Summary

In this episode of The Zekely Podcast host Zeke interviews Jared Hoffman, a Pennsylvanian who shifted from Republican to Democrat, blending his roots in service, politics, and community activism. Jared shares his compelling journey, insights into rural politics, and how local engagement can shape state-wide change.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jared Hoffman

01:57 The Switch

04:32 Fireman

06:01 Too Hot to Handle

08:33 Manager

11:00 Binge Watching

12:13 Ted Lasso

16:27 Young Democrats

18:41 Reenact

20:56 Let's Be Civil

23:50 Captain

26:07 At the Doors

29:41 Movie Star

31:45 Identity

33:52 Disaffected

35:10 Hope

36:46 The Future

37:48 Wrap-Up

Synder County Democrats: https://snydercountydems.com/

Full Video Episode Available On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheZekelyPodcast

Short Clips Can Be Found On TikTok: @drzeketayler/@thezekelypodcast and Instagram: @thezekelypodcast

www.thezekelypodcast.com

Zeke (: 00:00

Hello, I'm Zeke, and welcome to The Zekely Podcast. Let's talk Pennsylvania. The guest I have today was born and raised in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and has existed on both ends of the political spectrum. Once a young active Republican, he switched parties in 2019 to help Democratic candidates after seeing the chaos that was Trump's first presidency. Since then, he's been rallying both Republican and Democratic voters to engage in the Democratic process. Thank you so much for being here, Jared Hoffman.

I’m Zeke, a doctor, a Pennsylvanian and unapologetic supporter of Democratic values. You might have seen me on social media working my ass off for Democrats and meeting some pretty amazing people along the way - like President Barack Obama and Governor Josh Shapiro.

For years, I’ve knocked thousands of doors all over Pennsylvania and poured my heart and soul into supporting candidates and causes that make a difference—from local school board races to national elections. The personal is political, and I take every election in Pennsylvania personally.

Where the mainstream media has failed you, I will give you truth and independence. You’ll hear from Democratic leaders, candidates, and change-makers who are working to improve the health of the Commonwealth, and it won’t be boring as hell.

No matter where you are, I’ll meet you with hope and a plan to make your community better one day at a time. Welcome to the Zekely Podcast. Let’s talk Pennsylvania.

Jared Hoffman (: 01:21

Hey, thanks, Zeke.

Zeke (: 01:22

Hey, I love that with the podcast and the virtual nature of it, I can talk to people all over Pennsylvania. And you live north of Harrisburg, correct? That's like the Snyder County area.

Jared Hoffman (: 01:32

Yeah, so I'm roughly about 40 minutes an hour north of Harrisburg, so know, close to the Capitol but you know, still far enough away where we have more cows than people.

Zeke (: 01:37

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah, no, I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. So when I walked outside the door in the morning, there were corn fields all around me. So I'm sure that's probably kind of what you're used to.

Jared Hoffman (: 01:51

Yeah, 100%.

Zeke (: 01:53

Well, thank you so much for being here. We're going to play some games and learn all about you. Are you ready?

Jared Hoffman (: 01:57

absolutely.

Zeke (: 01:57

All right, well, as I said, you entered politics at about the age of 17 and at that time a Republican. And by the time you were 18, you were engaging with voters and helping the Republican committee, but that all changed in 2016. So tell me about that period of time.

Jared Hoffman (: 02:12

So the way I was born and raised, like it was a very conservative family, but yet we were pragmatic. We were people that, you know, looked to help our neighbors regardless of your

And come: 2016

And it was probably about three months into his term and I'm like, my God, this guy's nuts. I couldn't anymore. ⁓

So I tried to stay in the party to try to, you know, be a voice against the the MAGAs that were coming up that were starting to take a stranglehold on local parties. know, unfortunately, that was a wasted effort. I was called a traitor. I was cast out from the party. You know, people just accused me of being a RINO and I'm like, you know what, I'm done. So then I did some soul searching. I looked at, you know, party platforms for

Democrats, libertarians, greens, and just kind of do my own ⁓ research on it. And I came to figure out like, hey, the democratic platform is really where I fit in. Like I believed in raising the minimum wage. I believe that no one should be bankrupt because of a health scare, that no one should just live in perpetual poverty, that they should have the means to live a grand life and be able to have the

support there, whether it's from their neighbors, their state government, their federal government, using government to help people instead of constrict them.

Zeke (: 03:31

It's really interesting because I feel like you and I were raised very similarly in that, you you kind of absorb the political party that you're raised as, and a lot of times, right? I mean, you don't question it that much and you just kind of fill yourself with what you're used to. And then all of a sudden a schism happens, you know, and like there's a fracture and you're like, my God, everything that was fed to me was wrong.

I can relate a lot to your experiences I didn't have the same type of negative interactions with people that I was around because

I wasn't as engaged politically at your age. I was not helping out with my local Republican party. was just, I voted like every four years. I don't even think I knew what a midterm was, to be honest.

But I'm very happy that you wound up on the Democratic side because as you learned when you read the party platform, it's got the best stuff. It's got the best shit in it, right?

we understand that when done correctly, the government helps the most people. So I'm glad that you took that journey and wound up in the right place.

