How Brady Cupples Took His One Small Step Into Politics and Leadership

third world countries and it's when they come here, you know, they make our country look

like a third world country. You know, you have pockets here in America where it's like, it doesn't look like America, you know, and you know, things like that is kind of what really, you know, moves me, I guess you would say, and it's, you know, I think immigration is probably, it's, in my

“opinion, it's the issue of our time, and you know, that's why I have a lot of respect for”

least, you know, what Trump has done to, you know, how many came down in the escalator, you know, in terms of taking on tackling, you know, this issue, it's really, I would say, made me passionate about, you know, in my convictions and in the political arena. So, I know that in the blueprints in normal area, where we're playing county is for, folks are in a similar sensual, you know, has competitive legislation for instance, are there any

state issues that you're most passionate about? Americans are capable of achieving extraordinary things when they have the freedom, men's opportunity to do so. This is American Potential. Welcome to American Potential Podcast. I'm your host, David From.

“We're coming to you live from Springfield, Illinois, where we're celebrating America's 250th birthday.”

It happened to be here also in the land of Lincoln on Lincoln's birthday, and, you know, as we're reflect on the founding fathers and all the principles that they believed in and fought for and

move forward, it's worth noting that a lot of them were young people. It's always shocking to me

is to how young they actually were, but they saw the need, their responsibility to fight for freedom for the generations to come and form this great nation that we all love. So, today we're talking to a young person who just got involved a few years ago, took that first one small step to get involved in this community, to get involved in public policy, to try to make his, you know, the nation and the state of better place.

So, I'm happy to welcome Brady Couples, who's the co-chair of the McLean County Young Republicans. Thanks for joining us. The podcast. Yeah, thanks for having me. Yeah, well, I'm really, I'm glad that you've kind of gotten involved in the public policy space and in politics. You might regret that someday. But, um, the, I just, I'm kind of curious, like,

“well, first of all, just tell us a little bit about yourself. Do you grew up central Illinois?”

I just tell you, tell me where you grew up. Yep, morning raised here in central Illinois, grew up in Bloomington, normal, lived here most of my life, and, uh, yeah, morning raised here in central Illinois. So, did you ever grow up or high school or college, have a, a desire or, like, an interest in, in politics or anything related to it? Um, when I was very young, uh, like my favorite subject in school with social studies, um, I was into history and the presidents and stuff like that.

But as I grew up, um, kind of, that interest kind of waned a little bit, um, but I kind of got a, a renewed interest in it, um, right around 2020 when everything was going on in the role of that

time, kind of picked my interest again and, um, had been interested in it since then, but finally got the

urge, um, really in 2025 to really do something involved and, um, see, I hear, here I am now. Yeah. So, it's so funny. We hear of people of all ages, really, who live through 2020 and the pandemic shut down and all that. It was, it was such a dramatic thing and, and so I opening for so many people, it was just an inflection point where so many people got activated and you, I just hear that, you know, older folks who are now, you know, I was talking to someone who's a state legislator and

another Midwestern state and they were like, well, during the pandemic, but business got closed, I got activated now they're in the legislature and there's so many stories like that, um, it's, you know, for my generation, 9/11 was, yeah, it was one, like that, uh, where a lot of people, you know, we talked a lot of veterans who just say 9/11 happened, I joined up, you know, it's what I needed to do and, uh, I've to probably talk to a few dozen and have said that.

So, so you decide, you kind of, your eyes kind of get open, you get a little more interested, what was your pathway in, uh, what recently, like, just getting evolved? Yeah, so, um, I got my interest in politics really got even more, uh, I guess intense when, um, you know, when Charlie Kirk was assassinated, really kind of convicted me and maybe really want to, you know, do something to, you know, kind of carry on his legacy, uh, I guess. And so from there, I just, you know, kind of

looked, looked around and, you know, reached out to my local, you know, you know, political organizations in Bloomington, normal and, um, I went to a dinner, um, that we had in town that was kind of right after his assassination kind of, and honoring him and, you know, immoral for him. And from there,

and then, um, at that meeting is where I met, um, our former, uh, chairwoman of the younger publicans, uh, McLean County younger publicans, um, so from there I got connected with her and connected with that organization, um, and from there I just, been to several events, um, you know, helped out with a few campaigns and, um, um, now the chairwoman that I got connected with, she's stepping down, she's, uh, moving on, um, with her career and so, um, when she stepped down, she approached

me asking if I wanted to, you know, have a role, a higher role with the, with the group, and I said, yes, and events became the, the co-chairman, and so, um, that's kind of how it all went for me.

“So, so, like, in your soul, kind of like, what makes you really want to be involved?”

