TRANSCRIPT 🔗
Tabitha Zeigler: Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the podcast. We've got an amazing guest for you today, Nicole Laughlin, who's running for Florida twenty-six. Nicole, welcome. How are you today?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Great. Thank you so much for having me.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well yeah, of course. I want to talk to all of you Congress future Congress people.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes.
Tabitha Zeigler: So let's just dive right in. What's your origin story and why'd you decide to run for Congress?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: So I am originally from Oklahoma. I am from a small town of a thousand people in the middle of nowhere. I went to K through twelve with the same 24 people from well, 18 of the 24 people that I graduated high school with, I went to kindergarten with. So a very close-knit community. I went to undergrad at the University of Oklahoma. And then I moved to San Francisco after that because at OU I studied entrepreneurship and venture management. And I wanted to move to San Francisco and, you know, work for tech startups. And when I moved to San Francisco, it was 2000. beginning of 2010 and the the financial crisis was still wreaking havoc and the job market, similar to how probably people are feeling today, was you're competing for jobs with people with 30 years of experience because you know there's layoffs and everything. So then when I was there, I was getting paid terrible and I was like, All right, well I better, you know, go get more education so I can make more money. So then I decided to go to law school and went I wanted to stay local because one of the really difficult things Was finding a job in San Francisco when I went to a school in an entirely different place and I didn't have a network there. So I was like, I don't want to do the same with like a quarter of a million dollars in student loans. So I wanted to stay local. So I s I went to Santa Clara Law School for for law school. And while I was there, I got a high-tech law certificate with honors and graduated on the dean's list and then For four years after law school, I practiced litigation. I actually defended lawyers, architects, engineers who got sued for malpractice. So it was a great first it was a great first job as a lawyer because it's literally four years of what not to do as as a lawyer. and then my dad died in 2018, and that was like two years into me being a lawyer and my job just, you know, litigation just became really hard after that because it it's just a lot of weight, you know, like somebody's livelihood is resting on your ability to show up and do your job. And
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: you know, not to say that in-house legal is is not the same level of responsibility, but it's certainly not the same level of pressure or like soul responsibility. so
Tabitha Zeigler: huh.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: then yeah I basically for the for lifestyle shift I went in-house and I went to next door at first in San Francisco. I worked there for a little over two years and then I went to Databricks. I was the lead commercial counsel at Databricks for the healthcare and life sciences vertical. So I was supporting the US sales Team that was selling to healthcare and life sciences companies, managing like a billion dollar plus book of business. then this year, the beginning of this year, there there was no I guess in 2024, my husband and I were both working remote since COVID. and my
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: husband is a software engineer and he was working at Grammarly. And then He got offered a job at the Miami Dolphins. And we had already been looking at houses here because we wanted to move. we wanted to buy a house. We're, you know, in our late 30s, true millennial story, not bought
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: a home wasn't possible in San Francisco because simply like there was nothing, there was nothing that existed worth buying under a million dollars. So we were like, where else could we live? And I think that's the, you know, the the mode that a lot of people are in right now. So, you know, Miami's certainly not cheap now, but it was a cheaper option when we when
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: we chose it in 20 2024. but yeah, so we moved here and then earlier this year, I looked around and was was waiting for somebody to do what I thought needed to be done, which is stand up and fight back. And like stop acquiescing to all of this freaking nonsense. And so I'd always been really plugged into politics. Like I follow, you know, when Maxwell Frost ran the first time, even though he was in Florida, like I was super plugged into his race,
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm. Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Gay Valamont, you know, all these these races across the country, I'm like a contributor, I follow them. I'm like really plugged into the news, but I had never Never run for office before, never really been in and been in involved in any Democratic clubs or anything like that. Never any like formal membership. And so
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I I was just looking around, like, well, I'm sure because I live in Miami, I'm in a blue district. I don't I don't want to run against a Democrat. And so
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: we looked at the map, and I was gerrymandered in. To a red district. Like
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: literally our our condo building was the last apart apartment building like in in the district. So they so it felt like very faded when we were looking at the map because we were thinking like, well, you know, your first attempt at politics isn't going to be to like unseat one of the one of the four incumbent Democrats in the state. You know, like that's not that's not the goal. And yeah, then Mario Diaz Balart was my opponent and he's like a MAGA
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Republican who is an election denier. He supports unconditional aid to Israel, he you know, is allowing This government to run amuck with our money. He's the vice chair of the appropriations committee. Like, I didn't really know anything about him until I started looking into it, which is kind of surprising because I I feel like I know who the players are. but he was relatively quiet until I started running. And now he's now he's outside. Now he's out doing interviews and saying stuff. And but yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, that's always how it is, isn't it?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, exactly. I'm reminding him that he has a job. So at least that's
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: one thing that'll come from this. But yeah, it was just like this is a shit show and the adults are not in charge. And I mean, one thing that will kill your imposter syndrome immediately is looking at the idiots who are in charge right now and
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: being like, if Donald Trump can be president, I can literally do anything. Literally anything. Like,
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: name it. Like yeah, so that's kind of how I ended up here. And then we we got into the race. you know, Mario Diaz Balart has been in the seat for 24 years. He was in
Tabitha Zeigler: wow.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: the state house for 14 years before that. He's never had like a private sector job. His dad was like super entrenched in the Cuban regime before it
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: fell. he's
Tabitha Zeigler: Convenient.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: he's Fidel Castro's nephew, like literally.
Tabitha Zeigler: no.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: well, the internet will be like, it's by marriage. And it's like, yeah, his aunt's husband.
Tabitha Zeigler: Tomato, tomato.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Like, like Fidel Castro's son is his cousin. So, like, however, they're related, that's that's how they're related. And, you know, he's like a warmonger for Cuba and wants, you know, military intervention there. And he basically just wants to take back the land that. was taken from him as a part of the Batista regime, you know, like so
Tabitha Zeigler: So he's basically a fan of imperialism and colonialism. I gotcha. That tracks.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Exactly. Because it but he's it he's exactly yeah when it doesn't work in their favor, they're opposed to it. You know, you know how that goes.
