Political Trade Secrets: Winning Campaigns | Elections | Politics

Political Trade Secrets with Dustin Olson

Welcome to Political Trade Secrets, where we reveal how elections are won. Each week, we take an inside look at campaigns and politics... We pull back the curtain, look under the hood, and investigate all aspects of successful campaigns and politicians, regardless of political party. Please leave a review and let us know what you think and what topics you'd like to hear more about.

  • 36 minutes 21 seconds
    🚨 LIVE Poll Briefing: America’s View on Iran Airstrikes, Israel-Iran Ceasefire & Trump Job Approval

    Join host Dustin Olson for a special LIVE episode of Political Trade Secrets as we unveil exclusive insights from the latest American Pulse poll.

    Discover what Americans really think about U.S. airstrikes to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, the prospects for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, and whether voters connect the border crisis to tensions with Iran.

    We’ll break down surprising bipartisan consensus, reveal the newest Trump Job Approval numbers, and share actionable takeaways for policymakers and political strategists.

    Don’t miss this in-depth, data-driven discussion on issues shaping America’s future.

    🔹 Get the full poll at PollingClub.com

    🔹 Bring your questions and join the conversation LIVE!

    Please LIKE, FOLLOW, & SUBSCRIBE to stay updated on the latest political insights!

    26 June 2025, 9:53 pm
  • 38 minutes 29 seconds
    Top 2024 Issues: Focus on the Border w/ OH Sheriff-Elect Kurt Schneider

    In this episode of Political Trade Secrets, host Dustin Olson sits down with Kurt Schneider, soon-to-be Sheriff of Ashland County, to explore the most pressing issues for 2024, with a deep focus on the U.S.-Mexico border crisis.

    Schneider provides a first-hand account of the humanitarian toll and the cartel-driven chaos at the border, emphasizing the need for strong security measures, including barriers, advanced technology, and dedicated law enforcement.

    Schneider underscores how regular citizens can make a difference by supporting leaders committed to securing the border.

    The episode also features a powerful mini-documentary produced by Olson Strategies & Advertising, revealing the on-the-ground realities and the impact on local communities.

    WATCH THE MINI-DOCUMENTARY: SchneiderforSheriff.com

    SUBSCRIBE for more insights, new episodes, and exclusive poll results leading up to Election 2024! đź”— YouTube đź”— Apple Podcasts đź”— Spotify

    #PoliticalTradeSecrets #BorderCrisis #Election2024 #KurtSchneider #HumanitarianCrisis #DustinOlson #BorderSecurity #MiniDocumentary

    31 October 2024, 10:30 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    Pennsylvania Swing State Focus: New Poll + PA-based Strategist Mark Harris Reveals What to Expect

    In this episode of Political Trade Secrets, host Dustin Olson dives into new, exclusive Pennsylvania polling from American Pulse and pull back the curtain on Pennsylvania swing state politics with Special guest Mark Harris, a top strategist and founding partner of Pennsylvania-based ColdSpark, who shares his expertise on what to expect in the Keystone State as we head toward Election Day.

    With close presidential and Senate races, the latest poll shows Donald Trump leading Kamala Harris by 1.4%, and reveals critical voter sentiment on key issues. Mark breaks down the geography, early returns, and what makes Pennsylvania such a battleground. We also get into the lesser-known races to watch and, of course, the best Pittsburgh food!

    Don’t miss this valuable discussion with one of PA's top political minds.

    GET THE FULL POLL: PollingClub.com

    LEARN MORE ABOUT AMERICAN PULSE

    CHECK OUT COLDSPARK & MARK HARRIS

    SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE

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    FOLLOW ON SPOTIFY 

     #PoliticalTradeSecrets #PennsylvaniaPolling #MarkHarris #ColdSpark #2024Elections #DustinOlson #SwingStateFocus #KeystoneState #PollingAnalysis

    15 October 2024, 12:48 pm
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Polling 2024: What the Hell's Going on w/ Public Polls?

    In this insightful episode of Political Trade Secrets, host & pollster Dustin Olson dives deep into the world of public polling—polls released to the public through the media—with two seasoned experts: Pollster John Rogers of Torchlight Strategies and Pollster Lee Vasche, Olson's colleague from American Pulse Research & Polling. Together, they unpack the challenges pollsters face in today’s turbulent political climate, exploring the differences between public and internal campaign polls, and why some polling methods—like online panels—might be even less reliable than you'd expect.

    John Rogers brings years of experience from his time at the National Republican Congressional Committee, where he established their polling department. He shares his unique perspective on state-level polling and the critical questions reporters and voters should ask when analyzing poll results. Meanwhile, Lee Vasche, a data science expert with extensive experience in fielding multimodal surveys with a focus on live phone interviews, sheds light on the growing issues with incentivized online surveys and explains how pollsters can better account for low-propensity voters and disaster-affected areas to deliver more accurate results.

    Join us as we pull back the curtain on the mechanics of public polling, analyze its limitations, and reveal how polling impacts public perception and electoral strategies.

    Don’t miss this in-depth discussion with two of the most knowledgeable pollsters in the business!

    Subscribe on YouTube now for more Political Trade Secrets episodes and stay ahead of the game!

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    #PoliticalPolling #PollingAnalysis #DustinOlson #JohnRogers #LeeVasche #Election2024 #CampaignStrategy #PoliticalTradeSecrets #PublicPolls #PollingMethodology #PollingBias #SwingStates

    9 October 2024, 8:01 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Revitalizing GOP's Ground Game: A Strategy Session w/ Matt Wylie

    In this enlightening episode, host Dustin Olson and GOP strategist Matt Wylie dissect key political campaign strategies and the evolution of the GOP's ground game. Wylie brings decades of experience to the table, offering an insider's view of landmark campaigns that have shaped the GOP's tactics.