Why do you want to do the work that you're not getting paid for? Yeah, um, well, a lot of it has to do, and like, how I got involved, or how I started paying attention, it was kind of, you know, seeing how, I guess, for lack of better work, how messed up, and everything is, and, you know, we have, you know, the other side is very radical and progressive that I think is just, it's bad for our country, and, you know, we need people like me and other, you know, and conservatives to get involved,

because if it's not us, get involved, then, you know, the other side will be involved in the political process. So, um, you know, when I see them, you know, in the way that they respond to any type of conservative, you know, like, like Trump, for example, they're response to him, they're they're outraged at him. It gets them activated, and, you know, it makes them want to, uh, institute change that they believe in, you know, so if people like us and me, if, you know, if we don't,

kind of have that similar feeling of, you know, a conviction to, to be engaged in our political process, then, you know, the other side is going to take it away and go from there. So, well, yeah, so this is, I'm realized this year is my 30th year that I've been involved in mostly Illinois politics. So, I've lived up outside of Chicago, and, uh, it's been very different. I mean, Illinois politics, particularly, because it's really lurched to one side. I mean, I've worked

for two Republican governors in Illinois, and, um, but that was long time ago, and it's very different.

So, I mean, it can be discouraging at the state level. I mean, the national stuff's always interesting,

but Illinois doesn't play a big role in it, but yeah, what kind of, what part of the, what level of

“politics has been really engaging to you, and do you feel like you want to make a difference in?”

Well, obviously, you know, if you pay attention to social media or the news, I mean, obviously it's the federal, or even world politics for that matter that's really, it's kind of in your face all the time, and that's kind of, you know, especially obviously, if you're, you know, if we're talking about 2020, that's a world, you know, historical events that went on, you know, at that time, and so that's kind of what really, you know, and really engaged me,

and, you know, and got me interested, but, um, you know, obviously local levels important to, in terms of, you know, education system, and, you know, in terms of the type of communities are children grew up in, you know, that stuff that, you know, as I have, you know, hopefully children of the future, you know, what kind of community wants to raise them in, what kind of schools you want them to go to, that kind of, you know, that's also, you know,

a concern of mine as well. So, are there any issues that are most important to you or that

“you feel like we're pre-eminent and motivating you to kind of really get involved?”

Well, in terms of, like, national, I would definitely say immigration is an issue for me that really, I feel pretty passionate about, and it's, you know, it's a contributing factor too to my involvement, you know, seen, you know, the left response to immigration enforcement by the duly elected president. I mean, I mean, yeah, the, the idea that securing the borders should be controversial is kind of, yeah, kind of absurd. We, we actually did a, uh, down a few shows,

we did a show down at the border, the walls of backdrop just a few months ago and then you may or zone in, yeah, it's, uh, to listen to this, you talked to the mayor or the other people there, to listen to the impact that unchecked undocumented immigration was having on that, on those communities, yeah, communities had embraced immigration. I think they, they were lying on it for their economy, but not just plainly illegal immigration. I think that it was really eye-opening. It's hard to show

but on the other one. I mean, just, you know, things like that, I mean, talk about unchecked immigration.

I mean, while these people are coming from, you know, third world countries and it's, when they come

here, you know, they don't, they make our country look like a third world country. You know, you have pockets here in America where it's like a, it doesn't look like America, you know, and, you know, things like that is kind of what really, you know, moves me, I guess you would say, and it's, you know, I think immigration is probably, it's, in my opinion, it's the issue of our time, and, you know, that's why I have a lot of respect for, at least, you know, what Trump has done

It's, um, it's really, uh, I would say it made me, passing about, you know, in my convictions and,

“in the political arena, so. But I know that in the Bloomington-Dormal area, you're, we're, we're,”

we're, we're, we're, we're playing County is for folks who aren't as familiar as Central Illinois. Yeah, um, has competitive legislative rights. Is there any state issues that you're most passionate about? Yeah, um, kind of going back to education. I mean, that's kind of a big thing here in our state. And like you mentioned it with it being a, a deep blue state. You know, what they went to teach in the public schools is very, um, I think dangerous to, to, to teaching children. I certainly want to want my children there in, some things that they're teaching. Um, and so I would say that,

that's, that's a big issue for me. And, and the other thing, too, is, is just, is crime. Um, you know, when you have seems to me that, you know, Democrat officials are pretty soft on crime. And, you know, Chicago was once a great city of the Midwest is now that you can barely, you know, you want to go there at all. You know, when you certainly don't want to take public transportation or, um, you know, walk certain places at night. It's, it's crimes a, a big issue. And, um, you know, you know, you know, with it, with it, with it being a deep blue state, they don't, it's, maybe not a concern from them from what it seems like. So, so, uh, now that you're, you're, you're co-chairing the end Republicans, McLean County,

uh, what are you guys doing? And like, what do you hope to do in that leadership role? Yeah, um, I mean, we just first and foremost is when it gives me people involved as possible, um, you know,

from there, we'd like to be sort of a pipeline to get people working for elected officials working on campaigns and just, you know, doing whatever they, you know, they feel as they're, could be they're out in the political, um, and they're political involvement just, you know, if we can be kind of a starting point for that, um, we'd be kind of my goal. And, and also just to be able to build relationships with, um, elected officials, you know, people that are running for office is kind of kind of have a relationship with them and,

and get them connected with our group and it's kind of be, you know, somewhat well known in our, in our counties that people know who we are and, and, you know, something that's attractive to be, to be a part of.

