Lis Smith
Democratic strategist and adviser to the candidate-recruitment group The Bench
Lis Smith (Democratic strategist and adviser to the candidate-recruitment group The Bench) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include 2026 United States midterm elections, 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan, 2026 United States Senate election in Kansas.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
2026 United States midterm elections
Smith argues Democrats need ideologically diverse candidates to win a broad coalition and should stop prescribing a single model.
“a big tent of voters requires a big tent of candidates. And we should stop trying from stages like this”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 35:45
Smith rejects the post-2024 idea that Democrats must match Trump's nastiness, arguing no one can beat him at that game.
“that really no one is ever going to beat Donald Trump at that game”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 26:10
Smith says the candidates who succeeded focused on earned media rather than relying on paid advertising.
“something I saw work really well this cycle are the candidates who really focused on breaking through and earned media versus just trying to communicate via paid media”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 11:12
2026 United States Senate election in Michigan
Smith says $80 million was spent supporting Haley Stevens in the Michigan Senate primary.
“They put $80 million behind her in the primary, across TV ads, across mail, all that, $80 million”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 50:12
Smith questions whether Chuck Schumer, who backed Haley Stevens behind the scenes, should lead Democratic Senate recruitment.
“is this the person who really should be in charge of all the recruitment for Democratic candidates?”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 43:32
2026 United States Senate election in Kansas
Smith says internal analysis showed Roger Marshall was weak and poorly known, making Kansas winnable.
“Roger Marshall's numbers were not really good. He was not super well known”
Pod Save America: Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con) (Nov 11, 2026) · Listen from 29:45
Appearances
Lessons From 2026 (Live From Crooked Con)Pod Save America · Nov 11, 2026 · 1 h 37 min
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Lovett and Democratic strategists dissect the 2026 midterm wins, then Alex Wagner interviews Senator Chris Van Hollen on Senate leadership and accountability.
Often appears with
- Jon Lovett · 1 shared episode
- Morris Katz · 1 shared episode
- Danielle Butterfield · 1 shared episode
- Alex Wagner · 1 shared episode
- Chris Van Hollen · 1 shared episode
- Jon Favreau · 1 shared episode