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: So yeah, it's it turns out that it's quite nice that I have such a like cartoonishly evil villain to run against because you know, if it was just some like middle of the road Republican who's like from the old party of like, small government. You know, fiscal responsibility, whatever that means to Republicans these days. but
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: no, he's like, unconditioned aid to Israel. We should integrate our militaries, we should continue giving them money when people in South Florida can't like even drive to work. So yeah, all of that is pretty much why I'm here.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, I think we should then talk about because you know, offline we were discussing this a bit, how, you know, sometimes it is a compelling argument to have someone that's like, Hey, I'm born and raised here, my family's been here for multiple generations. Like that was my thing. I
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: wasn't saying that's why people should vote for me when I was running for Congress, but I knew that was something that I could talk about. So when I was talking about the environment or or whatever. I could really speak from experience and, you know, speak to my roots and all of that sort of thing. So I think it's important that you tell people why you chose Miami, because you could have chose to gone anywhere. And let's face it, I mean, I don't know why we run for Congress. Like,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: besides just trying to be the adults in the room and just we we've fucking had enough. But
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: like, let's go into that a bit and like, what was it about Miami in particular that, like, hey, like, My husband and I want to move here. We love this community. Like we want to help our community.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: so my husband was is a military kid. He was born. his his parents were deployed when he was born. he was in Germany. So he lived in Germany until he was ten. And while they were there. the only kind of NFL games that that were broadcast in Germany at the time were Miami Dolphins games. And so him and his dad, like he has all these really fond memories of watching the Miami Dolphins as a kid in Germany. And then, you know, anytime they would come back to the States, his dad would try to take him to a Miami Dolphins game. And he used to live in Baltimore and like had to come down here for work all the time. And so and and then we have like one of our best friends, her like she's from here, born and raised. And when we were looking for for places, there the list was really short. It was basically this or California like there was there wasn't really another option. It was like, well, we either stay here or we go to Miami because you know, we l like f from in San Francisco. I love the multiculturalism. I love being around different ethnicities, different languages, different backgrounds. I feel like that is the best way to, you know, broaden your horizons and understand and have empathy for people who are different than you. And you know, it's a different vibe in Miami for sure, but It's still the same, like, you get to go have Peruvian food from like people from Peru who know what Peruvian food is supposed to taste like and you get to learn about their culture. And you know, I just I
personally like that and I don't understand, like I really don't understand like the argument of like, strangers aren't speaking our language. Like, were you gonna talk to them anyway? Like, why does it matter to you? But yeah, so we I mean and you know, nobody is gonna argue against like the beauty of Miami, like the the beach, the sun, the weather,
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah, but it sounds like you're talking about the people of Miami is what you like.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, I I love the community. I I love the the entrepreneurial spirit here is really great. Like that was one of the things in San Francisco that was really limiting is the cost of real estate, like even leases. and my husband and I don't want to work, you know, corporate jobs forever. So we were, you know, start we both about I was 10 years in because I went to law school. My husband's about 15 years into his career. And, you know. working for corporate or overlords isn't what it's cracked up to be. So we were trying to look for options to, you know, start working for ourselves. And Chris, my husband, wants to, you know, ultimately open like a bar or a restaurant and just have like a place where he can hang out and like have people he likes come to his restaurant, you know, like a very chill, normal life. But in San Francisco, like Leases are like $13,000 a month or more. Like it's it's not something you can just try, you know? And when we moved here in in 2024, yeah, that definitely felt like more of a possibility. It wasn't like immediately on the horizon, but we were like, we can like, you know, try, try some things here because we, you know, because it's more affordable. But how the times have changed. And honestly, that's another reason why I decided to run because we were trying to long-term plan and we're like, is is the dollar gonna collapse? Is the stock market gonna collapse? Like, is the value of our property gonna plummet? I I don't know. Like Are can we go to this other place? Because are we gonna be at war with we were thinking about maybe moving upstate. We're like, then we might be at war with Canada. Like, you know, it's just the un the instability in the world that Donald Trump and this administration has brought is like literally making it impossible for people to do anything other than survive. And so yeah, it basically was just like, somebody's gotta do this.
Tabitha Zeigler: I think it's funny that you know, ironic, right? That you mentioned that because I was a flight attendant for 17 years. I lived abroad, I've traveled abroad, I have a lot of friends that are abroad. Like I know right now, because I have contacts abroad, that even our social media is different. So I am like currently lived experience hearing how we are being actively propagandized. Now,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah
Tabitha Zeigler: I would say I'm like fairly intelligent, fairly informed. And so now I sort of feel it's my obligation to do whatever I can to put good people in those seats. And after running for Congress, it gives me a different perspective for sure. Because you see how the sausage is made. And I'm like, you all are corrupt. So
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: when I started, because I already had this podcast, I was always already talking to like autism advocates and activists and you know, people that just Cared very much about the autism community. And I found out that you're also part of the neurodiverse community. So maybe you'd like to talk about that a bit.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, I like many overachieving women, I was late diagnosed when I started law school because I was like, I I mean I had I I like tried in school and stuff, but I was not ever like my parents didn't go to college. I'm a first generation college graduate. Like everything that I kind of did was my parents were always supportive, but they never expected like They expected me to do well in school, but they never were like had a certain expectation of of what I would do. And so like in in high school, you know, all through grade school, high school, like it school was just easy. It wasn't I didn't have to try. I got straight A's. so it was fine. Nobody nobody had questions. College, I went to the University of Oklahoma where college football is like the first 12 units, you know, and then whatever classes you take after that, you know, you're there to go to football games. I didn't take I didn't take college very seriously because I was not planning on going to law school after that. So yeah, I got I got along just fine in college. And then when I started law school and I was like, everybody here has been planning this course of action for like eight to ten years and you know, their whole college undergrad experience was like targeted toward getting the right grades to get into law school. And I just simply had never had to force myself to do any sort of like prolonged thinking. so whenever I started studying for the LSAT I was like, this is a real problem. And I I I did the the diagnostic test thinking like there's no way that I have ADD. And then it was like, ma'am, you you have like the most ADD. Like yeah. So it it's but it makes it so that I finished
Tabitha Zeigler: I find that hysterical.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: yeah, I meant I I finish a lot of projects, but it's like they
Tabitha Zeigler: Squirrel.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: all are in flight for like a year and then they're all done. You know, like
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, I'm also late diagnosed autistic. And I found out after I had three children that were autistic. And then I start to look at my kids and I'm like, pretty sure I did that when I was a kid. But also
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: same good student, never gave any problems, but I had this overwhelming anxiety. And being from the Midwest, it's
like, we just don't talk about all like any of that. You know, just just
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: do it. If you can do it, do it and You're done, don't complain, don't cause problems, whatever. Also, like, you know, elder millennial.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: And I got on a podcast the other day with another autistic person because most of my experience has been with autistic children. So like I started a couple nonprofits, the circles that I traveled in, it was all like basically kid and teenager based. And I never
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: really had the opportunity to meet other adults. They're fine, don't worry. Like I said, we might have
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: The mailman.
