans, especially our younger Republicans.

So, you know, it will shock no one that works in and around that building that the people I hang out with the most are representatives, Avery Anderson, Nick Hoheisel and Senator Tori Blue. But I would say it's probably Tori. She, she was a vice chair when I was ranking on higher education under, I don't know how many vice chairs we've had, but outside of the three chairs I, I served with, but There would be the few times that I was outvoted or outnumbered on different votes on, you know, [00:40:00] typically more social policy.

She would be like, well, that probably sucked for you. Wanna go get a drink? I'm like, well, it's 1. 45 p. m. But you can, I'll have, you have your mickle, mickle bolter. I'll get my blue moon. And so she's definitely one of those people that you know, she referred to me at the Obama foundation event as her, her work husband.

And I think it is one of those things where we agree when it comes to those divisive issues, almost on nothing, yet she takes the time to Lenexa is so different than, I mean, a Republican and Lenexa is basically a Democrat in great bend. Right. And so, she. Has take been one of those people that takes the time to understand why do you vote that way or tell me about this and Those sorts of bridges are what have led us to being able to get her vote on sustaining a veto on different things And you know being recognized I was proud of her just for doing the Obama Foundation event She got flack [00:41:00] back home calling her a fake Republican because she was doing this and she was like, hello It's literally an event talking about Being able to stick true to your values and your morals and yet still accomplish things for the people that you serve.

And so I think doing that event one was amazing. The two of us got to meet the president. I got a photo with him. And he was like, you know, I loved watching your panel and that was really a highlight and something cool that we got to do funnier part of that is they had moved our holding room.

Of course there's secret service everywhere because the former presidents there moved our holding room, but that did not stop Tori from just running in there to grab her stuff that they had already moved. And she's just chilling in Ryan Reynolds holding pattern for the Obama foundation events. So we're like, okay, wow.

And she goes, oopsie. So yeah, representative Ballard and Senator blue, both have, have been there, you know, getting elected to this building ran when I was 27, getting elected at 28. You're still learning how to work [00:42:00] in a professional environment and the day to day. And this place is so high pressure that they've seen you through.

I mean, both of them have seen me through, you know, in my personal life, breakups, moves new jobs, all those sorts of things. And so I think that's the part that people don't necessarily realize that. We kind of are all here in this weird place because we're all crazy enough to run for office. And yet, we also see each other do life along the way as well.

But those both have been through a lot.

Scott Heidner: Very cool. Well, hey, I do want to be sensitive to the timeline that we told you we would keep. And I've got just a couple more things I want to touch on. So give us your high level thoughts on the next two. And this next question is a softball because it's very self serving from our perspective.

We try to tell people all the time that you touched on earlier, you know, 300 and whatever bills you'll see, and you might be subject matter expert on one. And you said some very gracious things [00:43:00] about us and the lobbying corps, but talk to us also about your constituents and not just that their calls matter and that you'll take them.

Because I think most people know that, but specifically those constituents who just make a little bit of time to get to know you along the way before they need anything to just Hold out, hey, I'm a building contractor, or I'm a nurse, or I'm a teacher, and if I can be an information source to you, or I can help, and for people that will put in that minimum investment of time, just a cup of coffee, how much of a trusted resource they become to legislators who need experts on all those different areas of policy.

Brandon Woodard: I literally have, you say Rolodex and even some of our colleagues in the building are like, what's that?

Scott Heidner: That makes, that makes me sad.

Brandon Woodard: But I, I have this, you know, Google sheet for myself [00:44:00] of I track every single interaction I have with constituents, whether it's a phone call, a text message anything like that.

And so I often try to. You know, hear them out. If it is coffee, I, if there, I have a judge in Johnson County that lives in my district. If I have, you know, any issues or questions about bill going through judiciary that we're seeing on the floor, I'll call judge Sutherland and just say what, how does this impact

the county, I know that you're not weighing in on the merits of the policy, but like, what does this do for your day to day? I have a couple Olathe police officers in the Olathe part of the district that I will go to when we have law enforcement bills. It might not shock anyone that a police officer in Dodge City has a different policy position on certain issues than someone in Lenexa or Olathe or Overland Park that I represent.

And so I remember those things. And to your point, I think it is important for folks to reach out and say, Hi, you've been elected. You're my new state representative. I'm in the district. I'd love to have coffee. I'd love to [00:45:00] tell you about my life because that's the best part of this job is because when I am at the end of the day, yes, I'm pushing yes or no, but When it's an issue on firefighters, I'm thinking of my Olathe firefighters who have talked to me about their issues a million times when I'm deciding to push yes or no.

I truly feel like I see their faces as I'm doing it. And I think those things are really important. And I want people to realize too, if you're emailing them, emailing your legislator, that comes to us. We don't have staff year round. And so if you're sending an email, your legislator is the one reading it.

If you're calling the office during session, their office assistant is writing down that message and taking it into their office. The same as soon as you know, they're back in their office. And so having that relationship before you have an ask, I think always is more successful and you do become that trusted person when it is, you know.

They don't necessarily agree with me on this, that and the other vote, but they are the policy experts on these things and being able to [00:46:00] be aware of, hey, I know I have a ton of health care providers in the district. I know I have a ton of teachers. We don't have senior advisors.

We don't have policy staff, right? We're like, we're not Washington, DC. So our constituents in the citizen legislature, our constituents are those policy advisors we go to

Scott Heidner: In many ways they serve as your expert staff. They do. Yeah. Well, I appreciate your confirmation. We never miss an opportunity. We want

our folks to hear that from legislator after legislator after legislator helped him to absorb that and hopefully embrace it. Well, a couple of questions. We need to get you on the road here just to get to know the person favorites. How about favorite place to eat?

Brandon Woodard: Ooh. Any lobbyist that meets with me out of session knows we always go to Red Door in Lenexa.

That's mostly because I can walk there. But my favorite place to eat in Kansas City is Stock Hill. Best steak in Kansas City.

Scott Heidner: Outstanding. Favorite vacation destination?

Brandon Woodard: Probably because I'm going back there this year. [00:47:00] Greece. Specifically Santorini. Waking up, drinking your coffee, staring at the ocean, hiking, wine before watching the sunset, which is one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world outside of Kansas.

So, Greece for sure.

Scott Heidner: Outstanding. Pretty compelling answer. And we'll close with this. I can never not ask about favorite music. If we found our way into your streaming service right now, who would be two or three or four artists or, or what groups of music. What would we be hearing?

Brandon Woodard: Well, I dated a performer.

So Taylor stuff is always on somewhere in the playlist, but Beyonce is number one, a hundred percent. Failed to get pre sale tickets to her new tour, but this will be the eighth time I get to see her So I'll make sure that we're successful in getting those Loving Lady Gaga's new stuff But my ultimate my first Beyonce was Shania Twain growing up I had like nine posters of her in my room.

My mom's like look at his girlfriend Shania. It's like a wrong tree, but I [00:48:00] definitely like the pop divas I just love music. I love live music. I love being able to go to performance venues and just seeing someone express their talent. Music is one of those things that regardless of language, we can all understand and vibe with, which I think is really cool.

Scott Heidner: Yeah, well said. Well, with that I cannot thank you enough for making time to be with us. We sure appreciate you being willing to tell your story and sit down and visit with us.

Brandon Woodard: Thanks for having me. This is fun.

Scott Heidner: Absolutely. Was a good time. Well, listeners, that was a state representative and house minority leader, Brandon Woodard.

Thank you for joining us. We'll catch you on the next edition of the podcast.