The Jeff Oravits Show Podcast

Olivia Oravits joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about politics, money and what could be a very interesting winter in Arizona.
We start with political advertising: What actually gets people's attention anymore? With voters bombarded by digital ads, texts, emails and social media, could old-school campaign signs and physical mailers actually be making a comeback?
Then we tackle the federal government’s $40 trillion national debt, rising interest costs and the perennial political promise to solve our fiscal problems by simply “taxing the rich.”
Finally, after an unusually wet Arizona monsoon, we look ahead to a strengthening El Niño. Could Northern Arizona be headed for a big snow year? We discuss the predictions, what El Niño historically means for Arizona and why even a “super” El Niño doesn’t guarantee a blockbuster winter.

Republican candidate for Arizona Secretary of State Alex Kolodin joins me to talk about his campaign, Arizona’s election system and what he would change if voters put him in charge of the Secretary of State’s Office.
We get into election security, voter confidence, how long it takes Arizona to count ballots, voter ID and the rules governing our elections. Kolodin also discusses his experience as an election attorney and state legislator, Proposition 144, and his case for replacing incumbent Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.
With another major election approaching, we dig into a fundamental question: How should Arizona run its elections — and what would an Alex Kolodin administration do differently?

Jonathan Nez, former president of the Navajo Nation and Democratic candidate for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, joins me to make his case for replacing Congressman Eli Crane in Washington.
We discuss the issues facing Northern and rural Arizona, including the rising cost of living, water, healthcare, infrastructure and the role of the federal government in our communities. Nez also talks about his experience leading the Navajo Nation, working across party lines and why he believes CD2 voters should make a change in November.
It’s a wide-ranging conversation with one of the two major-party candidates asking voters to represent Arizona’s sprawling 2nd Congressional District in Congress.

Flagstaff City Councilwoman Lori Matthews joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about her campaign for another term and the major issues facing Flagstaff.
We talk about growth and development, housing and affordability, the cost of living, public safety, city spending and taxes, and the direction Flagstaff is heading. Matthews also discusses what she’s learned during her first term, where she believes City Hall needs to do better, and why she’s asking Flagstaff voters for another four years.
It’s a candid conversation about the choices facing Flagstaff and what the city could look like in the years ahead.

Flagstaff’s minimum wage is officially headed to $18.95 an hour, and I take a deep dive into how we got here—and where we go from here.
 
I break down the latest CPI numbers, the possibility of an interest-rate cut, Arizona’s new statewide minimum wage and Flagstaff’s much higher wage. What are the real-world impacts on small businesses, workers, prices and jobs? And what needs to happen to stop these automatic increases before they create an even bigger economic problem?
Plus, the debut of our new song, “The Minimum Wage Blues” by Click and Clack and the AI Machine.
 
Then we switch gears—or maybe airplanes! My son and aspiring aviator Owen joins me to talk about our next father-son flying adventure. We’re taking our little plane to Roswell, New Mexico for the 2026 National Championship Air Races, home of the world’s fastest motorsport. Seven racing classes, airplanes topping 500 mph, the USAF Thunderbirds—and Owen and I are flying ourselves there!
 
Economics, airplanes and a little Minimum Wage Blues.

Glenn Leest with WT Wealth Managment does a deep dive into AI from an investment angle but also from a moral angle and discusses the upside and downside to this rapidly moving technology. 

Isabel Oravits has visited all 50 states, traveled throughout Europe and explored destinations around the world. Now, she is turning those experiences—and her lifelong passion for travel—into IO Adventures, a travel advisory company dedicated to helping others plan unforgettable journeys of their own.
In this special father-daughter conversation, Isabel shares some of her favorite travel stories, the lessons she has learned along the way and what inspired her to launch IO Adventures. We discuss family road trips, international adventures, cultural experiences, solo travel and why seeing the world can change the way you understand other people—and yourself.
Whether you dream of exploring international destinations, visiting America’s national parks, immersing yourself in another culture or simply taking the stress out of planning your next vacation, Isabel can help turn that dream into a personalized adventure.
Learn more and start planning your next journey at IO-Adventures.com.

Angela joins me as we take on President Trump’s surprise promise of a $5,000 “dividend” for every adult American if Republicans retain the House and Senate — a proposal that could cost roughly $1.2 trillion at a time when the national debt has already topped $40 trillion. We’re not exactly cheering this one on.
Then we turn local and look at what’s happened to NAU’s once-generous Lumberjack Scholars Award. It covered 100% of Flagstaff-campus tuition as recently as 2024–25; NAU now lists the award at $11,000 per year for qualifying Arizona freshmen.
And the expenses don’t stop at tuition. For freshmen living on campus, NAU requires a meal plan, with 2026–27 plans starting at $2,874 per semester. Angela and I run the numbers and ask: How much of a “scholarship” is left once a family actually writes the checks?
 
https://nau.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/freshman/#AZ-residents

Republican nominee for Arizona Attorney General Warren Petersen joins Jeff for an exclusive interview covering Gov. Katie Hobbs’ controversial legal defense fund, the surprising loophole that allows its donors to remain undisclosed, and Attorney General Kris Mayes’ decision not to pursue criminal charges in the Sunshine Residential Homes investigation.
Petersen explains what he believes the Attorney General should have done differently, what donor activity should be off-limits for public officials, and how his years as Arizona Senate President have put him at the center of major legal fights—including cases reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.
Plus, Petersen weighs in on Arizona’s water battle, election lawsuits and the major initiatives voters will decide in November.

Glenn Leest of WT Wealth Management joins Jeff for a wide-ranging look at the economy and financial markets.
With the Dow around 53,000, they discuss what’s driving markets despite stubborn inflation and high interest rates—and whether investors have already priced in the continuing war with Iran and its impact on energy prices.
Plus, is the massive investment in artificial intelligence the beginning of a lasting technological transformation or a bubble waiting to burst? Glenn and Jeff look at AI, blockchain, the enormous data-center buildout and where the next generation of technology may be headed.