Tabitha Zeigler: of course
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: They're ridiculous. Okay. Hank.
Tabitha Zeigler: That's all right. Those are just your fur babies. I might have human babies walk in here in a minute. But but anyways, like this is what makes us different as congressional candidates, right? Like we're real life people, we're talking about real life things. And I wonder, have you kind of been following things that have been going on with like autism, the neurodiverse community? Like, are you aware of the IACC or any of that? Have you been tracking any of that?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I will say that in general, maybe this has been your experience too as a an elder millennial. I don't know if I'm an elder millennial. Let's just call ourselves millennials.
Tabitha Zeigler: Okay.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I you know, like I feel like I'm learning about being a woman now. Like as a, you know, a person who went to public school in Oklahoma, we didn't have like sex education or anything like, you know, I feel like it was a very sterile environment. So I'm like learning about the cycles of my period for the first time as like a 30, you know, 30 something year old woman. And then I started following a bunch of you know, ADHD neurodivergent accounts on Instagram. And and then I'm like, all right, I think I have I think I have autism too. But
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah, I I just got told that the other day, whenever I was on this podcast, the guy was like, Yeah, Tapta's got Audi HD. And I was like, that's a first, but you're probably accurate about that.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, yeah. I was like, I I think that that is me. I'm like, Yes, all the things. So I don't know what what the I A C C is that?
Tabitha Zeigler: So the IACC is a government committee essentially that has basically put forth like a three hundred and thirty six page document, they limited c public comment period, and there's language in there like institutionalization. So I
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: at least wanted to put it on your radar because being that you're part of a neurodivergent community, you might want to look into it, you know.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. It's crazy. I I think like stigmatizing the way that people are is just so dumb. Like I think that in the future, if we actually invest in education, we'll learn that like personality types or whatever, we have brain styles, learning styles, like You can tell me something, like talk at me and whatever. I I might retain some of it, but if I write it down, I basically have like not photographic memory, but some some level of like recall where it's like, I remember the act of writing this down. I can like visualize it on. So it's just like, you know, I need to see things. Like I need to see them. And if if we had more research. More money spent on how we should educate kids, how we should learn, how we should teach people and how they are taught and how they learn is, you know, I think that's the future, but I just yeah, I I think that stigmatizing just a normal, like a different way of your brain functioning is is ridiculous.
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah, I have a little one that was in here pulling on me because my my non verbal one, which is hysterical because he doesn't really talk, but he ha certainly has SAS and wants what
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: he wants and all of the things. And I just think we we're just missing the buck with all of these different groups of people, you know, like And and for me personally, that's why I've really been plugging away at, you know, like supporting the trans community and supporting the disability community and all that, because I see how this can go. And it's like if you start to discount groups of people and you're not going to like advocate for them, you're not gonna end up advocating for anybody long term.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. And and it's it's not even about like who who is the subject. It's why is the government interfering in anything about who an individual person wants to be? Like your job as the government is not to identify and sort and label people. It's to protect everybody's rights. So, you know, like what are you guys doing?
Tabitha Zeigler: it's crazy the feats that I'm watching these congressional candidates do. Like, I'm not saying I'm special, but just as an example. Single mom, three kids with autism, have autism herself, have like a couple nonprofits, like doing all the things basically by myself. And then on top of all of that, I'm like, right, I've done all the advocacy, I've called my state like. State House, State Senators, Congresspeople, nobody seems to give a shit or be doing shit. So well, fuck it. I guess I'll just do it then. And that's
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: that's what I see in these congressional candidates that I love. I'm like, everybody has their shtick, but ultimate ultimately it's that. It's like I've had enough, I've done all the things, and the advocacy has led me here. So let's talk a little bit more about how your advocacy for the things that
you really care about in Florida led you down the path. To where you are now.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. I mean, I guess what I care about is you know, the human experience, like that people are entitled to live their lives how they want, according to their own rules, so long as they're not hurting anyone else. And I think that that includes the right to speak whatever language you want to speak, practice whatever religion or don't practice whatever religion you want. you know, I just date whoever you want, marry whoever you want, have sex with whoever you want. I don't care. I mean, well, in the world of Epstein, let's clarify. Not children, consenting adults. Yeah. Right.
Tabitha Zeigler: Right, we're talking about consenting adults. over over eighteen, not like, you know, child marriage or anything like that.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: And I'm and I'm also not talking about I I don't remember, I just saw recently, like, why are we normalizing this? Like the red hot chili peppers guy who's like 67, he's like at a Knicks game or something with his 19 year old girlfriend. I'm like, yo, this is gross. Like he could
Tabitha Zeigler: that's disappointing. It is gross.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: he could be your she could be your probably your great grandc grandkid if you, you know, if you did it Oklahoma style.
Tabitha Zeigler: But well, I mean, that's kind of how it is in Indiana too. Like my parents, I think my mom's 19 years older than me, you know, like a very standard, like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Okay.
Tabitha Zeigler: 18 years old. But, you know, like that generation, not mine. But still, still maybe, still maybe. Like people were looking at me whenever I finally had kids because my parents had like, Are you gonna have kids? Are gonna have kids? And I was trying to be responsible. Cause I was like, right, I need to like. Have a house, have a stable career, be able to be able to afford these children, right? So then I had my first child when I was 36. And I had twins at 38.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Did you have a house already?
