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For media requests, contact Camille Walsh, State Policy Network’s Media Relations Manager, at walsh@spn.org or (504) 338-8785.


Experts

Tony Woodlief

Tony Woodlief is a political science expert and executive vice president at State Policy Network. Tony is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan and an MFA from Wichita State University. Tony has been published in national outlets including The Wall Street Journal and RealClearPolitics. He is the author of I, Citizen: A Blueprint for Reclaiming American Self-Governance.

Steven Johnson

Steve just finished his third and final term in the Michigan House of Representatives where he represented the 72nd District in West Michigan. He most recently served as the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee as well as a member of the Judiciary, Tax Policy, and Elections and Ethics Committees. Prior to being elected in 2016, Steve was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force where he led a team of Airmen in performing maintenance on our nation’s nuclear missiles. He currently is enjoying living in West Michigan with his wife Alissa.

Ray Nothstine

Ray Nothstine is a Future of Freedom Fellow and senior editor and writer for State Policy Network, where he primarily helps to shepherd the American Habits publication.

Michael Lucci

Michael Lucci is a visiting economic policy fellow for State Policy Network. Michael’s policy expertise helps educate state-based think tanks, issue advocacy organizations, and policymakers on economic and tax reforms that will benefit American families, small businesses, and communities and improve state governments long-term financial health. He previously served as the deputy chief for policy to Illinois governor Bruce Rauner and vice president of State Projects for the Tax Foundation.


SPN in the News

Op-eds

States’ Opportunity to Take on a Bigger Regulatory Role
Erin Norman in Governing | July 30, 2024

Beyond Polarization: How Americans Can Talk About Politics Again
Erin Norman and Lura Forcum at RealClearPolitics  | July 19, 2024

America’s Tax Code Must Encourage Interstate and International Competitiveness
Michael Lucci in the Washington Examiner | July 10, 2024

The Murky Nature of Our Political Divides
Erin Norman in Governing | June 26, 2024

The Best Way to Reduce School Segregation? Giving Families Choices.
Erin Norman in Governing | May 23, 2024

Tennessee Legislators Score a Groundbreaking Win for Transparency
Steve Johnson in The Hill | May 9, 2024

We’ve Been Getting Gloomier. A Stronger Sense of Community Can Help With That.
Erin Norman in Governing | May 1, 2024

Avoiding the Tyranny of Federal ‘Guidance’
Tony Woodlief in Governing | April 26, 2024

The Michigan–Ohio Economic Rivalry Shifts in the Buckeye State’s Favor
Michael Lucci at National Review | April 16, 2024

Saving ‘Our Democracy’ Requires Restoring Federalism
Ray Nothstine in National Review | April 6, 2024

We Need a Lot More Housing. It Won’t Come from Washington.
Erin Norman in Governing | April 3, 2024

Coastal Residents Are Right to Be Worried About Offshore Wind
Amy O. Cooke in Governing | February 29, 2024

The ‘70s Called Looking for its Energy Policy. We Should Give it Back
Amy O. Cooke in the Washington Examiner | February 16, 2024

The Case for Meaningful Public University Oversight
Ray Nothstine at Governing | January 31, 2024

Universal Basic Income Is Not a Solution for What Ails Society
Erin Norman at Governing | January 23, 2024

North Carolina Gets Energy Policy Right
Amy O. Cooke at RealClearEnergy | January 19, 2024

Suburban Women May Decide Next President. What We Learned Talking to Them
Erin Norman and CJ Szafir in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | December 21, 2023

Georgia Leaders Sweeten Tax Deal with More Tax Cuts
Michael Lucci at National Review | December 19, 2023

Republican GOP Debate Should Focus More on the States, Less on Washington
Steve Johnson in The Hill | December 6, 2023

The DeSantis-Newsom Debate Missed the Point
Erin Norman in The Hill | December 4, 2023

Manchin Is Not a Messiah — Because No Politician Can Be
Ray Nothstine in The Messenger | November 29, 2023

Don’t Avoid Political Conversations This Thanksgiving
Erin Norman in The Hill | November 23, 2023

What Americans Really Want From Government
Erin Norman in The Well News | November 14, 2023

This Veterans Day, Don’t Forget Vietnam
Ray Nothstine at National Review | November 11, 2023

Iowa’s Government Restructuring: A Model for Other States
Steve Johnson at RealClearPolicy | November 7, 2023

For America’s Political Adults, Look Outside Washington 
Ray Nothstine at Governing | October 30, 2023

Washington Politicians Playing Political Games Alienate Voters
Erin Norman in Newsweek | October 27, 2023

Budget Lessons We Can Learn from the States
Steve Johnson in The Hill | October 5, 2023

Government Shutdowns Should Be a Wake-Up Call for States
Ray Nothstine in National Review | September 26, 2023

