FOUNDER & HOST

Some people would say the creator of Lost in the Middle can’t hold a job.

After a 14-year career as an Emmy award-winning reporter, he upset a 32-year Democratic Congressman. Despite winning his four elections by an average of 63% he stayed true to his term limit pledge and retired. He had the 3rd most independent voting record of any Wisconsin Member of Congress in the last 50 years.

Scott Klug is the co-chair of the Federal Public Affairs Practice at the national law firm of Foley & Lardner LLP. Here he is able to add a third checkmark to the axis of evil. A journalist, a politician, and a lobbyist.

After he left Congress, Klug created a successful publishing company, which he sold in 2007. He is a member of the Board of Visitors at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Scott is also a board member at Madison’s One City charter school and several private companies.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Before Politico and Axios, there was WisPolitics.com, co-founded by Mayers in 2000. For more than 20 years, the Madison-based nonpartisan site and news service has been the go-to source for Wisconsin's political and business elite during a time of especially close and contentious elections. Along the way, he has gained the respect of top national journalists like Jim Vandehei and Chuck Todd, who have appeared at WisPolitics.com anniversary events.

Before WisPolitics.com, Mayers was a reporter and editor at the Associated Press and the Wisconsin State Journal. He is also the co-author of several books on fly fishing and golf travel. You might find him doing "research" on these topics across Wisconsin.

CREATIVE TEAM

Husband and wife team Claudia Looze and Anthony Wood have over twenty-five years experience creating narrative films, feature documentaries, audio and live stage productions.

Ms. Looze was co-producer and editor of the award winning PBS-TV series The Making of Milwaukee. as well as the recent production The People of the Port: The Story of Milwaukee’s Jones Island, both in partnership with writer and historian John Gurda.

Mr. Wood is a prolific writer, actor, director and producer, responsible for writing over fifty short plays, including Who’s A Good Boy? which is published in the anthology Great Short Plays Volume 1. He is also the author of the Holiday musical A Cudahy Caroler Christmas, the award winning podcast Land Yacht Radio With Lefty and Red, and the feature film The Field, currently streaming on Paramount + .

PRODUCTION TEAM

Todd Allbaugh is director for Lost in the Middle. He is host of Civic Media’s “Todd Allbaugh Show” and offers a unique perspective on growing up in SW Wisconsin, 30 years in politics and government as a former Republican, and current events. With a self-described “mutt resume,” Todd has done it all–from bailing hay to hosting presidential visits, owning a coffee business to helping call a Final Four.

Aaron Zommers is senior producer at Civic Media.

With an ear trained as a classical musician, Aaron is the maestro behind the production of Lost in the Middle and other Civic Media shows. He's still looking for an opportunity to add in a trombone solo.

WEBMASTER, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

David Wise serves as webmaster and newsletter editor for WisPolitics. In addition to his primary duties, he shoots video and photos and assists reporters with special projects.

He joined WisPolitics in 2003 as a reporting intern and over the years has served in various editorial and operational capacities.

When he's out of the office you can often find him in the woods hiking or mountain biking or on a local par 3 hitting double bogeys.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Matthew van Bastelaer is a recent graduate of UW-Madison with degrees in Strategic Communications and Psychology, with a minor in Sports Communications. He has completed various internships in the marketing and communications field, but most recently can be found at Il Leone, an outdoor pizza restaurant on Peaks Island, Maine. As the pizza season comes to a close, he is excited to continue honing his communications skills with Lost in the Middle.

As extreme voices on both the left and the right continue to garner outsized attention, we cannot lose sight of the fact that most voters want to see pragmatism and consensus-building from their elected leaders.

America is facing big challenges and we need leaders capable of meeting the moment. Simply put, we need more substantive ideas, more optimism, and less partisan bomb-throwing.

Scott Klug knows this, and it is why he’s talking with experts and Americans who are united in their desire to improve the tone and quality of our political discourse. With America so polarized, the "Lost Political Middle" is a perfect subject to focus on.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI)

It is easy to get discouraged by the constant fighting and bickering we see every day in politics.

Thankfully, there are countless examples of Americans breaking through the polarization and working to bridge the partisan divide.

Nobody does a better job of telling these stories than “The Lost Political Middle.” Do yourself a favor and listen to these inspiring conversations with real Americans dedicated to making a difference.

Jason Altmire, former U.S. congressman (D-Pa.) and author of “Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It.”

For years, I’ve called myself politically homeless. Rather than bemoan that fact, I’m committed to systemic changes like Final Five Voting that realign incentives in our politics. I welcome more uplifting voices and stories that show change is possible. That’s why I’m so excited about Lost in the Middle. Listen, get inspired, and get engaged!

Katherine Gehl, Business Leader, Author, & Founder, The Campaign for Final Five Voting

As usual, my former House, colleague, Scott Klug, has a good idea to try to make our political system work better. His podcast, the Lost Political Middle, is timely and important as a way to showcase the reality that most Americans are tired of the partisanship, and want our elected officials on both sides to find common ground to solve problems important to them and their families.

Former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Founder , The Portman Center for Policy Solutions

Hell of a lot of fun. Great Story telling. Klug manages to find people across the country who are trying to change the current political culture. And as we all know, boy. does it need changing.

Former U.S. Rep Jack Quinn (R-NY)

A breath of fresh air in an all-too-toxic world Tired of assaults on democracy and people who won’t accept defeat? Here’s a nice break from all of that.

Paul Maslin, Dem pollster and California-based research partner at FM3.

As a former Democratic congresswoman in a Trump district, I lived in the political middle. This was my life for the past decade in Congress. And it could feel politically lonely — and frustrating.

Always looking for signs of hope and enlightenment, it’s great to see the launch of the “Lost Political Middle” podcast. I plan to listen intently to each episode — especially the first one that features Rockford, Illinois, a city I served in Congress.

My hope is that Americans far and wide learn that the way forward in our democracy is not through the extremes — but right up the middle.

Former U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.)

Scott Klug is the perfect host for the podcast that is most needed today. He represented the Congressional District anchored in Madison WI for eight years, a seat that the Democrats have now won by at least 35 points six elections in a row.

The initial podcasts begin to reveal the true problem - the question is no longer even "are you conservative or liberal enough" depending on your partisan primary, but a universal question from the small percentage of Americans who vote in either primary, "Are you ANGRY enough to represent me."

The first podcast started with the best example, the now deep red state of Ohio elected a compromise Speaker on a bipartisan vote just a couple of years after the legislature compromised on redistricting reform to give more minority input on districts. These moves showed that officials can still fight for their conservative (or liberal in a blue state) ideals while still taking steps to enable actual dialogue and governing.

I am very excited to see the other themes the podcast plans to build on this great kickoff of the series

John Pudner, Republican Strategist, Alabama