Tabitha Zeigler: I had had a house. So I was like, I'm getting a little old now. And yeah, there's just a certain amount of like shitter get off the pot with that, you know, because all of that only lasts so long. And You know, I did not do it the traditional way. Like I I'm basically when I was running for Congress, I was speaking to myself. I was speaking to people like me, right? I was like, hey, did all the things, checked all the boxes, did what I was supposed to do, and things didn't necessarily work out. And now I'm looking at these younger kids and I'm like, my niece and nephew, right? I got a I've got a niece and nephew that are 14 and 16. And I'm like, what kind of future are these kind of kids have? Like, let alone my own. Whenever we're having conversations about institutionalization and, you know, reducing resources for, you know, parents that are taking care of special needs kids. I mean, it's across the board. So that's why I think I'm more interested in federal, because you all will be the one to set the tone for the US.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, and and that I mean, I would say probably the largest driver of feeling like right now was was like the moment when it when it had to be done. and that is how I truly feel. I know maybe other people feel differently, but we have a president who's actively talking about And he's he's doing it. He's trying to rig the elections, he's trying to suppress the votes. The you know, they I'm sure you saw in Texas they're trying to eliminate voting locations, obviously in districts where there's a disproportionate amount of black voters. same story here in in my district. when they did the illegal gerrymander, they basically moved a hundred thousand Dems from Debbie Wasserman Schultz's district. Into Mario Diaz Balartz, which is like a solid red district, thinking that they could just stuff away a hundred thousand Democratic votes, predominantly black votes. and you know, that that in itself made me want to run. But then on the other hand, just the capitulation of our government, including Biden, like I am not a fan. I like bless the man. I'm sure that he's a great guy, but you know, I think a lot of the problems that we're facing in this country today are because people in their 80s think they know what's best for the country. And like, I'm sorry, if you went to a segregated school, you are not the person that needs to be leading the charge on what comes next. Like, you you know what I mean? Like, like get out of here.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, okay. So let's just pull this band-aid off right now.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: sometimes people would feel when they see white faces that it's like an automatic not sure caution question racism, right?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: what does mean what does it mean to you to be an active ally or accomplice in the fight for human rights for everyone?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I think it means being the voice in a room of white people saying the thing that needs to be said. And it's a you know, it's white people's responsibility to fix the mess that we're in. you know, my husband's black. When Renee Good and Alex Predi were murdered, I went down to the ICE facility in downtown Miami to protest because you know, in San Francisco, if something like that happened, people would be out in the streets.
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: So I assumed in Miami that that would happen. I was the only person there. But I was the only person there because I told my husband, it's not safe for you. Like you're not coming. and it's probably not safe for me either, but it's much safer for me than it is for him as a black man in America. so I think it basically means doing the most. Like, not leading in that we are leading the ideas, but We need to listen
to the communities and like take their word for what is happening. Because at the beginning of all of this, I was very at the beginning, like w I I would say when Biden didn't step down, like when he, you know, when it was clear that he was gonna do a second term, I was like, he's gonna lose. And Trump is gonna ruin the global economy. our the world order. we're gonna go back to the time where women can't work and we can't have birth control and Roe v. Wade's gonna be overturned. And my husband's kinda like, I mean, you're kind of just describing what it what it's like to be like black in America. Like I don't know what you're on about. And then when all this stuff started happening, he's like, okay, well it has been this way for black people forever, but it is worse now. Like The global situation is worse now.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, yeah, I mean, I just think that's important to talk about because like after I was done with my congressional race, I was like, right, like, what can I do to help? Because this fight is not done. And like clearly all of us need to to do what we can do. So I already had a podcast and I was like, right, I've got three kids at home. I might not be able to be as boots on the ground for other people, but I can do this.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: So I was like, one thing I'm good at. Is having hard conversations and like getting to the meat of the object. So like being from Indiana with the history that we have with the KKK and now that black people are swinging from trees again, I'm like, hell no. Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: I I know exactly what this is. And we saw, you know, the Proud Boys and Patriot Front and all of this stuff. And now, you know, we have, well, we've had masked ice officers and all of this stuff. And I'm like, right. So we've got like a happy merriment between like the KKK, the KGB, the USSR, like the US is actively like courting the USSR, essentially. Now I'm from that generation, right? Like I was a little kid and the USSR still existed. And to now watch, you know, this is the autistic part with the pattern recognition.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, same.
Tabitha Zeigler: I'm like, right, so you have Russia rolling up tanks to Ukraine. And now you have us and like rolling back into the imperialism and all that. So we're just we're just gonna go into Venezuela, we're just gonna do these,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm. Take our oil.
Tabitha Zeigler: we're just gonna start bombing ships, we're gonna go into Greenland. I'm like, what in the fuck are we doing? And
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: besides all of it, right? Like when you plot it on a map, it's like, hmm, common denominator here. White
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: men. And so then I start posting about stuff like that. And funny. White men are the ones that are so butthurt about it that giving threat. I'm
not saying they're exclusive. I'm not saying like it's not possible for anybody else to rape or be a pedophile or whatever, but statistically it's them. So I also have felt like it's my responsibility to call that shit out. And I have gotten
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, I agree.
Tabitha Zeigler: whoo hella, hella heat for that. And I'm like, no, you're just telling me that I'm on point and I need to like punch the accelerator to the floor to wake everybody else up.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Exactly. There's a reason why everybody chooses the bear. And like I I would choose the bear. Like men are white men in particular are mass shooters, pedophiles, rapists, murderers of spouses. Like
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah, but also, right, like, I know they hate us for it, and I get it, patriarchy and whatever. And like people need to take the time to educate themselves. And of course, instantly when you say anything, it's like, liberal white woman, blah, blah, blah, blah. But it's like, you actually need to take the time for self-reflection to decide of of all of the things, right, that really affect your life. Do trans people embed like check your stats. Because last time I checked, like you may not like it that a dude wears a dress, however you want to put it, right? That
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: they need to pee too, and they're not raping anybody. So then you have to ask yourself, if the statistics don't show what I think it's supposed to show me, then maybe somebody is distracting me from something else.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, or I mean, I think it's a distraction for sure, but I think it's also like the closeted rights obsession with the thing that they really want, you know? Like, why are you so obsessed with people's genitals? And also like if you're really obsess like interested in safety, then we would actually start talking about the things that are making women unsafe, which are men. Like it's not men dressing as women, it's just straight up men. Like we need if anything, you know, like first
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: of all, why are there gendered bathrooms? It's bullshit to begin with because the male, I mean, I love going to dolphin games and watching the men's bathroom line be so long and just like waltz into the women's. I'm like, bye. But like everywhere else, the women's line is like 90 times longer than the men's. It's like, why can't there just be one bathroom that we all go into?