Jared, you are a 10-year veteran of the Shamokin Dam and Crazerville Fire Departments. So what made you want to run into burning buildings? I have to know.

Jared Hoffman (: 04:41

again, it was just the way I was brought up. Like we believed in service above self. We believed in, you know, helping our

after high school, I went in there and like, Hey, I want to help you guys out. And I've been doing it ever since. And that's another thing that I don't regret. You meet a lot of great people. You learn a lot of good things.

And you're just, you're there for service for the community to make sure that they are safe, that they have a peace of mind knowing that there are people there willing to lay down their lives for their community.

Zeke (: 05:10

What's the craziest firefighting story that you have for me?

Jared Hoffman (: 05:13

probably falling through a few floors. Falling right through the floor.

Zeke (: 05:15

You fell through a few floors? my gosh.

Like two? Three? Like what's a few?

Jared Hoffman (: 05:21

Probably one from like the second floor to the first floor it happens to the best of us

Zeke (: 05:22

One floor? Okay, one floor.

my God, and you walked away, no problems. Is it because of the equipment you were wearing, I assume?

Jared Hoffman (: 05:30

Yeah, I...

Oh yeah. Yep, I had all the equipment on, but you know, sometimes you just feel the floor get sponged and you're like, oh crap, and next thing you know, you're landing on a sofa down on the first floor. like, well, that was fun. Not really.

Zeke (: 05:43

get like a special patch and a high five when you get back to the fire station when that happens to you? Is it like a rite of passage?

Jared Hoffman (: 05:49

No, I just said a Hail Mary and like, ooh, it got him so alive.

Zeke (: 05:51

And that was then

thank goodness you walked out of there. god. Well again, thank you for your service. It's very important. We have people like you volunteer to keep the community safe.

Jared Hoffman (: 05:55

Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

Zeke (: 06:02

All right, we're gonna play a game called Too Hot to Handle in honor of you being a firefighter, okay? So have you ever heard of the show Too Hot to Handle? Remember that television show? Okay, so it's a real show. It's a reality show and I only know this because my wife watches it and I have watched part of it adjacent.

Jared Hoffman (: 06:07

geez.

I haven't.

Zeke (: 06:19

But basically it's a bunch of ⁓ young people that go to an island and they can win money as long as they don't touch each other at all. Like they don't have any, no kissing, no sexual relations, And the people that make it to the end who don't violate the rules, they can split up the pot, I don't recommend, I mean it's a pretty trashy

Is this from the show, Too Hot to Handle, or is this related to firefighting? Okay, here's the first one. Two in, two out rule.

Jared Hoffman (: 06:48

Well that's real. That is real.

Zeke (: 06:50

Yeah,

that's a firefighting protocol, right? Yeah. A safety protocol, essentially. Yeah, good. OK. But you can see the word play here, right? Two into our room. OK. Here we go. We're going to have fun with this. OK. How about this one? Retreat rules.

Jared Hoffman (: 06:53

Yep, 100%.

Exactly.

Yep, I can.

I'm gonna say that's the show.

Zeke (: 07:07

It is the show. Yeah, that's no physical intimacy, right? Those are the rules of the retreat, okay? You're doing great on this. All right, how about Lana? Is it an acronym for something for firefighting or is it from? No, L-A-N-A. ⁓

Jared Hoffman (: 07:19

You mean, Lunar?

I'm gonna say that's a show.

Zeke (: 07:22

Yeah,

it is the show. You're doing great. That is actually the AI host's name who enforces the rules. Yeah, I can't trip you up on this. All right, how about knockdown?

Jared Hoffman (: 07:29

Okay.

Is real

Zeke (: 07:34

That is real. What does that stand for?

Jared Hoffman (: 07:36

I'm pretty much just putting water on the fire, you know, trying to cool the atmosphere and just take the brunt of the fire out at a play.

Zeke (: 07:38

Yep, bring in the...

Very good, very good. All right, here's the last one, but flash over.

Jared Hoffman (: 07:48

That's real.

Zeke (: 07:49

when everything in the room ignites at once,

Jared Hoffman (: 07:50

Yep, that's something you do not want to be involved in.

Zeke (: 07:52

You

want to have that but you have to admit I mean you could make parallels between all these descriptions and a show on too hot to handle if you really wanted to it got Yeah, messed really nicely when I came up with this game So I'm glad that it played out the way it did but you got all of them, right? Congratulations. It doesn't happen often when the guests in The Zekely Podcast crush it like this

Jared Hoffman (: 08:00

I think I could. I think I get the gist of it. So that's...

Can I get a cookie then?

Zeke (: 08:13

Similar to falling through from one floor to the other. Let's just be grateful. You got it done, right?

Jared Hoffman (: 08:18

Okay, all right, I'll take

Zeke Tayler (: 08:21

Hey, thank you so much for listening to this episode of The Zekely Podcast. And if you're enjoying yourself, please take a moment to rate my Podcast. Five stars would be great and leave a comment as well. And if you're watching this on YouTube, please hit follow. OK, back to the show.

Zeke (: 08:33

Jared, you were once a campaign manager for a congressional race back in 2024. What did you learn from that experience?

