The Most MAHA Democrat We've Met: A Conversation w Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) On A New Politics in America

Tim Ryan, the moderate, 10-term Democratic congressman from Ohio's Rust Belt, has pushed for a different conversation for years: one that reimagines America’s approach to food and health.

Long before it had a name, Ryan was championing many of the ideas now fueling the “MAHA” movement: nutritious, “real” food (he wrote The Real Food Revolution back in 2014), regenerative agriculture, openness to alternative therapies, and a reassessment of the unhealthy systems taxpayer dollars continue to support. Then he watched the movement take off and align with the Republican Party.

In this episode, Ryan reflects on what it’s been like to see his long-held priorities suddenly gain traction. We ask about tensions around vaccines and whether MAHA’s alignment with MAGA is ultimately sustainable.

Most importantly, we dig into his message for Democrats: embrace a modern, forward-looking health agenda that meets Americans where they are—while also calling out Republicans for, in his view, policies that run counter to what MAHA claims to stand for.

Hosts: 

Brinda Adhikari

Tom Johnson

Maggie Bartlett

Dr. Mark Abdelmalek

Guest:

Former Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH), who served 10 terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Recent articles by Tim Ryan on MAHA and health politics in America:

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/republicans-believe-maha-backing-farm-bill

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/05/democrats-rfk-jr-maha-healthy-food

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/28/microplastics-nanoplastics-health-epa-trump-arpa-h/

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