By GREGORY ZELLER //
From the OMIT-B File comes “A House Divided,” a new podcast braving the blood sport that is Long Island politics.
Like the best of real and fictitious podcasts (astute readers will catch the “Only Murders in the Building” reference back there), “A House Divided” – produced by Huntington-based government relations firm Millennial Strategies – builds episodes around gripping issues and larger-than-life personalities.
The high stakes and wild personas are par for the course, according to host Jeff Guillot, a partner in Millennial Strategies’ Long Island office and Government Affairs Division.
“There’s a really critical election coming up, full of divisive issues and interesting characters,” Guillot told Innovate Long Island. “Long Island is once again a critical battleground for control of the State Senate, for control of the governor’s mansion, for control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jeff Guillot: Voice of reason.
“This might be the cycle where Nassau and Suffolk counties play their most decisive role in all of those (issues) in recent memory.”
With all that going on, the podcast – which premiered in August – drops new episodes on Tuesday nights, first live on LI News Radio then streaming in perpetuity on Spotify, Amazon Music and other major podcasting platforms.
The talk show is a natural extension for Guillot, a one-time finance director for former U.S. Rep Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and a former professor of government (at Farmingdale State College) and political science (at Suffolk County Community College) who’s approaching his decade anniversary with Millennial Strategies.
“I’ve been a pundit for many years on LI News Radio and elsewhere, and I decided it was time to get more of my voice out there,” the podcaster noted. “And not just to elevate what I have to say, but what a lot of the folks working in this business have to say.”
To that end, “A House Divided” has assembled what Guillot calls “a strong bipartisan cohort of guests,” ranging from former Trumpworld lawyer David Schwartz to Sophie Nir, executive director of Eleanor’s Legacy, a New York City-based political organization built to recruit and train pro-choice Democratic women to run for New York office.
New York Young Republican Club President Gavin Wax and Minority Millennials founder Dan Lloyd have also recorded segments; this week, Political and Communications Director Nikki Kateman of Local 338 RWDSU/UFC – the union representing New York’s cannabis industry, among other influential sectors – graced the show.
With the 2022 midterms, a virtual ton of pending New York State legislation and a sizzling selection of current political events in play, there will be “many more interesting guests to come,” according to Guillot, who believes sharing viewpoints from across the political spectrum – and the real-life personalities behind them – is the best way to honestly inform the electorate.
And possibly amuse some listeners along the way.
“I hope this will enlighten some folks by showing the different perspectives that are out there,” Guillot said. “And overall, I hope it’s an entertaining vehicle – I certainly have a lot of fun doing it.”