It’s Time to Reclaim Trust in Government. It’s Time for Chicago to Have a Charter.
Jane McEnaney at Crain’s Chicago Business | September 12, 2023

Don’t Call It a Comeback. Federalism Has Been Here for Years
Ray Nothstine in National Review | August 13, 2023

How Courts, Lawmakers, And The Next POTUS Could Rein In The Administrative State
Steve Johnson in The Federalist | July 31, 2023

Politics at the Dinner Table? No Longer Taboo for Young Women
Erin Norman in InsideSources | July 25, 2023

Restore Democracy through State Governance
Erin Norman in The Hill | July 20, 2023

Nebraska Leads the Great Plains Tax Sweep
Michael Lucci at National Review | July 20, 2023

Limiting Short-term Health Care Plans Will Hurt Americans
Josh Archambault at RealClearPolicy | July 13, 2023

Can American Progress Meet America’s Noble Ideals?
Erin Norman in The Hill | July 4, 2023

Losing the Debate on Transparency in Schools, the Left Resorts to Labeling Concerned Parents as Hate Groups
Erin Norman at Fox News Online | June 23, 2023

Are Liberal Social Activists Driving Voters to the GOP?
Erin Norman in The Hill | June 18, 2023

Trust in Government Is Up, but It’s Too Early to Pop the Champagne Corks
Erin Norman in Governing | June 14, 2023

Will Millennials Stay Quiet in 2024?
Erin Norman in The Hill | May 24, 2023

Debt Ceiling Clash Should Push States to Rely Less on Federal Money
Steven Johnson in The Hill | May 19, 2023

Mississippi’s New Tax Model Can Work for America
Michael Lucci in National Review | May 19, 2023

Voters Largely Satisfied With Both DeSantis and Whitmer, Despite Stark Policy Differences
Erin Norman in The Well News | May 15, 2023

Biden’s Secretary of Education Prioritizes Politics Over Students
Erin Norman in The American Spectator | May 1, 2023

Are Americans Really Pulling Back from Traditional Values?
Erin Norman in The Hill | March 29, 2023

The REINS Act Would Pare Back the Administrative State
Ray Nothstine in the Washington Examiner | April 14, 2023

The Answer to America’s Healthcare Problem Lies in the States
Steve Johnson in the Washington Examiner | March 15, 2023

Medicaid Redeterminations Protect Resources for Those Who Need Them Most
Josh Archambault in the Washington Examiner | March 14, 2023

The States are the Appropriate Laboratory for Meaningful Healthcare Reform
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | March 13, 2023

Elitist Student Loan Bailout Turns Blind Eye to Struggling Americans
Erin Norman in The Hill | March 8, 2023

Legislatures’ Too-Often-Abdicated Role: Oversight
Steven Johnson in Governing | February 24, 2023

We Need a New School of Thought about Charter Schools
Kerry McDonald in the New York Post | February 24, 2023

We Must Embrace our National Identity, Allow Communities to Govern Themselves
Erin Norman in The Washington Times | February 16, 2023

State of the Union? Look to the States of the Union.
Ray Nothstine in Governing | February 6, 2023

Let Children Transfer to a Different Public School
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | January 25, 2023

Lauren Boebert’s Near Loss Proves the Cult of Trump is Dead
Erin Norman in the New York Post | November 26, 2022

The Midterm Results are Good for Republicans, if Not Great
Erin Norman in the Spectator | November 15, 2022

Politicians’ Backstabbing Family Members are the Worst
Tony Woodlief in Spectator World | October 30, 2022

Why Americans are Concealing their True Political Beliefs
Erin Norman in The Hill | October 25, 2022

The 50 Governments That Hold the Answer to American Division
Erin Norman at Governing | October 10, 2022

Make it Easier for Education Entrepreneurs to Thrive
Kerry McDonald in the Washington Examiner | October 6, 2022

The Right’s New Divide: Frodo versus Boromir
Tony Woodlief in Spectator World | October 4, 2022

States Are Showing Washington How to Relieve Inflation
SPN’s Michael Lucci in The American Spectator | September 22, 2022

Georgia Senate Race Distracts from More Relevant State Elections
Erin Norman in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution| September 21, 2022

Biden’s Democracy Speech a Pathetic Attempt to Pander to his Base
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | September 7, 2022

Giving States More Autonomy is a Return to Our Country’s Foundation
Erin Norman in The Washington Post | September 1, 2022

Solving the Student Debt Crisis Instead of Prolonging It
Erin Norman in The Hill | August 25, 2022

All of the Ways the School Choice Movement is Winning at the State Level
Chantal Lovell in the Washington Examiner

Rebuilding Trust in Government: A Model Emerges at Local Level
Erin Norman at RealClearPolitics | August 16, 2022

Education Freedom is the Silent Midterm Issue
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | August 16, 2022

Why We Must Expand Choice Within the Public School System
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | August 15, 2022

