Bobby Pulido is showing Democrats something important in Texas: culture is not a side note. It is strategy. The musician and Democrat is trying to flip Texas’ 15th Congressional District, and his campaign is breaking through for a reason. On Season 2 Episode 6 of Cactus Crossfire , the conversation around Pulido centered on one sharp moment. After Republican incumbent Rep. Monica De La Cruz mocked Democratic challenger  and Latin Grammy winning singer Bobby Pulido , trying to

The rideshare economy changed how people move. Uber, Lyft, and similar platforms made it easier to get from one place to another, but they also created a legal and political question that is getting harder to ignore: when something goes wrong, who is responsible? That question sits at the center of the debate around the Graves Amendment   and rideshare liability, and the two hosts of Cactus Crossfire , Sisto Abeyta and Eddie Ableser, tackled it directly in Season 2 Episode

Tempe is one of those cities that forces you to get creative. You cannot just sprawl outward forever. You are landlocked, sitting in the middle of everything, and if you want to grow, you have to grow smarter. That is why this episode matters. We sat down with Councilwoman Berdetta Hodge from Tempe, Arizona, to talk about what it looks like when someone leads from both sides of the pipeline: the school board and the city council. Councilwoman Berdetta Hodge is not just a poli

Cactus Crossfire closes out 2025 with a bang! For Episode 12, we welcomed New Mexico Speaker Javier Martinez to help us break down our Top 10 moments of the year. From hard-hitting political debates to deeply personal stories, this episode captures everything that makes Cactus Crossfire the Southwest’s go-to for real talk and prickly perspectives. Why This Episode Stands Out We dive into the shifts in the Hispanic vote, the ongoing debates within the Democratic Party, governm

Introduction In Episode 11 of Cactus Crossfire, Speaker Javier Martinez sat down to discuss what's actually happening in New Mexico—and it's a masterclass in government delivering for working people. While national politics dominates the headlines, state legislatures are where the real work happens. And New Mexico is leading the way. The Affordability Crisis: Real Solutions, Not Talking Points Speaker Martinez opened with a fundamental truth: "State legislatures is where it

New! You can now listen to Cactus Crossfire on Apple Podcasts . Western Politics in the Spotlight Episode 10 opens with the crew broadcasting from a snowy Nevada, setting the stage for a conversation that’s as dynamic as the political climate itself. The episode wastes no time jumping into the aftermath of municipal elections and the early rumblings of gubernatorial races in New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona. With both parties strategizing for the upcoming cycle, the hosts brea

This week on Cactus Crossfire , we’re coming to you from Utah and New Mexico, fresh off special sessions and a historic 43-day government shutdown. Our hosts break down the chaos in Congress, the SNAP benefits standoff, and the real-world impact on families across the Southwest. Who’s to Blame for the Shutdown? The episode opens with a frank discussion about the finger-pointing in Congress “Democrats played game with SNAP, and then they played game with our economy,” our host

"Man, I went to six countries. We did Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, and Poland. It was a World War II sort of pilgrimage. So a little bit of vacation, but we went to very, very educational and meaningful sites where many of my ancestors living in Krakow and various regions around Poland and Hungary were taken to Auschwitz. I don't want to get too deep on that but that was the purpose of the trip i brought my children my wife and had a phenomenal experience i

Welcome back to Cactus Crossfire: A Tri-Pod Podcast , where the hot takes are fresh and the debates are as prickly as ever. In our latest episode, hosts Sisto Abeyta and Eddie Ableser reunite after globe-trotting adventures to dive into everything from cultural quirks in Europe to the heated landscape of American politics. World Travels: Lessons Abroad and Back Home Both Sisto and Eddie kicked off the episode sharing stories from their recent European escapades. Sisto spent t

In Episode 5 of Cactus Crossfire , hosts Sisto Abeyta and Eddie Ableser zero in on one of the most provocative topics in American...

Hosts: Sisto Abeyta & Eddie Ableser Location: Albuquerque, NM (in-studio) eightySIX88Production Studios Episode 5 Overview In this...

The antidote to chaos isn’t silence—it’s disciplined civility and practical care for the mind. Don’t be a closed algorithm. Be an...

Cactus Crossfire: A Southwest Tri-Pod Podcast & Blog Women Leading the Charge In Hispanic communities across America, it’s often women...

By Cactus Crossfire In the fast-evolving world of American politics, style can be as influential as substance. For the last decade,...

The Rise of AI in Political Campaigns: A Double-Edged Sword Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept for political...

Politics in America has never been for the faint of heart, but today’s landscape is more combative, fragmented, and technologically advanced than ever before. In our latest episode of Cactus Crossfire (out Monday, September 8) , we dig into how Donald Trump’s populist style, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the collapse of civil discourse have completely upended the rules of political engagement. What does this mean for voters, candidates, and the future of democracy?

Pop Culture, Politics, and the Power of the Younger Vote The political landscape is shifting—and if you want to understand how pop culture, economic realities, and generational change are shaping tomorrow’s leaders, Episode 3 of the Cactus Crossfire Podcast is a must-listen. What’s the Buzz? In this episode, hosts Sisto Abeyta and Eddie Ableser take you behind the headlines of a provocative ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. What starts as a discussion about manufactured o

Home Again: The Economic Forces Driving Gen Z Back to Their Parents It’s a trend that’s reshaping families—and politics: more young...

If you want to understand where American politics is headed, look no further than Gen Z and Latino voters. On next week’s Cactus...

What happens when a jeans ad starring a Hollywood starlet becomes political ammunition? On Ep. 3, of the Cactus Crossfire Podcast (...