Jared Hoffman (: 08:40

I learned how people were fed up. And I can remember a variety of people I met up in McKean County and especially Elk County, like the counties that have the highest poverty rate in the Commonwealth and just, you know, the desperate pleas they had on their face, like, hey, how are you going to do this to help SNAP, WIC, healthcare? So I verbatim told them the candidates, you know, policies and platform.

which they were all gung-ho about. And now we're seeing the congressional representative we have right now, Glenn Thompson, being the chair of the agriculture committee, he cut like 300,000 people off WIC, off SNAP and making them lose their healthcare. So those people up in McKean and Elk County, I keep thinking about. To me, that's bull crap. Why are we taking people off healthcare? Why are we taking away their SNAP funding when

There is no economic machinery up there that people can get, you know, a leg up to, you know, get to better prosperity and to, you know, just live a better life. And unfortunately we lost that race, but

I felt like that message stuck and we're starting to see that change, hopefully. Starting.

Zeke (: 09:44

Yeah, the shift.

I mean, thank goodness that Josh Shapiro was our governor and that he allotted funds to help with all of these various issues, know, feeding children and food banks all across the Commonwealth because these Republican politicians aren't doing their part. They're starving Pennsylvanians by their decisions in Congress. So yeah, I totally understand why you would be upset. And I'm glad that you got that experience. you know, that is a very, it can be for many people a very intimidating thing to do.

is to volunteer for a campaign. ⁓

Jared Hoffman (: 10:13

Yeah, especially

when you have like 18 counties and a congressional district, you're, you're constantly dealing with the communication and, you know, reaching out to the county chair saying, Hey, what issue is really important for this area? Cause you know, the candidate, he was from center County. I'm from the far Eastern side of the district. So even when it comes down to my County and center County, we have different issues that affect our counties. So, it was interesting to kind of get that feedback and try to, bring out some policies that would.

Zeke (: 10:16

Right.

Jared Hoffman (: 10:40

affect those areas and try to bring that to fruition.

Zeke (: 10:43

You think you're gonna do it again? If you find the right candidate, whether it be at the state or national level, what do you think?

Yeah? Alright, good. Now we need people like you all over the state, so I'm glad that you had that experience and I'm sure it will only serve you well in the future.

Jared Hoffman (: 10:50

heck yeah, I'm not giving up a fight. I'll keep going.

Zeke (: 11:00

Jared, you are currently binge watching Ted Lasso right now, correct? That show, it's lovely. It is such a delightful show.

Jared Hoffman (: 11:04

Yeah, I love that show.

Zeke (: 11:09

Aside from the fact that I just love all the characters and the messaging, I loved it when the conservative media woke up to the fact that it was actually a very woke show. I thought it like they're watching this sports show, right? And they're like, oh, this is great. It's all about soccer. And then like, wait a second, when did it become woke? It's like, you just, you know, they're so close to the point every time, right? Like they're just so close to seeing it. But I think that was the beauty of the show.

was that you could watch it for such a long time and not realize the messaging. Well, a lot of people didn't realize the messaging that was there, but it's really great. It's all about vulnerability and getting therapy, which in today's world, especially men, need to get more of it. I've always said on my show. I know, right? Exactly, exactly. There's just so many social issues that they touch on.

Jared Hoffman (: 11:49

Yeah, and God forbid you mention mental health like, my gosh, that's a taboo thing. We shouldn't be doing that.

Zeke (: 11:59

I thought it very well done. And I don't know if you know this, they're working on another season, which I'm super excited about. ⁓ I know. It was really well done. I love it. So I'm happy it's coming

Jared Hoffman (: 12:04

I was so happy when I heard that because I loved that show and when it ended I was so

Zeke (: 12:14

We're going to play a game called Ted Lasso or Led Tasso. Because you know that when Ted Lasso is happy, he's Ted Lasso. When he gets upset, he turns into Led Tasso. Sorry if it's a spoiler for some people.

So I'm going to ask you, you know I'm talking about. So I'm going to give you some prompts. And I just want you to tell me that's a Ted Lasso or good or that makes me feel like Led Tasso. So how about raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania?

Jared Hoffman (: 12:29

No, I know what you're talking about.

Ed Lasso all the way.

Zeke (: 12:42

headland,

he would definitely want to raise the minimum wage for certainly pay his players more. I can't believe that Ohio and West Virginia are beating us when it comes to the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. It's just terrible. $7.25 an hour, it's embarrassing. But I'm hoping if we get the trifecta this year, you know, Democratic Senate, Democratic House and Josh Shapiro with the helm that we can get it done. It needs to happen.

Here's another one, common sense gun reform.

Jared Hoffman (: 13:05

I'm going to say that's Teblaso.

Zeke (: 13:07

That's a Ted Lasso one, I would agree with you. Yeah, I mean, come on. It's embarrassing that we cannot pass laws that other states have passed that we know saves lives. And if children dying, the most common cause of death in America is gun violence for children. And if we can't get Republican politicians behind that, which we know time and time again, they won't get behind it, we need to get more Democrats elected so we can get this done in Pennsylvania. So yeah, I agree.