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, speak speaking of bathrooms, and this conversation came up the other day, and I've I know there's been some videos come out about some of this sort of thing, but it's like people always take children into the women's bathrooms because not only are they safer, cleaner, but there is this the subconscious association with women being caretakers and protecting children. So I saw a video
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes.
Tabitha Zeigler: a few months back.
About a father taking his daughter into the women's restroom, but like leaving the door cracked or whatever. And this other gentleman just lost his shit. You saw it? And
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I saw that, yeah. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: I'm like, this is a perfect example of the type of things that we're talking about. Because, like, how are we gonna have conversations like that and not have conversations like true conversations about Why child marriage has not been completely outlawed in the US? Why
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: we're making exceptions? Why you don't ever believe women like women have to be put through the gunlet? Like being from Oklahoma, I'm sure you heard
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: about this. That kid that raped all those girls brutally, like the shit. I was like,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes, yes. Yeah, almost killed them.
Tabitha Zeigler: what? And then basically they're like, well, you know. His grandpa's like a football, whatever, and you know, we don't want to ruin his future. I'm like, you all are
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: He ruined his future.
Tabitha Zeigler: you all are accomplices to that. Like that stuff, what kind of woman allows something like that in her own house? Like, we have to change the conversation about running cover for this kind of thing because
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: it's not just in the US, it's happening in the UK, but like these girls are being hunted.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Literally. And then these judges are like, well geez, you know, we don't want to ruin his future. I'm like, hey, there comes a point in time when you have to pay the piper. You know damn well what you're doing. And if you
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: can get away with that, then you're setting a precedence. And as a lawyer, I just want to let you cook on that for a while.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, and you know, that basically means you're letting you don't want to ruin his future. What is that future gonna be? Doing this to more women in the future? Because it absolutely is. Like that's not a behavior that you just accidentally do, you know? And I mean, I'm not saying that people are inherently criminal, but once they show you who they are, you don't just say, he was young. Like, no, a 17 year old boy, man, like, if you are inflicting lifelong lasting damage on other humans, your how those actions affect your future as the as the actor are literally irrelevant. Like that's the choice you made. And I don't know. Like if it was like, he he stole a car or something, like sure, treat him like a kid. Because it's you know a 17-year-old kid doesn't think through the consequences of what it means to steal a car. Like, that's grand theft auto, that's a felony, you know, all these things. It could have been a joke, a prank, or whatever. Like carrying out
a violent like sexual attack on multiple people shows like criminality. It shows that that's that's who you are. at least without reform. So Yeah, it it's disgusting. And women are I mean, I was the I was the victim of domestic violence in a a c like a relationship
Tabitha Zeigler: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: that was semi-casual. Like I had been dating somebody for like four months and it was like something snapped in his brain. I never had any warning of it before, but like He just like beat the crap out of me one day and threw me across the room, threw me through a sh like shattered coffee table. He was strangling me. I thought I was gonna die. and then all my friends walked in. And like, it's just you I mean, that was that was actually like a very traumatic emotional thing to go through because it's it's like what I thought you were. And what you are are like I was living in a different reality than what was true because you can't you can't square those two things. Like you you are either like this or you're not. Like you either feel
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: entitled to hit and beat women, or you don't. Like nobody accidentally hits a woman.
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah. Well it's a it just shows it's a societal issue, right? And there's a reason why there was a Me Too movement. because when we get to talking, most of us,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: something has happened to every single one of us. And like I'm also a domestic violence survivor, rape survivor. And but
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I'm sorry. That's
Tabitha Zeigler: well, yes, sorry to you too. But I think it's important that we tell our stories, right? But
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: I also think it's significant. How many of us have are choosing to tell our stories and running for Congress because we're seeing what's happening, right? And
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: especially with things like the Epstein files, especially the fact that, like, maybe we have family members that have voted for these people. And we can't square that either. We're like, right, you would say that your job is to protect me, to look out for my interests. And that is why you're voting for this man because he believes in family values. Yet any layperson. in your community in general that would be accused of sexual assault or pedophilia or whatever would instantly be an outcast unless they had money, unless
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: they had influence. And just to see, I mean, you know, you know, we've all been in those conversations with women. Well if we have that comfort level to to sit and actually have that conversation, which often takes years. Like I didn't talk about my rape for years. Because what that person did, because I was in a relationship. It was the friend of my boyfriend that did it in the in his apartment when he was in the other room.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: God. my God.
Tabitha Zeigler: And I didn't say, I mean, I did tell my boyfriend, but I
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Did he blame you?