“So, yeah, what do you think, uh, is the key to attracting people to your cause? Yeah, that's the organization specifically. It's a, some we try to think about every day.”

Um, I mean, a lot of things we try to do is, you know, just have fun outings, fun events, um, we've done like pizza outings or like top golf type things before, um, things like that movie nights, we went as a group just to, uh, last week, you'll see the new Melania movie in theaters. So stuff like that, just, you know, you know, make it something that's, you know, social, you know, some people, um, well, a lot of people that are especially conservatives don't, you know, they may have social circles or, you know, co-workers, family that they can't talk politics with, and so it'd be nice if we can create kind of a social space for people to come and,

and be proud be conservative, be, you know, proud in their beliefs and discuss with other like-minded people, and so if we can provide that, uh, for people that be, um, I hope we'll be able to do that. So, yeah, so if you were, uh, talking to somebody who, you know, maybe two fears back and you're not sure where they can evolve, you know, he's watched stuff on the news, get upset about things or you have strong opinions, but you don't know whether or not to take that step to, to really get involved in your community involved in organizations involved for,

you know, fighting for the values that you know, even, what would you say to the meds to like, why or how to take that step?

Well, first I'll start with why is that kind of going back to what I said earlier is like, for me, I kind of view it.

I really view it as my obligation to get involved because, like I said, if people like me aren't getting involved in doing something, then, like I said, the other side well, and they are.

“And so I think it's very important. So if I, if I'm talking to someone and they, and they already do feel, you know, convicted and feel a strong way about what they believe in,”

I would just say, you know, why not what other option do we have? Like, we need people like you and me to do this. So that would be the why. In terms of the how I would just say, just show up like I did, because I didn't know how to do it either. And so I just, I heard about, you know, let follow social media follow, you know, our group on social media, you know, other, conservative and Republican groups on social media that they'll advertise events and things like that, go to events, you know, you're connected with people to start mean people, you know, you know, be likeable and make connections and build relationships and then from there on, you know,

So just finally, what kind of, you know, when you're a young person, a little bit younger than me, and you know, you have your whole future in front of you, you know,

you deeply care about this nation in your state, because you're already a young age being really involved. What do you want to see for this country in the future?

Well, I would say it's, I was definitely animated by the Trump Revolution and, you know, his message of America first.

“So I think, you know, Trump's obviously on his way out in a number of years, and I think it's important on us.”

And our part to continue on that, that message and that agenda of putting in America first, in terms of, you know, the issues that we care about, you know, and particularly on a national level in terms of immigration, foreign policy trade, you know, if, if our politicians are putting in the interest of the American people first, I mean, that's definitely what I would like to see for our country night. I think we got to get started at that with these five years of Trump's presidency.

“And I think, you know, he's got three years left, and then from then on, we just got to continue to build upon that, and I hope we do that, and that's why that's why I'm here as well.”

Well, well, I think I love obviously as a guy's been around for a little while to see young folks get involved even, so I shouldn't in a tough state like Illinois. I mean, I, I'm someone who's lived through ups and downs in Illinois politics and national and for sure.

But the, if we don't build the infrastructure to try to take advantage of like a wave election or an inflection point, that happens, then we're never going to be able to take advantage of them.

But when we do put that work in and recruit people and educate people and have that infrastructure in place, it's one of the reasons that Americans are prosperity exists is that we try to drive that narrative, we try to educate people, help them understand what's really going on. And then when something, you know, even in a tough state kind of clicks, where it can change the trajectory of the politics, we can take advantage that hopefully find new leadership and get busy passing better policies, saving our state, not having people like you move out of it.

So yeah, well, I really appreciate you joining us and appreciate the work that you're doing. Yeah, thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Well folks, if you like this podcast, please like and follow us on our channels. And also come visit us on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

“And always remember, freedom and liberty are easily taken for granted. Do not take them for granted. Go out there and defend liberty and freedom.”

Thanks for joining us and we'll see you on the next episode. Thank you for listening to American Potential. You may listen to more stories from Americans working every day to expand freedom and opportunity in their communities by visiting AmericanPotential.com.