Jared Hoffman (: 13:32

And to kind of touch basis on that, I also think like the root cause of it also is affiliated with like mental health. Like because we have a lackluster, you know, mental health resource available to people in this county and even surrounding counties that if you address that mental health crisis, then you're likely going to see a reduction in, you know, gun violence because I'm, I own firearms, you know, I have a concealed carry permit, but I'm responsible with it. But I think we need to.

Zeke (: 13:38

Yeah.

Right.

Jared Hoffman (: 14:00

address those elephants in the room, know, have a broad reaching bill of, let's do some gun reform, but let's also address this mental health crisis. It kills two birds with one stone.

Zeke (: 14:02

Great.

I agree, but Republican politicians have no desire to address the mental health crisis. They don't want to open up more clinics. They don't want to make insurance companies pay for mental health services. They don't want to decrease medical debt. There are so many things that even addressing that issue, Republican politicians don't want to help. yeah. There you go.

Jared Hoffman (: 14:27

And now you know why I left the Republican Party.

Zeke (: 14:30

I have a couple more for you. How about keeping marijuana illegal in Pennsylvania?

Jared Hoffman (: 14:34

that's a lead tasso.

Zeke (: 14:36

Yeah, Led Tasso right. Again, so many reasons why we should legalize it, decriminalize it. We don't need more people in jail over something like marijuana possession, and it's billions of dollars that's leaving Pennsylvania to go to New Jersey and New York, where it is legal to purchase.

I have two more for you. Fully funding public schools.

Jared Hoffman (: 14:57

Ted Lasso all the way

Zeke (: 14:58

Ted Lasso, right? I mean, if anyone gets upset that their property taxes are increasing every year, the question you have to ask yourself is how much is Harrisburg sending to my district with funding by public school? Because the less you fund public school in Harrisburg, the higher your property tax is going to be where you live. And I can tell you, there's only one political party who doesn't want to fully fund public school, and that's the Republican Party. All right, here's the last one.

banning access to reproductive health.

Jared Hoffman (: 15:27

Lettasso.

Zeke (: 15:28

lead to us. So I know it's crazy. I honestly feel like it's an issue that has quieted down so much because of all the chaos that's happening in this country. But I don't think people should ever forget that in states where abortion has been banned significantly that women are dying at higher rates in those states that children are not surviving as long in those states because physicians have left. There are health care deserts.

People don't wanna go there and train after they graduate from medical school. And it is not a good place to live for people who would like to have children. And even those who are trying to get reproductive healthcare services. And so I'm happy that we have someone like Governor Josh Shapiro, who is more Ted Lasso than Led Tasso, and that we can protect reproductive rights in Pennsylvania. And certainly if we ever lose our democratic majority in the state house,

Republicans are going to try and change our Constitution to make it illegal. So yeah, I agree with all of you. On all those points, you did a great job. And

enjoying the show. It's lovely.

Jared, you are the regional director for the PA Young Democrats. So what are young PA Democrats saying these days? Are they energized? Do they feel included by the Democratic Party? What's going on?

Jared Hoffman (: 16:37

Yeah, so all the conversations I've had with the young people within my region and again, my region is a north central region. So it includes counties like Blair, all the way up to Tioga, Snyder, Center, Northumberland, Montour, know, things like that. And they are energized. They're frankly pissed off and I do not blame them one bit. We have seen a constant regressive state in terms of our economics. We've seen what gas prices soar.

you know, 20 to 50 cents, you know, within a week or two. So they're

So now we're just rolling into getting ready for the midterm elections, making sure that any help

we can give in terms of canvassing, phone banking and everything is addressed and we're building up the region. Unfortunately, this part of Pennsylvania is definitely a hard region to kind of build up the infrastructure, but we're making progress. And that's what I'm really trying to do is try to, you know, show that Democrats aren't the boogeyman, that we are actually for good governance. We're for, you know, comprehensive and pragmatic approaches. So, and

Zeke (: 17:36

Yes.

Jared Hoffman (: 17:42

I pride myself on talking to Republican voters because I was one so I can kind of relate to how they feel. And I have started to see a shift from Republican voters that have switched their affiliations or just like, hey, I'm not voting Republican this cycle. Like I am fed up. The gas prices, that was the final straw for me. And they're going to be backing Democrats.

Zeke (: 18:02

Well, make sure when you talk to the ones that are in college right now, to have a plan to vote for the midterms, especially if they're not gonna be in Pennsylvania, make a plan for your mail-in ballot. Because I can tell you, when I'm knocking doors, and I'm sure you've had this too, you knock the door looking for their kids, and they're like, just please, as a parent, make sure your kids have a plan to vote, because we cannot leave votes on the kitchen table, right? Every election is the most important election, and every vote counts, so.

I'm glad you're engaging with the youth. We need to make sure that they are welcome and invited and that they are valuable, not just because they need to vote, but because their vote has power. And if they want to build a future that's better for them, they have to be engaged.

Jared, you volunteer as a Civil War reenactor, correct, at Gettysburg?

Jared Hoffman (: 18:44

Yes, it do.

