Overview of Rapid Response — “Anti-polarizing strategies from a purple city, with OKC Mayor David Holt”
This episode features Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt (current president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors) in conversation with host Bob Safian. Holt describes how Oklahoma City rebuilt its brand and economy by investing in quality-of-life projects (the MAPS program), explains why cities can be less polarized than state and national politics, outlines the practical role mayors play, and offers views on business-government relationships, immigration, and the local‑level implications of AI.
Key takeaways
- Oklahoma City’s turnaround was deliberate: since the early 1990s the city has invested in quality‑of‑life infrastructure (MAPS programs) that attracted people and jobs. Voters have approved roughly $10 billion in projects across multiple ballot initiatives (15 wins, 0 losses).
- The city is “purple” politically — closer to a 50/50 split — and Holt argues that city elections (where all voters see all candidates) encourage pragmatic, non‑polarizing leadership. He sees this electoral design as a model to reduce national polarization.
- Mayors are pragmatic operators focused on delivering essential services (trash, water, safety) and therefore incentivized to compromise and get things done.
- Business and city-government partnerships are essential: Holt credits the local business community (and chamber) with running successful campaigns for city initiatives and emphasizes creating a fair, pro‑business environment while avoiding cronyism.
- On immigration: Holt supports a controlled, practical immigration policy — not open borders, but a middle ground — because cities need workers across skill levels and immigration is an economic necessity.
- On federal interventions (ICE raids, National Guard deployments): mayors largely oppose outside interventions in local affairs and will discuss these issues as a group, but legal/political limits constrain what cities can do.
- On AI: cities are exploring AI but have not seen transformational impacts yet. Governments tend to be cautious adopters and may lag private sector innovation.
Notable facts & figures
- Oklahoma City rose from the 37th to the 20th largest U.S. city in Holt’s lifetime.
- MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) has passed repeatedly — Holt cites 15 successful local votes to fund quality-of-life and infrastructure projects.
- Holt’s mayoral election results: ~78% and ~60% in two elections; civic initiatives have won in the 70s percentage range (e.g., 72%, 71%, 75%).
- Oklahoma County presidential split: Trump 49% — Biden 48% (2020 and 2024), used to illustrate local political balance.
- Local unemployment streak: below 4% for 50 consecutive months (as of the episode).
Topics discussed
- MAPS: strategy of investing in parks, arenas, cultural amenities and letting the brand follow actual improvements.
- Electoral mechanics: open/all-voter systems vs. closed partisan primaries and how that shapes candidate incentives.
- Role of mayors: governance, peer support through U.S. Conference of Mayors, advocacy in D.C., sharing best practices, and crisis management.
- Business-government relations: legal limits on municipal campaigning, roles of chambers/businesses in funding/organizing ballot initiatives, balancing pro‑business policy and anti‑cronyism.
- Immigration: practical labor needs, cultural benefits, and necessity of a regulated middle-ground policy.
- Federal-local tension: limitations of mayors when federal forces act in cities; rhetorical options vs. legal authority.
- AI: cautious municipal adoption, likely lag behind private sector until proven use cases.
Notable quotes (paraphrased/summarized)
- “Jobs follow the people, not the other way around.” — on why quality of life matters to economic growth.
- “When everybody votes, we’re not as crazy as we look like we are.” — on open/all-voter municipal elections reducing extremism.
- “We are kind of the last bastion of responsible governance in the country.” — on cities’ role as pragmatic problem‑solvers.
- “Immigration is an economic necessity; we need a reasonable middle ground.” — on practical immigration policy for cities.
Practical recommendations (for leaders and businesspeople)
- Focus on deliverable improvements to quality of life rather than simply marketing a brand; let outcomes drive perception.
- Build cross-partisan coalitions by prioritizing the middle 70% of voters — design campaigns and policies that appeal broadly.
- Partner actively with local business communities on ballot initiatives and economic development; keep the environment fair and neutral to avoid cronyism.
- Consider electoral design reforms (e.g., top-two/all-voter approaches) if the goal is to reduce primary-driven polarization.
- Treat immigration policy as a workforce and economic issue; seek pragmatic local solutions and advocate for sensible federal frameworks.
- On AI: follow private sector pilots, evaluate concrete municipal use cases, and adopt cautiously—expect government to be a late but steady adopter.
Actions & resources to follow up
- Read the “Oklahoma City Declaration” (search that term) — Holt encouraged mayors and citizens to review and support this statement promoting pluralism, compromise, and democratic norms.
- Look up MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) for a case study in voter-backed, sustained investments in urban quality of life.
- Track U.S. Conference of Mayors outputs and policy statements to see collective municipal priorities and guidance for federal advocacy.
Why this matters
Holt’s account provides a practical blueprint for city revitalization centered on sustained civic investment, and an institutional lesson: election design and governance incentives shape political behavior. For business leaders, the episode reinforces the importance of local partnerships and the continuing role of cities as engines of talent, culture, and economic opportunity — even amid national polarization and technological disruption.