Why Not Me? 2028
What if a regular person ran for President?
Why Not Me? is a smart, thoughtful, sometimes funny podcast about one woman’s journey to ask that question — out loud. Shana is not a celebrity, not a billionaire, and not backed by a political machine. She’s a former nonprofit worker and PTA fundraiser, and current higher ed employee who’s spent her life working, parenting, and trying to make things better from the ground up.
In each episode, she explores what it would actually take for someone like her to run for the highest office in the land — from policy ideas to campaign hurdles, from civic curiosity to systemic barriers. Along the way, she asks bigger questions about leadership, representation, and what democracy really means in 21st-century America.
This isn’t a show about bashing politicians or pushing an agenda. It’s about making space for new voices, honest conversations, and people who’ve never seen themselves in power. If you've ever looked at a ballot and thought, “Seriously? These are my choices?” — this podcast is for you.
Why Not Me? 2028
What If It’s You...Running for Something Else?
Summary
Sure, this podcast started with the idea of me running for President. But what if it’s you — and what if you’re not aiming for the White House? In this episode, we shift the focus from President to other national campaigns and state impact. We’ll talk about the real backgrounds of some folks who stepped into office — sometimes unexpectedly. From a Minnesota pro-wrestler to a fictional social studies teacher, we look at how regular people can lead, and what offices might actually be more accessible (and impactful) than you think. Because maybe you don’t have to run for President. Maybe you just have to run.
Resources & Links
- List of Presidents and their positions - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States_by_previous_experience
- How Every Member Got to Congress - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/26/opinion/sunday/paths-to-congress.html
- Fun Facts About Governors - https://governors.rutgers.edu/fast-facts-about-americas-governors/
- Harry S. Truman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman
- Pew Research Center - Age and generation in the 119th Congress - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/16/age-and-generation-in-the-119th-congress-somewhat-younger-with-fewer-boomers-and-more-gen-xers
- Jesse Venture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Ventura
- Ballot Ready – Find out what’s on your local ballot - https://www.ballotready.org/
Listener Question
Have you ever thought about running for something — school board, city council, state rep? What would push you to take that step? What’s holding you back?
Send me a text (through the web site) or email (shana@whynotme2028.com) or Instagram message — I’d love to feature your story in a future episode.
Support the Show
If Why Not Me? is resonating with you, please follow, rate, or share the podcast.
And tell someone who’s never seen themselves in power — but probably should.
Use this link to send us a text, or email us at shana@whynotme2028.com
Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson
Music by Universfield from Pixabay