Johnny Olszewski

In this episode of the “Across the Aisle” podcast, former Maryland state Sen. Bobby Zirkin speaks with U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr. about bipartisanship, election reform, political extremism and the rising cost of living.

Olszewski discusses the challenges of working in a deeply divided Congress and his efforts to build relationships between Democratic and Republican lawmakers. He supports open primaries, ranked-choice voting and national redistricting standards designed to encourage broader representation and reduce partisan influence.

The conversation also covers Olszewski’s bipartisan work on workforce development and housing, including efforts to convert underused commercial properties into homes. Zirkin and Olszewski also debate congressional stock trading and U.S. policy toward Iran while emphasizing the importance of respectful disagreement and honest political dialogue.

You can watch the podcast weekly, posting every Tuesday on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart.