Gillette, Keshel, Blackman, Lead Embrace of New Media

Several Arizona Republican lawmakers are ditching traditional media and inviting the public straight into their thoughts. By embracing podcasts, Substack newsletters, and live audio platforms, Reps. John Gillette (R-30), Rachel Keshel (R-17), and Walt Blackman (R-7) are taking grassroots messaging into their own hands.

Gillette, a retired Army Command Sergeant Major, hosts the weekly podcast Sergeant Major’s Situation Report on Rumble. He calls it “boots-on-the-ground insight into the issues facing rural Arizona,” with a focus on border security, community safety, and conservative values.

In a recent episode titled Mainstream Media’ Experts’ A Bunch of Hacks, he told listeners, “People are tired of being talked down to by so-called experts who don’t live here, don’t understand, and frankly don’t care. I’m here to give you the truth as I see it—without apology.”

In a statement to the Arizona Globe, Gillette explained why he turned to alternative media, drawing on his background in military intelligence: “I had seen firsthand in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zones how information operations and battlefield preparation were decisive weapons. It was clear to me that here at home, Democrats had mastered those same tools.”

He said the problem wasn’t limited to national outlets, noting, “Local hometown papers and small-town radio trafficked in half-truths and unchecked propaganda, hiding behind the illusion of being ‘community voices.”

Frustrated by what he described as censorship on mainstream platforms, Gillette launched RVN News and a Substack (coming soon). “On those platforms, I can publish raw documents, reports, and bills in real time, allowing the public to see the facts and judge for themselves—without media spin,” he said.

One of his strongest criticisms was aimed at the legislative process itself: “If every American sat down and actually read Democrat-sponsored bills, the party’s agenda would collapse overnight. Their vision is not hidden—it’s written plainly on paper. Big government control, centralized authority, bureaucratic overreach: it’s straight out of the Stalin playbook.”

Summing up his approach, Gillette declared, “The legacy media is dead. The new front line is direct-to-public information sharing, backed by documents and unvarnished truth. My contemporaries and I deal in evidence, not narrative.”

Keshel has embraced Substack to connect directly with her constituents. Her newsletter, Rachel Keshel’s Substack, provides weekly updates and space for interactive engagement. In a recent post, ‘2026 Around the Corner’ and a ‘Welcome to New Subscribers,’ she wrote, “I want to speak with you the same way I would at your kitchen table—without spin, without a filter, and with a commitment to honesty.”

Keshel recently invited her district to join a Live Town Hall on X on August 24, telling followers, “If the mainstream press won’t give you a voice, I will. Come ask me anything, and I’ll answer it in real time.” She also noted that her Substack community is “growing faster than expected because people want to be part of something real, not manufactured soundbites.”

She told the Arizona Globe, “I feel like it has all of the means to communicate with constituents in one place. I can send my weekly newsletter, hold lives, and chat without all of the toxicity and drama of other social media platforms.”

Keshel joins her husband, Captain Seth Keshel, a powerhouse on Substack who consistently ranks among the top political podcasters.

Blackman has built a reputation for unfiltered commentary through The Walt Blackman Show, which he describes as “where Arizona politics grows a spine, finds its voice, and delivers a punch right to the gut of the status quo.” On a recent episode, Blackman said, “Too many politicians are afraid to say what you’re thinking. I’m not. If it makes the establishment uncomfortable, that’s a good sign I’m on the right track.”

He also frequently uses X Spaces and other live platforms to interact directly with constituents, remarking in one session, “When you talk to me here, you’re not talking through a reporter or a spin doctor. You’re talking to me, Walt, no middleman.”

Blackman told the Globe: “I have been engaging in this practice for several years. I believe it is an effective method to maintain communication with my constituents, especially considering the vast size of my district which makes it challenging to physically reach all areas. By utilizing media platforms, I can interact with a larger audience within my communities to provide assistance. I am committed to enhancing my outreach efforts to better serve my constituents, and media will remain a key tool in achieving this goal.”

This embrace of new media demonstrates how Arizona GOP lawmakers are reshaping their communication strategy—bypassing traditional outlets, hosting recurring digital content to maintain visibility, and shaping their identity through unedited, direct platforms. At a time when trust in mainstream news is at historic lows, these lawmakers are choosing to go directly to the people.