NAHB Podcast: Changing Dynamics in the 2024 Election
On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez are joined by Chief Lobbyist Lake Coulson to discuss the latest political news.
Coulson recently attended the Republican National Convention with NAHB Chairman Carl Harris and First Vice Chairman Buddy Hughes, as well as NAHB VP of Government Affairs Scott Meyer and BUILD-PAC Director Meredith Wimbrow. The senior officers had the opportunity to talk housing with federal elected officials, as well as a special closing session with former President Trump and vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance.
“Carl spent some time with Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and with Majority Leader Steve Scalise as well,” Coulson noted. “So we had a really good opportunity to talk about our place in the world and why housing is so important to the economy and some of the things that are keeping our builders up at night.”
Following the convention, President Biden’s announcement to step down as the Democratic presidential nominee has changed the landscape for the 2024 election. Tobin, Lopez and Coulson weighed in on what to expect in this election cycle, including potential campaign tactics for Vice President Kamala Harris, who might be the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and the significance of Biden’s announcement.
“They just threw out the sitting president of the United States from re-election over a bad debate performance,” Tobin stated. “If you think about that, it’s stunning.”
Carl Harris and Buddy Hughes will be on the road again in a few weeks to attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and NAHB will continue to campaign for pro-housing efforts through the August recess and leading up to elections in November.
Listen to the full episode below, and subscribe to Housing Development through your favorite podcast provider or watch all the episodes on YouTube.
Latest from NAHBNow
Student Chapters | Workforce Development
May 13, 2026
Why High School Students are Excited to Enter the Construction TradesNAHB caught up with three rising high school stars pursuing careers in construction about how they got their interest, their favorite student chapter moments, and what they hope to accomplish throughout their careers.
Codes and Standards
May 12, 2026
Talk to Your Local Code Officials as They Vote on Building CodesLocal code officials this week began voting on proposed changes to building codes. NAHB is asking members to share home builder positions on proposed changes with code officials.
Latest Economic News
Economics
May 13, 2026
Residential Construction Input Prices Move Higher In AprilPrices rose across a host of goods and services used in residential construction. Rising energy prices were the primary driver, but transportation service prices also rose at their fastest pace since 2022. Meanwhile, building material prices, excluding energy, rose at their highest yearly rate in three years, up 3.7% from a year ago.
Economics
May 13, 2026
Delinquencies Holds Steady in First Quarter of 2026Consumer loan delinquency rates continued to normalize in the first quarter of 2026 as pandemic-related disruptions diminished and credit conditions moved closer to historical norms.
Economics
May 12, 2026
Inflation Outpaced Wage Growth in AprilInflation accelerated to a nearly three-year high in April, driven by continued increases in energy costs from the Iran war. Energy costs drove more than 40% of the monthly increase, with national gasoline prices soaring above $4.50 in early May for the first time since July 2022.