Momarchy with Sarah & Tanya – Details, episodes & analysis

Could you imagine that a bakery job at 15 would shape the way someone leads a nation?

In this episode, we sit down with Secretary Deb Haaland, former Secretary of the Interior and now candidate for governor of New Mexico.

Deb shares how her early lessons in hard work and humility shaped her belief that leadership begins with empathy and discipline, not power. We talk about how running became her way to think and heal, why "Be Fierce" isn't just a campaign slogan, and how motherhood has grounded her leadership in compassion and courage.

We also discuss the connection between public service and personal values, and what it really takes to build a future where families and the planet can thrive together.

Deb Haaland is the 54th Secretary of the Interior, a proud member of Laguna Pueblo, and she is now running for governor of New Mexico. She's dedicated to protecting public lands, empowering communities, and ensuring future generations inherit a world worth caring for. 

We Discuss:

(00:01): Politics, Parenting, and Pop Culture

(15:24): Politics with Purpose: Meet Secretary Deb Haaland

(17:00): From Bakery to Ballots

(20:21): How Running Became Her Form of Meditation

(22:56): When Women Win, Everyone Benefits

(26:56): What "Be Fierce" Really Means

(30:44): Why Empathy Is Her Strongest Leadership Tool

(36:33): How We Protect the Land We Love (and Why It Matters)

(44:37): The Power of Kitchen Table Politics

(52:30): How to Teach the Next Generation to Care for the Planet

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypodcast

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

Find more from Secretary Deb Haaland:

Instagram: @secdebhaaland

X: @SecDebHaaland

Facebook: @SecretaryDebHaaland

Ever feel like politics makes as little sense as parenting a toddler? Same.

In this episode, we're launching our first-ever Momarchy Fantasy Draft: Make It Make Sense Edition, where we each pick the wildest political stories of the week and attempt the impossible: explaining them like rational adults. (Spoiler: we fail, but it's fun.)

Between Trump's latest antics, the East Wing demolition, and the never-ending government shutdown, we're breaking it all down with plenty of laughter and side stories about food poisoning, hand-foot-mouth disease, and why Target is basically church for moms.

Because when democracy feels like a toddler on Halloween candy, sometimes all you can do is pour a ginger ale (or wine) and laugh through the madness.

We Discuss:

(00:01) Food poisoning, packing chaos, and recording from home

(03:51) Sick kids, vaccine shortages, and the annual preschool panic

(08:12) The first-ever Momarchy Draft: making political nonsense make sense (kind of)

(12:25) Target runs, scheduling fun, and why "self-care" looks different for moms

(18:03) The myth of balance and the art of stop pretending we can do it all

(24:51) He's not babysitting, he's parenting

(33:02) The AI poop video, the yelling leak and more: the week's wildest headlines

(51:30) Sweaty gym clothes, diaper bags, and the ultimate Momarchy Challenge

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

What does it take to break your "give a shit meter" in your thirties? In this episode of Momarchy, we talk with Kat De Shields-Moon, a gaming industry veteran who went from getting fired by her own mom at 14 to navigating the boys' club of video games for over a decade.

We dive into how the gaming world mirrors politics in all the worst ways, why having kids in a "good old boys club" felt impossible until she found the right workplace culture, and how the Robb Elementary shooting changed everything about how she views politics as a mom. 

Kat De Shields-Moon has spent 14 years in the gaming industry, starting as a games journalist and working across corporate marketing. She's a mom of two who's passionate about creating positive spaces in male-dominated industries and believes in judging people by their humanity rather than their political labels.

We Discuss:

01:44 - Getting fired by her oncologist mom at 14

08:34 - Why her "give-a-shit meter" broke in her thirties

16:27 - How Robb Elementary changed her political perspective

18:55 - Living in a "volumocracy" where loudest voices win

24:47 - Breaking up with friends over political differences

28:55 - Finding balance by unplugging from news cycles

47:45 - Ask a Millennial Mom: Rules they ignore

53:37 - Admitting you don't like your kids sometimes

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

Find more from Kat De Shields Moon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekdsm/ 

Ever been told a job is "family-friendly" only to discover that means absolutely nothing when your kid gets sick on the day of your big presentation? 

In this episode of Momarchy, we break down the harsh reality of what "flexible" work actually looks like for moms. From mandatory happy hours that conflict with bedtime routines to the unspoken expectation that you'll work nights and weekends to prove your "commitment," we're calling out the systems that set working mothers up to fail.

We also discuss the impossible juggle of being the "default parent", why taking six weeks of maternity leave felt like career suicide, and how the lack of real family leave policies in America forces impossible choices on working parents.

We even dive into our current comfort watches (Team Conrad forever) and the DGAF mom moments that keep us sane in this beautiful chaos.

