Rephonic
Artwork for Defending Democracy

Defending Democracy with Marc Elias

Democracy Docket
Donald Trump
Voting Rights
Republican Party
Democracy
Democracy Docket
Department Of Justice
Voting Rights Act
Supreme Court
Democratic Party
Voter Suppression
Gerrymandering
Redistricting
Texas
Authoritarianism
2026 Elections
Elections
Congress
Epstein Files
North Carolina
American Democracy

Every week, election lawyer Marc Elias interviews lawmakers, policy leaders and changemakers about the problems facing our democracy and how we fix them.

PublishesDailyEpisodes247Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Defending Democracy

Latest Episodes

Marc Elias sits down with Brian Tyler Cohen to discuss his new book, "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World," which makes the case that Democrats need to fight harder and prioritize outcomes over institutional deference. They break ... more

The Supreme Court's term just ended, and the results were mixed for voting rights. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias breaks down the wins — including a 5-4 ruling protecting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day — and the losses, including Lou... more

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joins Marc Elias on Defending Democracy for a wide-ranging conversation on Trump's Justice Department and blatant corruption, the Supreme Court's assault on voting rights and the decades-long right-wing machi... more

The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship 6-3, rejecting Trump's executive order — but three justices sided with Trump, and Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence signals the fight may not be over. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias also breaks down ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Talking Feds
Talking FedsHarry Litman
Main Justice
Main JusticeMS NOW, Andrew Weissmann, Mary McCord
UnJustified
UnJustifiedMSW Media
#SistersInLaw
#SistersInLawPoliticon

Recent Guests

Barbara McQuade
Former US Attorney in Michigan, law professor, author
Episode: Is Trump Really Just a Mob Boss? | Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade
Justin Pearson
Representative, Tennessee politics and voting rights advocate
Tennessee House of Representatives
Episode: The State That Moved Fastest to Gut Black Votes | Rep. Justin Pearson
Skye Perryman
CEO of Democracy Forward
Democracy Forward
Episode: They're Stopping Trump's $1.8 Billion Slush Fund | Skye Perryman
Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic leader and Speaker pro tempore, discussing redistricting and Democratic strategy
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: Hakeem Jeffries on Gerrymander War: "The Empire State Will Strike Back"
Michael Popok
Trial lawyer, co-founder of Legal AF
Legal AF
Episode: Trump's DOJ Has Stopped Making Sense | Legal AF
Brian Tyler Cohen
Host of a large political YouTube channel; author of The Day After
Self-produced media/publisher
Episode: The New Rules for the Post-Trump Era | Brian Tyler Cohen
Ashley Cleaves
Legal Content Editor at Democracy Docket
Democracy Docket
Episode: Republicans Keep Losing Voting Rights Cases
Chris Van Hollen
United States Senator from Maryland
U.S. Senate
Episode: Are Republican Voters Finally Turning Against Trump? | Sen. Chris Van Hollen
Alex Padilla
Senator, California; former Secretary of State
United States Senate
Episode: Trump Is Building a National Voter List — And It's Worse Than You Think | Sen. Alex Padilla

Host

Marc Elias
Host of Defending Democracy with Marc Elias; prominent election-law attorney and founder of Democracy Docket

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 813 ratings
  • Marc Elias is the best!

    Thanks for the continuing great information defending our democracy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CooperDemi1234
    United States2 months ago
  • You missed the headline!

    I love you! I do appreciate the work you’re doing. I could listen to your passion all day! But, your episode with Hakeem Jeffries missed a big opportunity. As leader of the DCCC they are meddling and interfering in state elections where progressive candidates are wanted and needed. Jeffries is NOT the leader for this fight. He’s too in bed with large $$.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Maitri Patri
    United States2 months ago
  • Keeping me informed

    Marc Elias and his team are doing amazing work to keep us informed in a very clear and concise manner. Thank you for all that you do!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tiagrant
    United States2 months ago
  • Spread the truth

    Excellent source to understand why close to 1/2 Americans feel there’s election fraud (the big lie), including democrats.