Zeke (: 18:45

That's

great. You my brother did that for a while and my mom did it for a while as well. I don't know if you heard this or not, but our very own Senator, Doug Mastriano, said recently that rainbow flags and activist messaging in Gettysburg has gone too far. So I guess it's getting a little too gay for Doug Mastriano. You know, the same guy who wore a Confederate costume and was at the J-6 insurrection is giving his thoughts on messaging at Gettysburg.

So what are your thoughts on inclusivity in Gettysburg or anywhere?

Jared Hoffman (: 19:15

At the end of the day, I stand behind the LGBT community because I myself am gay.

I don't believe that things are getting too gay. We just want to live a life. We want to just be a part of the community. So in terms of that, I say he's full of shit. But Gettysburg is definitely a unique town but they are people that are very welcoming. So I know…

Now when they hear what Mastroianno is saying, I'm sure they're gonna just be like, what's this guy saying? Like, we don't care anymore.

Zeke (: 19:42

Yeah,

I really want to hammer home this point is that if Republicans really wanted to take responsibility for their party, they would not let someone like Doug Mostrano retain his seat in the state Senate. I mean, it is an embarrassment that Doug Mostrano, who is an election denier, was at the insurrection, was working with anti-Semites and white supremacists to try and get elected as governor, is still serving and Pennsylvanians are paying his salary every year.

And if you really, ever there was a time to say, no, no, no, we're not MAGA, we're not extreme, they are not purging their party of these types of people because their party supports these kinds of people. And he votes with 98 % of the rest of his party and they vote with him. So yeah, I can't stand Doug Mastriano. He's a terrible person. But I'm glad that you, as someone who is part of the LGBTQ plus community,

you know, that you should not be phased by this type of bigotry because he does not represent the best, the better parts of Pennsylvania. He represents some of the worst parts.

Zeke Tayler (: 20:43

halfway through the episode and you're still here. I hope you're enjoying yourself Please take a moment to rate my podcast five stars would be great Leave a comment as well. And if you're watching this on YouTube, please hit follow. Okay back to the show

Zeke (: 20:56

Let's play a game called Let's Be Civil. Okay? Has anyone ever given you trouble while you were reenacting?

Jared Hoffman (: 20:59

Okay.

Everyone's always been like, ooh, know, wanting to learn more, then I get diarrhea of the mouth and I start going, being like a history nerd and just start spewing facts.

Zeke (: 21:03

No?

Uh-huh. Okay.

Okay, okay, okay. So you have a hydro. So I wanted to know what you would do working as a civil reenactor if you were given these scenarios, okay?

Someone tells you the Civil War wasn't about slavery. What would you do if someone thinks they know more than you at Gettysburg?

Jared Hoffman (: 21:26

So this is something I get a lot and I mean no disrespect because a lot of these people are coming from Alabama and Mississippi where they're taught a certain way and when they always bring that up, I always say, OK, it was about states' rights. States' rights to what? Because if you look at some of the states' founding documents like Mississippi and South Carolina, their reasons for secession were directly rooted in to uphold slavery and

pretty much, you know, like that whites are superior to African Americans.

Zeke (: 21:57

Yes. Yeah. Well, that is a very civil way to explain it. I don't know if I would have that kind of candor. My fuse is short these days when I hear misinformation, but I'm glad that you stay professional on the job. All right, how about this? An adult wants to take a shot of whiskey with you for every commanding general in the Union Army. Would you do that? You wouldn't do that on the job? There's only four of them. I mean, it's only four shots. You wouldn't, you know, that'd be too much on a hot summer's day.

Jared Hoffman (: 22:15

No. No.

There are things that you don't do, especially when you're doing displays or getting ready to do something that the National Park Service is putting on that you're going to have to abide by. And the one thing that the National Park Service is you can't have any open containers of alcohol or anything on their property. So right there, that's like, you're crossing the line there, so you can't do that.

Zeke (: 22:41

Fine. Alright,

you're not as much of a party pooper as you are a rule follower. Okay, that makes sense. Okay, fair enough. Alright, here's the last one. Someone wants to take a picture of you wearing MAGA attire. What would you do in that situation?

Jared Hoffman (: 22:55

I'm already wearing 1860 clothing, so that's all you're getting.

Zeke (: 22:59

Okay, enough. You can be like, I'll take a picture of you. Yeah, you go right there, but you're like, you know, yeah, I don't, I would never want myself to show up on social media next to wearing like MAGA paraphernalia. So I think that's a safe way to play that one off. Take a picture of them and go about your day. Well, you are quite civil, Jared. I appreciate you. So thanks for playing Let's Be Civil with me and keep doing the reenacting.

Jared Hoffman (: 23:15

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Zeke (: 23:22

I'm glad you enjoy it and I'll tell my brother about it because he really enjoyed it. I went and I saw him do it once and I was just sweating standing still. I was like, you're crazy wearing the wool outfits and everything. I just could not do that.

Jared Hoffman (: 23:35

Yeah, you definitely get conditioned after a few times in the hot July sun where you're like, okay, I'm used to this now.

Zeke (: 23:41

Yeah.

Yeah,

no, I would prefer to evolve and devolve on my attire. So bless you. Bless you for doing that.