Tabitha Zeigler: that was a weird situation. I I mean I I was 18 years old, you know, I
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: it was my first year of college. And I thought I was safe, right? Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: I had I was always in choir, I was in a madrigal, we had a good performance, we had a you know, a cast party, yeah, all that stuff. All that stuff that you do in college, right?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: And then I wanted to go see my boyfriend, so I went to his place and thought it was safe. And Turns out, as college kids are, you know, like him and his buddies had already been drinking and he was already asleep. But I felt safe to stay there. Well, turns out it was not.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: And that sort of thing happens a lot. But then what
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: that person did after the fact went back to my community, talked all kinds of smack. And I think the lasting trauma that that does to a person. That never goes away. That becomes a multi-generational thing. So when women like us see things like that and see how the sitting legislators deal with it, men are women. I'm not absolving anyone, right? But
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: the people that are currently occupying those seats and the visceral reaction just in general that the American public is having to that, and they're like, there's nothing to see here. We're like, hell no, like this is burn it down time. Like you don't get to do this to kids.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Like you don't get to do this to poor kids, to minority kids. Like all of these kids are American. And like,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: like you said, bring the adults back in the room. Like, what is the standard for this? And clearly we don't really have one because whether it's, you know, not, you know, singling anyone out. But just as an example, we're seeing the rise of white Christian nationalism.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: You have extremist beliefs whenever it comes to religion. And these normally are coupled with violence against women, violence against children, child marriage. And to watch this be actively implemented, like this is the end goal. I I think that's that's what's
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, yeah. And everybody's
Tabitha Zeigler: flaring us up right now, because we're like, hey, we're old enough to know better. And we had Roe versus Wade then. And the kind of shit that you guys want to pull with these babies, like, you're out of your goddamn minds.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, it it's
it's actually insane. And and you you know, going through something like that I also like I went to the emergency room, but then the police showed up and they were like, you know, this is a really serious accusation. It and I'm like, all right, get like get out. Like I don't need like two, you know, whatever. I I have some opinions on those two cops that showed up, but
Tabitha Zeigler: But that's the standard that happens all the time. And it like that's what we have to change. We have to change the conversation around it. Where it's like, hey, like if someone comes in here and says XYZ, you know, we need to be able to train police officers and, you know, first responders and all that to have the language to deal with it in a compassionate manner, not just how hard it is, right? To go into a situation
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, and it
Tabitha Zeigler: like that and that's what you're met with. And normally you're going by yourself because you're already ashamed. You know?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Luckily I had a friend that went with me, but and she was there to be like, I don't think these questions are appropriate. Like, please just give us a your card and we'll like contact you if we want to press charges or whatever. But that was the other thing is I I didn't really have faith in the justice system and I didn't think it was worth them trying to do whatever they could to drag me through the mud just to you know, because I was like, I'm done with this person. I'm never seeing them again, never speaking to them again. like, you know, I moved, changed my number. Well, no, change didn't change my number, but I blocked it. You know, like I was just like, I don't I never ever, ever wanna con like have communication with this person again. And I do have some guilt of like, well, what if you don't come forward and it happens to somebody else? And, you know, that thought crosses my mind a lot. And it's just so unfair that the justice system is the way that it is. And that, you know, when women do come forward, when other women are actually ready to speak out, and then other women are like, yes, finally, someone else. Like I can, I can say my story too. They're like, why didn't you say this when it happened? Well, Why don't you ask your like ask the question, why why does a police officer showing up to respond to a domestic violence victim immediately start lecturing me on how this is going to affect my abuser? Like, you, sir, are not qualified to be doing this. We need, you know, like if police get all this funding, like then there needs to be special training for. certain things and you can show up without a gun, without a taser, like it's not s like it's not dangerous. You just need to do some investigative work or you know, whatever. It's just like the way that we're spending money on this stuff is also just asinine. Like
Tabitha Zeigler: 100%. Well, let's talk about this too, right? Like how prevalent it is to happen to women of color and how that
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes.
Tabitha Zeigler: goes underreported. did you see recently Loomer talking about some very fine ladies and some of these ladies in your state? Maybe you'd
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes. Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: like to speak on that with like Angie Nixon and Ayana Presley and all that. What do you think about that?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: It is actually outrageous that Laura Loomer can just be out here spewing race racist hatred, hate hate-filled vitriol. Like there is no pretense for what she is saying other than just making racist comments. Like she's a disgusting, vile human. And, you know, I'm not. I'm not one to be mean to people unless they deserve it, but like I feel like the Republicans need to be bullied at this point. Like
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, at the very least, right, like held accountable because like I was raised by Republicans. I
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: That's that's a better way to put it.
Tabitha Zeigler: was raised right by Republicans. And there was a day for quite a few years whenever I was a child. Like the type of language that I would hear was always things like, you know, small government, stay out of our bedrooms, stay out of people's business,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Exactly.
Tabitha Zeigler: all that. And then now they've circled back and they're like, Nah, actually, like we kinda like all that. And we kinda like those, you know, extremist content creators that will, you know. throw language around, which I always think like the the root is clearly racism. And I will say I'm a massive fan of Angie Nixon. I have been following
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: that. I've been rooting her on and I'm like, you go get Angie. Like you've got fans up north. You got fans in Indiana. I would love to have you as a senator representing me.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, I think that she is going to win. I mean, Ashley Moody is literally a crook. She is a criminal. She is a fraudster, as is most of the Republican leadership in the state of Florida. Like, let's run through it real fit fast. Ron DeSantis like stole $10 million of taxpayer funds to fund a campaign against the marijuana and abortion ballot measures that we had that would have passed. They required a supermajority. I think they both got like fifty-six or fifty-seven percent, but they spent ten million dollars of this money against those ballot measures. And
Tabitha Zeigler: And wasn't that money meant for children?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: exactly. And it was all it was like a settlement from Centeen overbilling the state on their like Medicare plans or something. And Ron DeSantis was owed that money since 2021. And then when twenty twenty four came around, he was like, hey, I know you've been trying to give me sixty seven million dollars for two years. Now I want it, but ten million of it has to go to my wife's charity so that then she can
pay it out to the Republican Party. Like it's it's literally insane. And then the the fact that
Tabitha Zeigler: Definition of corruption.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, and so Rhon DeSantis was in that. Ashley Moody was the attorney general who's now running against Angie Nixon, and she basically, you know, greenlighted this whole thing and obviously got appointed to the role that she's in by Ron DeSantis because of her complicity in in the fraud. Rick Scott was the CEO of A healthcare company in the early 2000s that at the time had the largest jury award against it for fraud against the American people. He stepped down as the CEO before the j the verdict came in and he claims that he had no knowledge of what was happening while he was the CEO of the company. But it's just like what the actual Guys, like we're literally letting frauds and and Mario Diaz Balart's like, we can't have health care because of fraud. I'm like, y'all are the fraudsters. You're the reason we can't have healthcare. Thank you for pointing that out.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, not not just that, right? Like, but it most of us can balance a checkbook. And then there are ir irregardless, right? From a nonpartisan perspective, most normal working class people, which is like 99% of the country, is gonna say, actually, you know what? Like, we need to take care of our kids, we need to take care of care of their education, we need to make sure that they can bust a school. Like there might be some arguments about should we pay for school lunch? Should we not? But like most people will be like, no, like school's important for kids. And then when politicians go and do things like that, that literally takes money from kids, it's like you guys are supposed to be the party of family values. Like you're making our argument for us. You can't be like, no, we're about family values, but we believe in pedophiles and we support them and we support rape and we're not gonna question that. Like Where's the family values and all of that?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Child marriage. Yeah, and we only care about children when they're unborn and they're the pretext for controlling women's bodies and lives. Like if you really cared about children, you would have policies that would take care of a parentless child. Like, imagine an orphan, what like, okay, we don't have adequate foster care. like my my older brother before he passed was a foster parent and they were trying to foster to adopt and so you know I I disagreed with him very, very strongly on abortion. He thought it was, you know, he's he's Republican. He's he thinks it's morally wrong, whatever. and I gave him a little bit of grace because I'm like, what if you are a white man who is actively fostering child, you know, like you're taking in foster children and you want to adopt a ch like additional children. I'll give you a pass to have this like idiotic opinion. I'm just kidding, it's not idiotic, but it's like
Tabitha Zeigler: No, no, I know what you mean though. Like you have those that it makes sense to them. So when they're making their argument, I think the mental hurdle hurdle is tougher, right? And we're we're not saying that they're right, but we're saying at least like these people have the capacity to get there eventually if they're presented with correct information. And this is why science is important. This is why like speaking to women and like truly taking into account what they say is important. I mean, maybe if you're yeah, right. Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Science is important.
