$160K, Elvis Drama, & the Hardest Job I've Ever Had

They’re Playing Dirty. Dave’s Building a Movement.

Dave gets real about the nasty, dishonest political mailers being sent out against him—and how he’s choosing to fight back not with more lies or mudslinging, but with truth, transparency, and creativity (wait ‘til you hear what he did with DeceitfulDave.com 👀). We talk about how low the discourse has gotten, how broken the system feels—and why Dave believes local government doesn’t have to be partisan. He’s not just talking about problems—he’s building a movement. One that’s focused on saving taxpayer dollars, restoring trust, and serving people over party. You’ll hear stories that’ll make you shake your head—and moments that’ll leave you inspired by what real leadership looks like in 2025. What We Talk About in This Episode: * The real impact of smear campaigns—and how Dave’s flipping the narrative * $2M of taxpayer money spent on political attacks (yep, really) * The deeper cost of normalizing political lies * “Save with Dave”—what it means, and why it’s catching fire * How to lead with values, even when the attacks get personal Connect with Dave Kerpen: * www.votedavekerpen.com [https://votedavekerpen.com/] * DumpsterFireDesena.com [https://votedavekerpen.com/desena]

Dave Fights Back

This week was supposed to be one of the proudest, most emotional moments of my life—dropping my daughter off at college and setting up her dorm room. But in the middle of all that, my phone lit up with texts. Friends, neighbors, supporters—everyone sending me photos of a giant, deceitful, and frankly outrageous political mailer with my face plastered next to radioactive symbols and police tape. At first, I laughed. It was so absurd it looked like a bad comic book. But then it hit me—tens of thousands of people across North Hempstead, including my 10-year-old’s friends’ families, were going to see those lies. And that’s not funny. That’s wrong. I didn’t sign up to roll over. I signed up to lead. If my opponents go low, I’m going to fight back—with truth, with facts, and with a vision for a better North Hempstead. Because at the end of the day: radioactive Hulk imagery? That’s fiction. My commitment to this town? That’s real life. Paid for by the Friends of Dave Kerpen

$160K, Elvis Drama, & the Hardest Job I've Ever Had

Running for office is the hardest thing I’ve ever done — harder than starting my first company, harder than fundraising for my first startup, and yes… even harder than writing my first book. In this season finale of The Candidate, I share an unfiltered look at my first few months as a first-time candidate in North Hempstead, New York. From hitting my first filing deadline and raising $160,000… to being called out on the dance floor by an Elvis impersonator… to discovering just how much national politics can impact a local race — this journey has been eye-opening, humbling, and at times, completely surreal. I talk about the real #1 factor in winning local elections (hint: it’s not what I thought when I started), how I’m balancing an all-consuming campaign with showing up for my family, and the lessons I wish I’d known from day one. Most importantly, I end this season with a call to action: support the local candidates in your community. Even $10 can make a difference in getting great people — not career politicians — into office. This one’s personal, candid, and a reminder that no matter how tough the fight, you can’t stop me from being me. Topics We Cover in This Episode: * Hitting my first campaign filing deadline and raising $160K * Why fundraising matters more than anything else in local politics * The Elvis “Fun Day Monday” incident and what it taught me about competition * How national politics can ripple into local races — for better or worse * Balancing community events with my commitment to family * Why small donations have a big impact on democracy Support the Campaign:Want to help me keep going? Contribute here: Let’s Go Dave [https://votedavekerpen.com/]

He Fought in Iraq. He Patrolled NYC. Now He’s Taking on Local Politics.

Running for office can be a lonely, uphill journey  but it doesn’t have to be. In this very special episode of The Candidate, I sit down with Joe Scianablo, a fellow Democrat running for Town Supervisor — not in my town of North Hempstead, but right next door in Hempstead, New York — the largest township in the entire country. Joe’s story is incredible. He’s a Marine combat veteran, a former NYPD officer, a prosecutor, and most importantly — a dad. He’s running not because he wants power, but because he and his wife were tired of watching the news and feeling helpless. So they stood up. They got involved. And now, Joe is fighting to bring integrity and accountability back to local government. We even swap stories about our first intimidating meetings with party leaders, and Joe shares some leadership wisdom straight from his time serving in Iraq. This one’s honest, heartfelt, and full of the kind of civic optimism we all need right now. Topics We Cover in This Episode: * Breaking down the Town Supervisor role (finally!) * Why Joe got off the sidelines and into the race * Corruption, appointments, and the cost of doing nothing * Running as a Democrat in a red-leaning town — and building bridges anyway * What military service taught Joe about leadership and collaboration Connect with Joe Scianablo: * Website: https://www.joeforhempsteadsupervisor.com/ [https://www.joeforhempsteadsupervisor.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joefortownofhempstead/ [https://www.instagram.com/joefortownofhempstead/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-scianablo-009b58127/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-scianablo-009b58127/]

A Masterclass in Local Leadership with Jon Kaiman

In this episode, Dave sits down with Jon Kaiman: five-term former Town Supervisor, Deputy County Executive, statewide recovery leader after Superstorm Sandy, and current President of New York’s Tax Appeals Tribunal. But for Dave, he’s something more personal—a mentor, a friend, and the first person he called before deciding to run. Jon doesn’t hold back. He shares the emotional and strategic realities of running for office—the vulnerability, the message, the money—and why it’s one of the hardest (and most meaningful) things a person can do. They dig into what Jon learned from losing his last race, how timing and national politics shaped the outcome, and what he’d tell every candidate stepping into the arena for the first time. Plus: how he built one of the first suburban 3‑1‑1 systems in the country, launched Project Independence for seniors, and found ways to save taxpayer money while making local government actually work for people. This one’s for anyone who’s ever wondered what really goes into a campaign—and what happens on the other side of it. Topics Discussed in the Episode: * Why vulnerability is the price of admission in politics * How to run your campaign like a startup—with timing, strategy, and story * The inside story of 3‑1‑1 and why it changed how local government operates * Project Independence and what it taught him about listening to seniors * What Jon would do differently—and what every candidate should know Want to support Dave’s run for Town Supervisor? Every contribution—big or small—helps power this people-first campaign. Chip in here to fuel the movement: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dave-kerpen-1