Jared, you are a precinct captain of Penn Township for the Snyder County Democrats. Can you explain what you do as precinct captain?

Jared Hoffman (: 23:59

I pretty much represent the ⁓ Democrats in pen township. If there's events going on, like I can start working my network saying, hey, we have a candidate that's coming in. I'd love for pen township to show up in force It could also be, you know, come election time, I have palm cards for candidates and I'll stand out my precinct and I'll just talk to voters that are coming into the poll. So it's not like a big position, but it's something that you

thing with my township is in: 2016

Zeke (: 24:37

Wow, that's a big...

That's a big deal. That's

a really big deal. Now, the precinct captain is not an elected position, correct? So you don't have to go on a ballot. It's not like a committee person, essentially.

Jared Hoffman (: 24:52

No, committee people are the only ones that are on the ballot precinct. Captain is, I guess you can kind of say like the senior person of that township, you know, trying to keep things going.

Zeke (: 24:55

Right.

Got it. Got it.

Got it. Well, see, these are things that I feel like when people look around and they feel hopeless or, you know, worrying about everything going on around them and they say, what can I do to get involved where I live? These are the positions that you can do, right? You can look for your local democratic committee and say, I would like to do something. Not everybody can knock doors for various reasons. Not everyone can, you know, be as active, but there is always something to do. There is a position to fill. And a lot of this is completely volunteer.

nobody's getting paid for it, that's the beauty of democracy is that it takes every person to do something to energize and educate people and that is what you are doing. So I appreciate your leadership.

Jared Hoffman (: 25:40

And

the funny part about that is in my township, I always look for people that are wanting to phone bank because I don't like phone banking. prefer actual like door knocking and canvassing. But I'm like, hey, if you, if you don't like door knocking, like here's some phone banking options. Like we, we find the pros in everyone and get them set up and things have worked flawlessly for the last few years.

Zeke (: 25:48

Yeah. All right.

Right.

Yeah,

there's always something that you can do. You just have to choose to do it.

right, we're gonna play a game called At the Doors, okay, since you do enjoy door knocking. And since you do knock doors in a red part of the state, I'm gonna give you some prompts of maybe some things you've heard at the doors, and I would like to know your counter to that, okay? So let's say somebody says all politicians lie, right? Like they all lie. So why should I care who I vote for?

Jared Hoffman (: 26:27

Well, I would counter with, you know, what is the biggest issue that they feel affects them, whether it's minimum wage, whether it's taxes. And then I would counter that way by using what they really feel and saying, well, our Democratic candidate has, you know, taxes two times. They don't want to raise taxes. They've actually brought money back into the township or the city council or whatever position they're in. So I tend to counter that way. And because I'm...

economically progressive. A lot of people in this county are also economically progressive, like the old style, like Republican progressives, if that makes sense. So.

Zeke (: 27:02

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I like that. I like that you refocused the conversation. I agree. I feel like all politicians lie is an apathetic statement, as if they are not engaged in the political process. And by dragging them into an actual issue, it kind of makes them think about, well, wait a second, I actually do care about that. And maybe I should care about what these candidates are doing, because one candidate will do one thing and another will do the different thing. And so you have the power to select them.

I love it. You're starting off strong. How about immigrants are stealing American jobs? What you say to that?

Jared Hoffman (: 27:34

Immigrants

are what make America strong.

I don't believe that. I don't believe that they're poisoning America. I believe that they are the heart and soul. I mean, our ancestors were immigrants too.

Zeke (: 27:43

Yeah,

yeah, and they also do a lot of jobs that not many American citizens want to do. They are very difficult jobs. They are working in the fields. They are helping the elderly get to the bathroom and getting them dressed in the morning. They are working at restaurants. They are changing sheets at hotels. These are not jobs that many American citizens are running to do. And they are a very necessary part. And they're just trying to help their families. They're just, they're not criminals. They're changing your sheets so you can sleep comfortably in a hotel.

and they're going home and trying to raise their families quietly. So I agree with you. All right, I have two more. Most of the J6 protesters were Antifa. What do do about that? What are you gonna do?

Jared Hoffman (: 28:21

Antifa

is not even an organized organization. There's no centralized structure.

Zeke (: 28:24

It's not. They don't have a head.

I swore their headquarters were like in Harrisburg somewhere. No, that's not a thing. No, it's not. Okay. Well,

Jared Hoffman (: 28:32

No, no.

Zeke (: 28:34

Alright, here's the last one. Going to college is a waste of time.

Jared Hoffman (: 28:37

We don't think so. Myself, I actually went to a vote tech school. I didn't go to a four year college. I believed in working with my hands and I believe that, you know, I benefited from trade school and, you know, we have a trade school, not three miles from my house right now. That's a, you know, a lot of students go to, and I, I love seeing that, but I also believe that if you want to go to trade school, absolutely, we'll help you. If you want to go to college.

Zeke (: 29:01

Yes, yes.

Jared Hoffman (: 29:03

Let's help you. Let's get you

Zeke (: 29:04

Right.

Jared Hoffman (: 29:04

to where you want to do and, you know, study what you wanted to study.