We Discuss:

02:04 - Shout-outs to our amazing listeners and that one troll who told us to shut up and eat Taco Bell (honestly, sounds like a perfect day) 

07:10 - Why we're grateful for Team Moxie Media and hitting #39 in political podcasts 

08:22 - Colorado's special session and how Trump's "big beautiful bill" is screwing over families

16:46 - The Summer I Turned Pretty hot takes: Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah debate 

24:11 - Sick kid chaos and the reality of "flexible" work when you're the default parent 

27:19 - Why COVID changed everything about remote work (but not really) 

32:16 - Sarah's story: Six weeks maternity leave during a governor's race 

35:04 - Why women have to be the ones to change workplace culture 

40:28 - The motherhood penalty vs. the fatherhood bonus 

44:02 - America's embarrassingly bad family leave policies compared to literally everywhere else 

47:23 - Why "just have grandparents help" isn't a real childcare solution 

48:34 - DGAF Mom Moments: Pants-free grocery store runs and full Buzz Lightyear costume school days

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

What does it take to cast a crucial vote with a four-week-old baby in your arms? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with U.S. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who made national headlines when she flew across the country with her newborn to vote against a Republican budget bill.

We discuss the reality of being one of only 14 women to give birth while serving in Congress, why antiquated rules still prevent new parents from doing their jobs, and what it's like to prove yourself professionally while being a new mother. Plus, Brittany gets real about how motherhood has changed her perspective on what's at stake for America's families.

Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District and previously served 10 years in the Colorado state legislature. She's become a fierce advocate for expanding opportunities for families and children while fighting to modernize Congressional rules for new parents.

We Discuss: 

02:19 - Rapid fire: Coffee vs. wine and guilty pleasure naps 

08:58 - Flying with a four-week-old to cast a crucial vote 

14:37 - The bipartisan fight to modernize Congress for working parents 

18:56 - Being visibly pregnant in the halls of power 

22:45 - Her advice for moms choosing between ambition and motherhood 

25:10 - Pardon My Politics: What scares her most about raising kids in America right now

31:02 - Finding hope when half the country voted for "a supervillain" 

36:14 - What's wrong with the Democratic Party and why we're losing women 

40:23 - Decaf Mom: Screen time reality checks and travel sacrifices 

46:32 - What her pre-baby self would be shocked about now

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

Find more from U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen:

Website: https://pettersen.house.gov/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reppettersen

Ever feel like you're drowning in an endless to-do list that lives permanently in your brain? Welcome to the mental load—that invisible, exhausting cognitive labor that somehow always falls on moms, even when we have supportive partners.

In this episode of Momarchy, we bring you the real, unfiltered truth about what it's like to manage a household, raise kids, and work while carrying the weight of remembering everything from cat medication flavors to daycare waitlists that stretch over a year. We discuss how our entire system—from lack of paid leave to impossible childcare costs—is rigged against working mothers.

We're also unpacking the impossible standards we face: the far left saying having kids isn't feminist enough, the trad wife movement that's actually just influencer marketing in floral dresses, and the reality that most of us are stuck somewhere in the exhausted middle, just trying to survive each day. 

We Discuss:

03:58 - The mental load: That never-ending to-do list in your head 

06:15 - Sarah's current mental load (spoiler: it's a lot) 

09:37 - Tanya's car gets stolen (thanks, Trump tariffs) 

13:08 - Nanny negotiations and daycare waitlist hell 

15:09 - Why women become the "default parent" 

19:21 - Mom guilt when work and parenting collide 

25:55 - Systems that weren't built for moms (shocking, we know) 

32:23 - Why motherhood is politicized but never prioritized 

36:30 - Pardon My Politics: Is America actually anti-mom? 

44:53 - DGAF Mom Version: Survival mode parenting and laundry piles

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

What does it actually take to stay informed as a busy parent without losing your mind? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Gigi Sukin, an editor who's spent years behind the scenes watching how media and politics have pushed each other to dangerous extremes.

We're getting real about media bias, why childcare decisions are secretly political battlegrounds, and the brutal reality of trying to be a "good" working mom when your priorities shift overnight. We also dive into the one study that will change how you consume news forever. 

Gigi Sukin is an editor in the press industry who has witnessed massive shifts in journalism over the past decade. She's a University of Denver alum, St. Louis native, and mom to an 18-month-old who gives the best hugs. She believes in curiosity, tolerance, and the importance of a diverse news diet.

We Discuss:

03:17 - Why exercise is non-negotiable for mom sanity (and Peloton dance parties) 

07:02 - Pardon My Politics: The phrases that make us want to scream 

17:24 - What people get completely wrong about media bias 

21:29 - The one study that proves we're all more biased than we think 

24:01 - How to stay informed without doom scrolling your life away 

28:17 - What it's really like being a woman in a male-dominated newsroom 

33:50 - The moment motherhood changes how you're perceived at work 

40:14 - What would change if men had to work as new moms for one year 

42:31 - The mantra every working mom needs to hear

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast 

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

Find more from Gigi Sukin:

Email:gigi.sukin@axios.com 

X: https://x.com/GSukin 

What happens when two political strategist moms rank the most absurd political moments of the year? Pure chaos—and some surprisingly serious revelations about what's really happening.

