Two powerhouse organizers are flipping the script on Utah politics by proving that even the reddest states can be ripe for progressive change. Topher Williams is joined by Jackie Morgan and Gabi Finlayson, the co-founders of Elevate Strategies, for a conversation that challenges the way we think about political possibility in places like Utah. If a state has been red for decades, does that mean it will always stay that way? And what happens when people on the ground start organizing differently, not with big budgets or national headlines, but through relationships, trust, and showing up?
Jackie and Gabi talk about what brought them back to Utah after years of working on campaigns across the country, and why they saw a need for deeper investment in local candidates and issues. Jackie shares how her mom introduced her to politics by knocking on doors in their neighborhood, and how that early experience shaped her sense of what real community work looks like. Gabi opens up about the moment she realized she couldn’t walk away from this work, even when the wins felt far off.
They’re not interested in top-down strategies or generic playbooks. Instead, they focus on listening, educating, and meeting people where they are, especially in places where politics often feels distant or out of reach. They also dig into what makes Utah such a unique political landscape: a fast-growing population, a deeply rooted culture of service, and a generation of young voters who are shifting left in big numbers.
This episode invites a different kind of political imagination. What if we stopped waiting for swing states to save us? What if real change could start anywhere, with the people already in the room? Whether you’ve canvassed before or are just starting to pay attention to local politics, Jackie and Gabi offer a grounded, hopeful take on how movements begin and what it takes to keep them going.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Transforming Utah’s Political Landscape
06:11 Personal Stories Behind the Activism
09:05 Understanding Utah Voters and Identity
12:08 Where Change Is Happening
17:57 Strategies for Winning in Red States
21:14 How Real Impact Takes Root
31:21 The Power of Political Storytelling
35:25 How to Get Involved in Local Politics
45:14 Final Thoughts and Community Connection
Elevate Strategies:
https://www.elevatecampaignstrategies.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevate-strategies-ut/
https://www.instagram.com/elevate_utah/
Connect with Gabi Finlayson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-finlayson/
https://www.instagram.com/gabifinlayson/
https://x.com/gabifinlayson/
Connect with Jackie Morgan:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-morgan-9b7a44149/
https://www.instagram.com/jpmorgan01/
Connect with Topher Williams:
https://www.participationtrophypod.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/topher-williams-1a477264/
https://www.instagram.com/tophmcgoph/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