Zeke (: 29:08

Yeah, I look, think trade schools are in the same vein as going to college. It's you getting an education,

All jobs are essential no matter what they are.

Jared Hoffman (: 29:15

when it comes down to trade schools, a lot of them are labor unions. So when you get out and you practice that trade, you're entering into a union. Like, come on, that's great. Let's do it.

Zeke (: 29:23

Right, right.

And unions are great and the only political party in Pennsylvania that supports unions are Democrats, hands down Democrats. Well, great job at the doors. Good job, Jared. I would love to go door knocking with you one of these days. Just see you

We'll do it together.

Jared Hoffman (: 29:40

in

Zeke (: 29:41

Jared, you are the first person I've ever had on the show who is ever in a movie. Now look, Malcolm Kenyatta has a documentary about him running for office, but you were in a movie, so tell me about that.

Jared Hoffman (: 29:52

So I was an extra. Obviously me being involved with reenactments and living histories and everything. One of the people I know is very big into the, you know, cinematics and films. And they were doing a movie shoot for a movie called Field of Lost Shoes. And it was going to be filmed in Glen Allen, Virginia. So I'm like, hmm, let me see if I can do this. So me being, I think I was like 17 at the time, like,

Mom, Dad, can I do this? And so they said yes. So I went down for a few days and got to star in a, or not star in a film, but you know, being extra. And I was on the screen for probably all of five seconds, better than what it could have been.

Zeke (: 30:31

That's awesome. Do you still have like a copy of it somewhere? You whip it out and you say, hey, look at me, you know, for the five seconds there or whatever.

Jared Hoffman (: 30:37

I think I do. It's somewhere in my house.

Zeke (: 30:40

good. For posterity, you should definitely keep it around. That's amazing. Well, I think when I was younger, when I used to play T-ball, and you remember Diamond Springwater? I don't even know if they exist anymore. It was like a water company or something. I think, yeah, Diamond Springwater. So they like used us in a commercial. And so like where you hit the T-ball and you're like running around the bases and you're like, I need something to drink. And I think I was on the screen for like five seconds when I was...

Jared Hoffman (: 30:53

I know what you're talking about,

Zeke (: 31:06

you know, five or six years old playing T-ball. was in a diamond. I remember my parents, like it was on the cassette tape and they plugged it in when it was officially done and they pointed me out and they like paused it. I saw myself on TV. So I wasn't an extra in a movie, but I was in a diamond spring water commercial as a child. So there you go.

Jared Hoffman (: 31:23

Same thing, you're still on the screen.

Zeke (: 31:24

Star of Stage and Screen, what can I say?

Zeke Tayler (: 31:27

Wow, you're still listening. Thank you so much. I want to make sure as many people in Pennsylvania as possible get to experience The Zekely Podcast. So to help spread the word, please take a moment to rate my podcast. Five stars would be great. Leave a comment as well. And if you're watching this on YouTube, please hit follow. Enjoy the rest of the show.

Zeke (: 31:45

So I found it interesting, Jared, that there was a point in your life where you realized that you could no longer be a Republican, and it really had a lot to do on just seeing Donald Trump and all the chaos that he was sowing in DC. But you never traced it back or implied it was because of you being in the LGBTQ plus community. So what was it like?

being gay growing up in the atmosphere you had and not making a connection then that maybe the Republican party was not the party that was best for you.

Jared Hoffman (: 32:15

So, I actually didn't come out publicly until I was I believe 22 or 23. So I was still in the closet but I obviously kind of had some knowledge. And it was definitely ⁓ hard at that point because it was still early in on, you know, same-sex marriage being legal and people were still kind of torn up over it and just hearing some of the talk, I'm like – I I fought everything I could to keep my mouth shut.

and not say something that probably wouldn't have been so

you know, it was definitely a challenge. But, you know, I'm better for it. You know, that's a phase that I never want to go through again. Like, the Republican me is the past. I will never, ever go back into the Republican Party as long as I'm alive.

Zeke (: 32:54

Yeah.

Do you think that just the culture that you grew up with made it difficult for you to look at that part of yourself and be accepting because of all the messaging that you were growing up with? Or you just think it just wasn't the right time for you to be your true self?

Jared Hoffman (: 33:15

I think part of it was me feeling like I was going to be disowned. And the other part was, you know, maybe a little bit of how I was brought up. mean, my parents have always been, you know, very religious but they've also been very humble people where they don't care who you are because they judge you by your character. So that was the biggest thing for me. I just felt like my parents are going to disown me. But they didn't. So, yeah.

Zeke (: 33:20

Mm-hmm.

That's wonderful. ⁓

I'm happy for you that your parents love you unconditionally and not everyone gets that experience in the LGBTQ plus community. So I'm very happy for you.

Jared, what would you say to someone who is disaffected with democracy?

Jared Hoffman (: 33:56

I would say don't give up hope. I know times can be tough. Like, you have a candidate that you really love and really support, but they end up losing and it's easy to feel disaffected. I went through a slump after 2024 where I probably had two months of like, not doing anything. I just need to like, you know, wind down. Because

Every year in PA is an election year. So their voice will always matter, whether it's school board, whether it's borough council, whether it's township supervisors, township supervisors, sorry, or just county commissioners. So just trying to get them motivated again, whether it's, hey, let's go out for dinner. Let's have you wind down and just, you know, let me pick your brain and figure out, you know, why you feel like you're disaffected with democracy and then try to help them recover.

