As a Democrat working in professional politics, I have a constant state of worry, especially since Jan. 6, 2021, when election interference became a significant concern. With the 2022 midterms approaching, teams of lawyers, election experts, and grassroots organizers in Washington, D.C. have been preparing for potential threats to the election process. As an adviser to former President Barack Obama, I have been attending briefings, strategy sessions, and tabletop exercises to help mitigate and overcome these risks.
In the spring of 2022, I was approached by executive producer Frank Rich to advise the writers of the popular TV show “Succession” on political storylines for the fourth season. With 20 years of experience in politics, including working in Congress and the Obama White House, I jumped at the opportunity. I had previously consulted on Netflix’s “Designated Survivor,” but working on one of Hollywood’s biggest shows was a thrilling prospect.
For the next 10 months, I worked closely with the writers to incorporate campaign elements into each script, capture the Washington vibe, and ensure that the political realities were reflected in the storytelling. The culmination of our collaboration came in the eighth episode of the final season, titled “America Decides,” which focused on election night. The writers wanted to create electoral mayhem, merging my real-life fears about election interference with a fictionalized worst-case scenario.
During our brainstorming sessions, we discussed various plotlines, including a massive fire at a vote count center. While I argued that true sabotage would be more covert, the writers decided to go with the arson storyline, as it provided a visually compelling element. We chose Democrat-heavy Milwaukee as the location for the fire, a place that could swing the state’s election results. The timing of the fire was also critical, as it needed to occur late enough in the night for the TV network owned by the Roy family to cause maximum chaos after the results from Arizona were clear.
The fire was not the only nefarious element the writers wanted to explore. They also wanted to examine how the Roy kids’ corporate interests could interfere with the network’s real-time election calls. While news outlets typically have strict firewalls between their editorial teams and business executives to prevent any undue influence, the somewhat improbable plotlines in the episode felt credible because they were grounded in reality. The meticulous attention to detail by the writers set the stage for a drama that felt captivating and realistic.
The onscreen exchanges about how government officials would handle such an emergency were informed by conversations with local and state election commissions, as well as consultations with renowned Republican elections attorney Ben Ginsberg. It was a unique experience to work alongside Ben, considering our usually adversarial positions. Our experiences from the 2008 Minnesota Senate race served as inspiration to project how campaigns deal with prolonged election outcomes.
Getting the details right was essential not only for the political plotline but also for the show as a whole. “Succession” offers a glimpse inside the world of the uber-wealthy, corporate boardrooms, and media conglomerates. When creator Jesse Armstrong questioned me about the remarks the fictional president-elect would make, his meticulousness mirrored the precision expected in the Oval Office. The attention to detail in the show’s portrayal of Washington is what contributes to its authenticity and captivates viewers.
As we filmed the election-night episode last December, Congress passed legislation that updated the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The new legislation addressed modern threats to election administration and included a provision specifically for a historically significant destructive fire. It was ironic to see this being considered in real-life after the arson plotline we had created for the show.
There have been many TV shows that have attempted to capture the essence of Washington, D.C. “The West Wing” inspired many to enter politics, while “Veep” highlighted the absurdity of the political world. While these shows take dramatic license to entertain, those that succeed in cracking the D.C. code do so by grounding their stories in authenticity and paying attention to the nitty-gritty details. With “Succession,” I hope that we didn’t predict the future and that life does not imitate art.
In the end, working on “Succession” as a political consultant was a thrilling and rewarding experience. It allowed me to combine my love for politics with my fascination for the entertainment industry. I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to a show that captivates audiences and sparks conversations about power, wealth, and the inner workings of influential families.
(This article first appeared in the Aug. 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine)