    The dialogue opens with Wylie's recollections of a Massachusetts special election that he and host Dustin Olson worked on together, showcasing innovative tactics despite a close loss. He highlights the shift in GOP campaign tactics over the years, focusing on voter targeting and engagement. The discussion underlines the importance of authenticity in politics, drawing from various candidates' experiences.

    Wylie shares insights from John Ashcroft's Senate race, emphasizing political values and strategic campaign decisions. The episode also delves into the necessity of grassroots tactics, opposition research, and the importance of preparing for personal attacks in campaigns.

    Toward the end, Wylie and Olson critique the GOP's current reliance on social media, advocating for a renewed focus on direct voter engagement and grassroots efforts, especially in new demographics and movements like Parental Rights.

    Listeners can seek campaign advice from Wylie at [email protected].

    For more insights, LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and leave a Review to support the show.

    Visit www.PoliticalTradeSecets.com for additional resources.

    14 November 2023, 6:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 36 seconds
    Celebrating America! Surprising History Trivia of our Independence Day w/ J. Mark Powell, Official Historian of the Political Trade Secrets Show

    Today, Dustin is joined by the official patriotic historian of the Political Trade Secrets Show, J. Mark Powell to Explore Surprising History Trivia around Our Independence Day!

    J. Mark Powell is a novelist, former TV journalist, and diehard history buff. He writes a regular Holy Cow! History article at InsideSources.com

    Sign up to get exclusive Political Trade Secrets Insider stuff at PoliticalTradeSecrets.com.

    2 July 2021, 9:38 pm
  • 2 hours 1 minute
    Ruth Edmonds, GOP Congressional Candidate & fmr. Columbus NAACP Pres. Shares Her Vision & Takes on Critical Race Theory, plus Our Powerful Maxim for Opportunity, & How to Watch Game Tape to Level Up

    Today on Political Trade Secrets’ Weekly Big Show Podcast w/ Dustin Olson & Sean Bartley:

    • Ruth Edmonds, GOP Congressional Candidate & fmr Columbus NAACP Pres. shares her Vision & answers a listener’s question: “How should candidates talk about critical race theory?”
    • We discuss our powerful maxim: “Opportunity is a Function of the Number of Conversations you have for Opportunity”
    • How to Watch Game Tape to Level Up Campaign Performance

    Sign up to get exclusive Political Trade Secrets Insider stuff at PoliticalTradeSecrets.com.

    15 June 2021, 5:52 am
  • 1 hour 49 minutes
    A Productive Way to Think about Border Security & Immigration | The History of Memorial Day | How Terrible is Kamala Harris? | You Need a System for Thank You's | Powerful Axiom: “What You Do Daily Gets Done”

    On this episode of Political Trade Secrets’ Weekly Big Show Podcast, Dustin & Sean take the field to tackle important news this week, how Republicans can talk about it, and some of the best “political trade secrets” to winning:

    • The most productive way to think about, talk about and solve Border Security & Immigration
    • How Terrible is Kamala Harris?
    • Why you NEED a System for Thank Yous (or they’ll pile up)
    • Unveil Dustin’s powerful strategic principle: “What You Do Daily Gets Done”
    • The History of Memorial Day and the significance of Poppy Flowers w/ Author J. Mark Powell, plus a reading of the WWI Poem, “In Flanders Fields”

    Sign up to get exclusive Political Trade Secrets Insider stuff at www.PoliticalTradeSecrets.com.

    For daily updates and to communicate directly w/ Dustin & Sean, join our texting community by clicking here OR texting us directly at (202) 918-3345.

    Sponsored by:


    8 June 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 1 hour 36 minutes
    đź—ş Redistricting, the Census, & a New Congressional Map
    How does Redistricting work? What will Redistricting look like this year? How will it impact Congressional Races in 2022 & Beyond?   In this episode, Top Experts join Dustin & Sean to make sense of the new Census numbers & how Redistricting will impact the emerging 2022 Congressional Map:
    • Redistricting Expert:
      • Alan P. Philp of Patriot Pathways

    • Political Panel:
      • Fmr Exec Dir of the NRCC John Rogers of Torchlight Strategies
      • Fmr CO House GOP Leader Mark Waller of Waller Consulting
      • Political Strategist Matt Wylie of Wylie Strategy Group


    Sponsored by:
    Sign up to get exclusive Political Trade Secrets Insider stuff at PoliticalTradeSecrets.com.   Join our community by clicking here OR texting us directly at (202) 918-3345.
    1 June 2021, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 28 minutes
    How to Use Incentives & Disincentives for Strategy & Politics
    Today on the show, Dustin and Sean explore how people are influenced by incentives and disincentives - both for good and bad - and how we can use this for positive strategy and political progress.   Sponsored by Olson Strategies, Grassfire, LLC., & 10CentTexting.com.   Sign up to get exclusive Political Trade Secrets Insider stuff at PoliticalTradeSecrets.com.
    17 December 2020, 4:22 am
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    Political Trade Secrets: How to Fight Fake News, Win Media Relations & Understand the News Landscape w/ Special Guest Brian DeRoy | ACB on the Court
    Today on Political Trade Secrets, Dustin and Sean talk w/ Brian DeRoy on How to Fight Fake News, Win w/ Media Relations by Understanding News Landscape and What Media Wants | ACB is ON THE COURT!!! | And DON'T CALL ME GEORGE! Sponsored by www.Grassfire.us and www.10centtexting.com.
    12 November 2020, 3:00 pm
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