    I wish all the courts that rejected the 2020 fraud cases would do a collective signed OpEd published in every major media

    In short, MAGA leader lives rent free in everyone’s head - thanks to the mainstream media who’s incapable of not covering him/them

    - they have to stop covering him/them 24/7 unless they have something of material fact to discuss!!

    “We the people” ar... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WordPlayer500
    United States3 months ago
  • Share this Podcast

    Please tell friends and family about this podcast. Everyone must understand the Republicans’ plot to strip Democrats of their constitutional right to vote. Look at the Texas primaries.

    We all must be aware that those long, long lines can stop some people from casting a vote due to job and family obligations. And, there is No voter fraud problem in the USA.

    The right to vote was won through bloodshed. Please spread the word and listen each week to stay informed.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BGDem
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Grounded analysis that informs listeners about practical actions to defend democracy.
Insightful legal explanations that make complex court decisions understandable.
High-quality guests and timely discussion of voting rights battles across states.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#113
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#156
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#205
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#123
Sweden/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#186
Finland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#191
Mexico/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The State That Moved Fastest to Gut Black Votes | Rep. Justin Pearson
Q: What is the broader message for voters and supporters?
Stay engaged, build multiracial, cross-issue coalitions, and keep fighting for democracy and fair representation despite intimidation and systemic barriers.
The State That Moved Fastest to Gut Black Votes | Rep. Justin Pearson
Q: How did the expulsion incident influence the race and movement?
Pearson describes the expulsion as racially motivated and a turning point that amplified organizing and a determination to run again, ultimately leading to a stronger campaign base.
The State That Moved Fastest to Gut Black Votes | Rep. Justin Pearson
Q: What happened with the redistricting and hearings?
The maps were introduced and passed in a hurry, with no public hearings or proper notice, reflecting a strategy to consolidate power and silence voters, particularly Black communities.
Is Trump Really Just a Mob Boss? | Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade
Q: What inspired you to write The Fix, and what should readers take away?
McQuade discusses recognizing the expansion of executive power in Trump's second term, drawing parallels to organized crime and corrupt officials, and offering strategies to counter such behavior with law, policy, and collective action.
Is Trump Really Just a Mob Boss? | Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade
Q: What practical steps can concerned citizens take to protect democracy?
She advocates local civic engagement—from volunteering in campaigns and running for local offices to peaceful protest and leveraging organizations like the League of Women Voters to inform and mobilize voters.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Defending Democracy

What is Defending Democracy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently centers on defending democratic norms through detailed legal and policy analysis of voting rights, redistricting, and constitutional governance. Episodes typically feature a mix of election-law experts, lawmakers, and political commentators who dissect court decisions, state maps, and federal policy, while offering practical actions for organizers and advocates. A standout trait is the clear, data-driven approach to complex legal topics, often paired with calls to stay informed, subscribe, and engage with ongoing democracy-focused litigation and reform efforts. The show's strength lies in translating high-stakes legal battles into accessible takeaways for practitioners, advocates, and listeners who want to understa... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Defending Democracy?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Defending Democracy. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Defending Democracy and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Defending Democracy get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Defending Democracy, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Defending Democracy?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Defending Democracy, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Defending Democracy have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Defending Democracy has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Defending Democracy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Defending Democracy:

1. Talking Feds
2. Main Justice
3. UnJustified
4. #SistersInLaw
5. The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell

How many episodes of Defending Democracy are there?

Defending Democracy launched 4 years ago and published 247 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Defending Democracy?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Defending Democracy?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Defending Democracy from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Defending Democracy?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Defending Democracy. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Defending Democracy?

Recent guests on Defending Democracy include:

1. Barbara McQuade
2. Justin Pearson
3. Skye Perryman
4. Hakeem Jeffries
5. Michael Popok
6. Brian Tyler Cohen
7. Ashley Cleaves
8. Chris Van Hollen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days