We've all gone through it. I know you probably have too.

Zeke (: 34:45

yeah, no, it's, you know, despair certainly is a friend of mine. Yes, there's always a time to despair, but we cannot take our eyes off the ball. We cannot become apathetic. There's just too many people who count on us not giving up.

So yeah I would say yep take your time, unplug if you need to, but you got to get back into the work because there's too many people that depend on it. Don't give up the show. That's right.

Jared Hoffman (: 35:06

Don't give up the ship. We gotta keep going.

Zeke (: 35:10

Jared, what gives you hope?

Jared Hoffman (: 35:13

gives me hope is the future that we can have. If we put our minds together, if we, you know, unite and fight, that is what gives me hope. Because at the end of the day, I know the democratic platform is the best platform that we can have. You know, the reason that I'm a democrat now is, you know, I'm done watching working people get crushed while the wealthy are well connected rig the game. We need to go back to the working class roots and help

fellow working class Pennsylvanians who are in a rut and try to get them out of that rut to make sure that they have everything they can to succeed in life.

Zeke (: 35:47

Well, you give me hope, Jared. know, people I hear all the time throwing their hands up in the air and saying, where are the leaders in the Democratic Party? Where are the leaders? I'm looking at one right now. I'm talking to a leader. There are people all over Pennsylvania who wake up every day and make a conscious decision to volunteer and knock doors and make phone calls and write postcards in red areas and blue areas. And that's what we need. We need people to be engaged. And so I know that there are plenty of leaders.

Jared Hoffman (: 35:58

I'm right here.

Zeke (: 36:17

all over the Commonwealth, and I'm just very grateful that you are doing your part. And as long as there are people like you who choose to do that, I will continue to have hope as well.

Jared Hoffman (: 36:25

Yeah, I'm going to keep fighting. There's so many like us in my county and central PA that are fighting like hell to make sure that we can have people we can respect be elected to state legislatures, Congress, Senate, and make sure that they are, you know, addressing us in our needs.

Zeke (: 36:46

My last question for you, Jared, is what plans do you have to get you through these next few years?

presidency has been a bruiser.

Jared Hoffman (: 36:52

A lot of caffeine,

a lot of caffeine. That

is what keeps me going. It's not uncommon for me during like get out the vote to have a 12 pack of Celsius and go through an entire case in like four days and be like, what the heck just happened?

Zeke (: 37:03

Hahaha

⁓ my god.

Jared Hoffman (: 37:07

But it's also at the end of the day, it is hard work, especially getting out the vote. You're on crunch time. Like you're going from point A to point B to point C to point D in one day.

Zeke (: 37:19

Yeah.

Jared Hoffman (: 37:19

So it's important to just kind of wind down and just kind of, you know, breathe deeply, you know, take deep breaths and just kind of de-stress where you can, like enjoy those little moments before, you know, you're going to knock another 500 doors in a week. So that's what needs to keep happening.

Zeke (: 37:27

Yeah.

Yeah, I definitely don't unplug enough. I'm chasing that relaxation daily, but I'll get there eventually. There has to be a time to rest. I just haven't found that sweet spot yet.

Well, Jared Hoffman, Pennsylvania Democrat leader, I am so grateful that you are doing this for all of Pennsylvanians. And I just cannot wait to see what we do this November 3rd. know, the primaries are coming up.

on May 19th, so we have to get through that first. Obviously we don't have open primary, so only if you're Democrat or Republican can you vote, but everyone has to make a plan. And when you see someone in Jared's neck of the woods knocking on your door, it's because he's got a really important message, and that is you have to vote. It is the most powerful thing you have in a democracy, and we cannot waste any of them. I want to see 80%, 90 % participation.

this November 3rd, if you are truly upset about what is happening in this country right now, there is no excuse. We can all do something and the minimum, if you're not gonna knock doors, if you're not gonna make phone calls or some postcards, make a plan to vote. And Jared, I know you agree with me on that.

Jared Hoffman (: 38:45

Yeah, we got to expand the people's majority. We got to flip the state Senate. We are only what two to three seats shy. We can do it this year. And I have seen people walked in the state Senate in the state house, like all these candidates and the campaign crews are so laser focused. It's not even funny. And I'm really anticipating hopefully a blowout.

Zeke (: 38:50

⁓ Jared.

Jared,

Jared, if we get the trifecta in between my one cigar a year, I'm gonna give you a big fat

It's gonna be so ethereal when we get it done. Pennsylvania deserves it. And I'm appreciative that you're gonna be helping that journey. So thank you for everything you do. And I know we're gonna cross paths again very shortly.

Jared Hoffman (: 39:25

absolutely, thanks for having me Zeke.

Zeke (: 39:27

Absolutely.

Well thank you so much for joining me here on The Zekely Podcast. Stay hopeful and get involved and until next time, let's keep building a stronger Pennsylvania together.