Tabitha Zeigler: sometimes they unfortunately, and I think this is what's happening in the States, sometimes it just has to get so shitty that there's no other option but to see it clearly for what it is. And I think that's sort of the path that we're on. It's like at this point, if you're still drinking the Kool-Aid and you can't see the forest for the trees, like You're an adult, there's only so much I can do to help you, but I will still keep pumping out that information, I will still leave that door open, we can still have a conversation, and when you're ready, we will be here.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. And and it's I guess back to Angie Nixon, I do think that with all this corruption and like all the stuff that's coming out about Ashley Moody and just the fact that Angie Nixon is an amazing woman who you know, frankly, like what she did in the State House, you know, with the pink bullhorn. objecting to the gerrymandering, that's exactly what every single person that's the that's the behavior I expect from my elected representatives. And exactly
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah, that's exactly the energy we need.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: so like where is that in in the US House? Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: And frankly, I on both sides of the aisle. No one's saying a Republican can't do it. Like if you feel some like something strongly and you're representing your constituents, you need to speak up. Like there need to be varied voices. But we just have to, if you're if you are Republican and you happen to be listening to this, hold your people accountable. Like we're we're not like thinking that you're irredeemable. It's just like,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: please, for God's sake, like rise to the occasion. Be the adults in the room, start to like put your foot down, start to stand ten toes down on something. Because that's what the progressives are doing. We're going against our own party a lot of the times. Like, hey, this is bullshit. Like if you're a humanist, you can't be for genocide. Like you have to be able to say it. It's a thing. It's happening.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. And I I think to that point, like what I'm hearing, especially in South Florida, is all politicians are the same. They all say one thing, and then when they're elected, they do another. And to that I say, that has been true, yes. And
In order to suss out who is going to say one thing and do another, and who's actually going to do what they say is the people who are running this race for the American people who aren't taking corporate pack money, who aren't taking APAC money. Because I truly think that you just boil the situation down to who's taking APAC money and who's not. And the people that are taking APAC money, Democrat, Democrat, Republican, it doesn't matter. They're basic they they're all part of one They're part of one giant party and exactly.
Tabitha Zeigler: Someone owns their vote. They own them.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: And and they they play this game of like, you know, you take the fall this time and and you know, we'll all vote the way that we're supposed to. And I don't know if you saw, I'm about to do like a two-hour roast of this bill that they presented yesterday, and I'm horrified to learn that it was drafted by four. Democrats of denouncing the DSA. Did you see this?
Tabitha Zeigler: You know, I have been a little busy lately. I've probably not been as up to date. But I knew they were
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah. It was like last night and and
Tabitha Zeigler: coming after the DSA. Like I I am not affiliated with DSA. Like I know some people
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Me either.
Tabitha Zeigler: that are. But yeah, this is just like the next red scare.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: It is, it is actually, so I I I was I was talking to my husband and I was like you know ripping it apart. And he was like, Well, if it actually says that, I'm what do mean it if it actually says that? I'm reading it right now. And he's you're reading it? I'm like, Yeah. It's literally four pages of idiocy. Who wrote this? The r the reason why I saw it was because, of course, when we're in the middle of an illegal war that I think just hit six months. our bond market is about to collapse, which means our dollar is about to collapse because of this illegal war. We're spending all our money on this war for Israel. Like, when all of that is happening, Mario Diaz Bilart is posting on his socials that this bill to condemn DSA is like what he's working on. And it's just so comical that they cannot see. on its face, how like un-American and unconstitutional this is. Like you literally wrote a bill condemning a way of thought. Like that that is so un-American. And they literally
Tabitha Zeigler: So
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: are like, like Miami not Miami, New York has elected this literally is in the bill. Like they elected a socialist mayor. It's like, okay, so now the US House of Representatives is like making it their job to condemn the votes of millions of people across this country because it's different than what they view the Democratic Party is and Jared Moskowitz views
Tabitha Zeigler: Listen.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: it as just, you know, the US government is a funnel for Israel.
Tabitha Zeigler: This is why history is important. So I would challenge everybody to Google McCarthyism and the Red Scare, because when you know enough about history, you can start to piece these things together and you see that it's cyclical. And basically,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes.
Tabitha Zeigler: what's been happening in the US that I think a large part of the population is catching on to, it's like, right, every time that the US population really gets in the dumps and they're trying to make it a serfdom, the people start to rise up. And then they get beat back down. And it just keeps
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: cycling and cycling. And that's why it's so important when we talk to people to be like, hey, the race issues, the gender issues, the sex issues, all of the things are there on purpose to splinter you. Because
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Mm-hmm.
Tabitha Zeigler: ultimately, the 1% at the top who have all this investment in things like war, right? Like, It's not a coincidence that Donald Trump's sons are investing money in like having businesses that they're getting money from the federal government to continue work. Like none of that is a a coincidence. And so like now is the time to lock in because I feel like this is gonna be Yeah, there you go. Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Lock in, that's my theme. Lock in
Tabitha Zeigler: there there has not been an election that has been so important in the US for a while. And if it is.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I think this is pivotal. Like, if we don't win, we might not
Tabitha Zeigler: It is.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: have a democracy anymore.