In this episode of Momarchy, we are sharing our top three most ridiculous political moments from 2025. From Trump tweeting casual foreign policy to pregnancy surveillance bills that sound like dystopian fiction but are actually law, we're breaking down the headlines that made us question reality.

We also launch our new segment "Ask a Millennial Mom," where we rapid-fire through questions about gentle parenting (it's complicated), mom wine culture, chunky dad sneakers, and the dangerous rise of anti-vaccine mom influencers in the MAHA movement.

This episode perfectly captures why we started this podcast: sometimes you have to laugh at the chaos to stay sane, but you can't let the comedy distract you from the policies that actually matter to working families.

We Discuss:

00:46 - Why politics delivers such absurd moments right now

02:46 - When Republicans and Democrats both create walking comedy shows

04:22 - Eric Adams corruption charges mysteriously dropped

07:24 -Taylor Swift endorsement hysteria and PSYOP theories

09:51 -Trump tweeting "Vladimir, stop" at Putin

13:07 - Pregnancy surveillance bills in Missouri, Texas, and Idaho

17:19 - Secretary of Defense accidentally texting war strategy to journalist

20:27 - Joe Biden dropping out and the chaotic 100 days that followed

27:10 - What political absurdity says about our current climate

30:31 - Ask a Millennial Mom: Are we really into gentle parenting?

32:43 - Is mom wine culture problematic or just normal?

34:19 - Millennial mom trends we refuse to adopt

38:53 - Most absurd mom influencer advice

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy  

Instagram: @momarchypodcast 

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com

What does it look like when an elected official prioritizes common sense over party politics? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Colorado State Senator Lindsey Daugherty, who's made a name for herself as a moderate voice willing to challenge extremes on both sides.

We're diving into the uncomfortable truths about why politics are failing families (spoiler: it's not actually about book bans), like accessibility to child care, why normal people don't want to run for office anymore, and how being a mom changes everything about how you approach policy. Plus, Lindsey gets brutally honest about pumping breast milk during late-night committee hearings and why she'll "die on a hill" to protect children's best interests over parental convenience.

Lindsey Daugherty is a state senator and represents areas including Jefferson County, Arvada, and Westminster. She graduated from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver. She has done a significant amount of work supporting children in the foster care system. She is also the vice chair of the newly formed "Opportunity Caucus" in Colorado, whose goal is to bring more center-left Democrats together.

We Discuss:

05:26 - Favorite DU bars and Real Housewives confessions 

09:57 - Biggest fears about where politics is headed 

13:15 - What keeps you showing up when you're burned out 

17:26 - How more moms in office would change everything 

21:29 - Pardon My Politics: Who really defines "parental rights"? 

25:18 - Why performative culture wars get more attention than women's lives 

27:09 - The political issue everyone talks about privately 

29:25 - Being pregnant in the legislature (and pumping during votes) 

32:31 - What keeps you up at night as a mom 

35:39 - Holding both fear and hope in this moment

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Substack: @momarchy

Instagram: @momarchypodcast 

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com 

Find more from Senator Lindsey Daugherty:

Website: https://www.lindseyforcolorado.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseyforcolorado 

Are you tired of feeling like you don't fit anywhere on the political spectrum? Welcome to our premiere episode of Momarchy, where we, your hosts Tanya Nathan and Sarah Andrews, dive into why so many people feel politically homeless right now.

We are so excited to have a home where we can bring you the real, unfiltered conversations about politics and motherhood that we've been craving. As political consultants and new moms, we're opening up about the polarization that's making it impossible to have nuanced conversations—from getting attacked on social media to navigating mom groups where political differences explode.

This is our space to talk about the messy middle where most of us actually live. We're introducing our signature segments Pardon My Politics and DGAF Mom Version, plus sharing why we both needed breaks from social media and how becoming moms changed our perspective on political engagement.

Ready for politics that doesn't make you want to scream? Tune in now and join the conversation that's been missing from your feed.

We Discuss:

01:00 - Welcome to Momarchy & travel chaos with babies 

04:44 - Why politics feels so polarized and uncomfortable 

06:51 - From Obama excitement to walking on eggshells 

10:01 - Sarah's "politically homeless" post backlash 

14:53 - Pardon My Politics: What feels too far right and left 

22:23 - Immigration enforcement and Senator Padilla being tackled 

24:37 - Abortion rights and traveling while pregnant in post-Roe America 

28:48 - The far left's purity tests and authoritarian sympathies 

32:12 - NYC mayor's race and progressive gatekeeping 

37:46 - Why polarization matters for governing vs. campaigning 

39:48 - Getting engaged locally and running for office 

44:12 - DGAF Mom Version: Not bathing kids every night and morning TV time 

50:06 - What's coming next on Momarchy

Learn more about: 

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Substack: @momarchy

Instagram: @momarchypodcast 

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com