Our Origin Story Plus Running for Congress (While Pregnant!) with Lisa Vedernikova Khanna

What happens when you launch your campaign for Congress the same week you find out you're pregnant? In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Vedernikova Khanna (a first-time candidate, communications strategist, and soon-to-be mom), to talk about what it really looks like to chase big political dreams while growing a human.

Lisa shares how her mother's journey from Soviet Russia shaped her understanding of the American dream, why lived experience matters in policymaking, and what she's learned about resilience on the campaign trail. We talk about pregnancy, power, and the policies that actually support families: from paid leave to childcare to maternal healthcare in rural communities.

We also discuss what it means to redefine "family values" in today's political climate, why resting is a luxury most moms can't afford, and the importance of electing more mothers to Congress.

Lisa Vedernikova Khanna is running for Congress in Virginia and previously worked with the New York Times and the Democratic National Committee. She's passionate about building a government that truly reflects and supports working families.

We Discuss:

(00:01) Love Is Blind, Denver edition: why love is definitely not blind in Colorado

(07:34) 100,000 downloads: from texting our moms for listens to thousands tuning in every week

(10:35) How Momarchy started

(17:15) Recording from our kitchens, hiding from toddlers, and still trying to sound confident

(20:05) Keeping hope alive when politics feels like a dumpster fire

(23:29) Cold DMs, lucky yeses, and the moment people actually started reaching out

(25:24) Why Momarchy isn't our full-time job (yet)… and yes, we are paying to do this

(30:04) Campaigning and morning sickness: when "leading and lactating" become the same conversation

(31:50) Meet Lisa Vedernikova-Khanna: running for Congress while pregnant, and redefining what power looks like

(34:51) The policies she's fighting for and why lived experience belongs in Congress

(44:24) The "how will you do both?" question, the myth of pro-family politics, and the reality of doing it anyway

(55:15) Her message to moms everywhere

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com

Find more from Lisa Vedernikova-Khanna:

Website: www.lvk.vote

Instagram: @lisaforvirginia

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