Tabitha Zeigler: It is. And you know, there's a lot of things that we can argue all day about, right? But ultimately, we have to get real tight on what our values are, what we stand for as Americans, and what we're going to do about it. So I know you have to go, and we'll just go ahead and wrap this up. But I ask everybody we talked about a lot of things today. If there is one thing, That you want the public to remember about you, Nicole Laughlin, from this conversation. What would that be and what do you stand for?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: I stand for America, the Constitution, the rule of law, and what that truly means, which is this is the land of freedom of opportunity. You should be able to come here, work hard, live a good life, and live it how you want to live it, and not have it dictated to you by a bunch of like eighty-five-year-old white men that you know don't even know the difference between like you know, a period and menopause. Like they just you know, it it's it's insane. But basically, I am an ally. I I know that I'm white, but don't hold that against me. I I want to bring people to the table that have voices that we need to listen you know, we need to listen to the voices that are have been living these situations. We need when we're making decisions as a nation about a group of people, Those people need to be involved in
the conversation. And, you know, I think it's just fundamentally we need to go back to an America where we actually enforce our laws. Like we have anti-monopoly laws, we have anti-money laundering laws. We have like they're just not being enforced. So I think it's ultimately time to hold all of these criminals accountable in the Epstein class, which I think includes a large percentage. Of our elected officials, and not just on the Republican side. And I do not care, party or otherwise, if you are involved in the trafficking, sex, sex trafficking, murder, baby farming, eating babies, simply you need to go to prison for the rest of your life. And I plan to, I'm, I'm a part of, you know, the I took the pledge to like remove and impeach immediately. and I have a list of people that and and feel free to have your listeners send me a list of of grievances that they want they want resolved, but like Pam Bondy, Todd Blanche, like you are never gonna be lawyers again. Like, let's be clear. So yeah, that was a really long-winded s way of saying, like
Tabitha Zeigler: No, it's not long winded at all. I think it's important. Like I I'm with you. Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: I never would have done this in a million years. It like it wasn't on my bingo card to run for Congress. You know, like none of that.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: No. And I don't know about you, but I'm I'm like, I'm just waiting for the personal attacks to come. I mean, like the first one of the first posts I did on X was like people were calling me like Xanax Barbie. I'm like, I mean, that's not the worst thing. One of the one of the Gen Zers on my staff was like, Let's get pink little crop tops. I'm like, I mean, if you want to do that, go ahead. But I don't know if that's the brand, but yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Well, I do love that you have Gen Z on your staff though.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: yeah, yeah. We have our director of of youth outreach is they're both FIU students, and we're gonna try really hard to to break through to the Gen Z crowd, especially here in in South Florida where you know a lot of 75% of my district is Hispanic. and you know, the the older generation, especially the people who are our Americans now who fled Cuba obviously feel a very different way about voting Democrat. you know, in large part because of lies that have been told to them. but I do think that Gen Z is much more willing and much more ready to say that, yeah, this bullshit isn't working. Like you can't sit here on one hand, Mario Diaz Balar as a Cuban American. Saying that you that you want to protect immigrants while voting for the big beautiful bill for additional funding for ICE, saying nothing when TPS status is revoked for Haitians and Venezuelans. You know, it's just it's it's enough. And people need to be held accountable. And I guess that's the last thing I would leave is like, I want things to change and I definitely have a positive future for America. But step one is accountability. People need to go to jail.
Tabitha Zeigler: yeah, like the I hope to God that Congress is saturated with progressives that are just like,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes, and Angie in the Senate.
Tabitha Zeigler: yeah, just like, hey, we're gonna bring it home. Like we're working people. Like, I would love to see the Congress and the Senate with like educators, plumbers, construction workers, like they are a representative truly of the American people. Like, no more multi-generational. you know, like millionaire Nepo babies that feel that, you
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Exactly.
Tabitha Zeigler: know, we owe them no more of
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: that. And so I would encourage my listeners in your district, wherever you are, if you have right, but like specifically cities,
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: South Florida. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: right? Like Miami areas that are in your district.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: yeah, I am so unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County, and then Hileah, Miami Gardens, Miami Springs, Doral, Miami Lakes, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Southwest Ranches, parts of Davy and Cooper City. So basically, if you're looking at Miami, it's like the west side. So The the like Brickle City Center Miami Beach is on the on the east side, and then I have the west side portion. Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: Got it. So anybody that may be listening that was uncertain who is running for Congress in your district, you have found a good one here. And I would encourage you to reach out to her campaign. How can they get a hold of you?
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: LachlanforCongress.com, L-O-C-K-L-I-N-F-O-R-Congress.com. that has a form to sign up if you're interested in volunteering. We have virtual phone banks on mobilize. just search for Nicole Lachlan for Congress. And you can also find those events on our website. And yeah, obviously ACBLU, any amount helps. I don't take corporate pack money, I don't take APAC money. And Mario Diaz Balart, I think, has gotten over a million dollars for APAC and He's working for Israel. So yeah. So
Tabitha Zeigler: Of course he is. That's the standard.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: yeah. And with with the with the Democrats we have here in Florida, we yeah, like who needs Republicans? But I'm a different type of Democrat. So one that wins.
Tabitha Zeigler: Yeah. Well, and and like we talked about, you know, like there has to be a baseline and honestly, like human rights for all is the bare minimum. Like
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah.
Tabitha Zeigler: it doesn't matter what color you are, what background you, you know, have, job you have, where you're from, what it like, we're all basically the same and people need to lock into that.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Exactly. Lock in. And I and then one last thing I will say, like, I also believe that the government exists to provide services to its constituents, not to take all of their money and murder little girls in other countries. Like that's you know, they're like, we don't have money. Like, yeah, we do. We just stop spending it on 14 million dollar rockets and fund children's food or education, you know? It's
Tabitha Zeigler: I mean, that's what a novel idea. Like spend some of our money
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yeah, what a novel idea.
Tabitha Zeigler: that we have given our government that's supposed to represent us for things that we need.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Calling them entitlements is like mm, that's a weird way to say my money. Like
Tabitha Zeigler: I mean, this administration, we we should, we should, we have more.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: We should talk again. We have more topics to cover.
Tabitha Zeigler: But anyways, I will let you go because I know you have things to do. Thank you for what you're doing. I very much appreciate it. I'm super excited to know that you're part of the neurodivergent community because
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Yes.
Tabitha Zeigler: we need more of those people representing us in Congress as well. And thank you so much for coming today. I very much appreciate you. once again, if anybody wants to reach out and help. Her. It's Nicole Lachland. She's running for Florida Congressional District 26. So let's help get her into office, and we'll see you all next time.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Awesome. Thank you so much.
Tabitha Zeigler: Thank you.
Nicole Locklin for US Congress: Bye.