No, America Is Not on the Verge of a New Civil War
Erin Norman in Governing | August 3, 2022

Reject Biden’s Regulatory Push
Erin Norman at National Review  | August 1, 2022

Fixing Things at the Local Level Without Government
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner  | July 14, 2022

Trust in Government Lower Now Than After Watergate Scandal
Erin Norman at RealClearPolitics  | June 30, 2022

Americans’ Surprising Agreement on Teaching Race in the Classroom
Erin Norman in Governing  | June 7, 2022

As Biden Dithers, States Are Enacting Meaningful Inflation Policy
Erin Norman in The Hill | June 6, 2022

America Doesn’t Need to Argue Less, It Needs to Argue Better
Tony Woodlief at RealClearBooks | June 2, 2022

How an AP Headline Twists a Tale of American Racism
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | May 27, 2022

Beware, Party Bosses, the Rise of the Unaffiliateds is Coming For You
Tony Woodlief in The Washington Post | April 14, 2022

Gen Z’s Surprising Support for Federalism
Erin Norman in InsideSources | April 5, 2022

Strong Revenue and Fiscal Federalism Are Driving a State-Based Tax Revolution
Michael Lucci in National Review | March 14, 2023

Americans’ Declining Trust in the Politicians Who Run Their Schools
Erin Norman in Governing Magazine | March 2, 2022

Let Our Communities Lead
Tony Woodlief at National Review | March 4, 2022

Declining trust in government shows why local politics matters
Erin Norman in the Washington Examiner | January 31, 2022

The Rise of the Interloping Radicals
Tony Woodlief in Spectator World  | January 19, 2022

Independent Voters are Alive and Well—and Angrier Than Ever
Tony Woodlief in The New York Post | December 11, 2021

America Needs a Great Decentralization
Michael Lucci in National Review | November 26, 2021

Is America in ‘a Cold Civil War’? Not at All.
Tony Woodlief at Governing | October 8, 2021

State Bans on Critical Race Theory Won’t Work
Tony Woodlief in The Wall Street Journal | August 20, 2021

All Agree: Better Voting Access and Security Are Needed
Tony Woodlief at Real Clear Politics | September 11, 2021

How the States Can Fight the Federal Incentives Encouraging Joblessness
Michael Lucci in National Review | June 15, 2021

States Offer an Alternative Path to Save American Healthcare
Kathleen O’Hearn at US News & World Report | March 29, 2021

Why the 2020 Election is a Mandate for Solutions and Moderation
Carrie Conko and Erin Norman in USA Today | November 23, 2020

Free Speech Absolutism Killed Free Speech
Tony Woodlief at The Wall Street Journal | September 7, 2020

The Overlooked Potential of State AGs for Police Reform
Tony Woodlief at Governing | June 15, 2020

Broadcast

The Debt Ceiling Debate Should Wake up the States
Steven Johnson on Agriculture of America | May 26, 2023

The Fragility of Citizenship
Tony Woodlief with Victor Davis Hanson on Center for Civil Society’s webinar | December 8, 2022

Why Americans are Concealing Their True Political Beliefs
Erin Norman on the Matt Allen Show | October 27, 2022

The Rise of Independents 
Tony Woodlief on the Michael Smerconish Show | April 19, 2022

Can Federalism Save America?
A Conversation with Fox News’ Guy Benson and Tony Woodlief | March 24, 2022

The Rise of the Independent Voter
Tony Woodlief on Wake Up Columbia with Branden Rathert (Missouri) | February 9, 2022

Is America Divided?
Tony Woodlief on the Moon Griffon Show (Louisiana) | February 9, 2022

Reclaiming American Self-Governance
Tony Woodlief on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal | December 23, 2021

Independent Voters ANGRIER Than Ever, Will the Parties SMARTEN UP and Find Better 2024 Candidates?
Tony Woodlief on The Hill TV | December 17, 2021

I, Citizen Takeaways
Tony Woodlief on the Jim Bohannon Radio Show | December 6, 2021

The Rise of Independents
Tony Woodlief on the Lars Larson Show | November 15, 2021

Election 2021 and the Rise of the Independent Voter
Tony Woodlief on Fox News Radio | November 9, 2021

State Bans on Critical Race Theory
Tony Woodlief on the David Webb Show | August 27, 2021

Podcasts

Tony Woodlief: I, Citizen
Tony Woodlief on the Civil Squared Podcast | December 13, 2021

What Does ‘Self-Governance’ Look Like In The Era Of Community Decay?
Tony Woodlief on The Federalist Podcast | December 13, 2021

Podcast: Can American Self-Governance Be Saved?
Tony Woodlief on the Spectator Podcast | December 8, 2021

Episode 381: I, Citizen by Tony Woodlief
Tony Woodlief on National Review’s Bookmonger Podcast | December 6, 2021

The High Costs of Incarceration
Rebecca Painter on the Civil Squared Podcast | September 13, 2021