The Latest

We're up to 299 MAGA cult election deniers running for office. How many of them can we beat? Joe and Alex discuss the races that may decide the balance of power in the House. And as Mitch McConnell said... there's plenty of other "candidate quality" problems to get into with Herschel Walker's latest scandals. And don't ask Dr. Oz to dog-sit. And what does this mean for 2024 and beyond?  Show Notes: Where Republican Election Deniers Are On The Ballot Near You Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first statewide deep dive, we take a close look at Ohio - and our Ohio friends David Pepper and Chris Gibbs join us to give their expert takes. How does a Democrat win Ohio statewide? What's Tim Ryan doing right -- and where the heck is JD Vance right now? How much does momentum mean in a state like Ohio? Which races beyond the Senate are key bellwethers? Three House districts might go a long way to deciding the balance of power in Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With less than six weeks to go until Election Day, what should campaigns be doing? Joe and Alex get into what campaigns can take from polling (hint, it's not the head-to-head numbers the media fixates on), whether it's possible to change a message this late -- and why independents in Arizona think Blake Masters is too "slippery". Turns out it's almost impossible to pretend to be moderate when you start that far MAGA.  If you're looking to help Floridians recover from Hurricane Ian, our friends at the Lincoln Project put together a list of charities to help: https://bit.ly/3SLK430 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only former US Senator currently on a comedy tour joins the show to talk about what he's doing to help Democrats win this year -- and how you can help too. How did we get this far down the road - and why has today's ultra-MAGA GOP become what it is? Plus - what's Al's solution to fix the Senate and reform the filibuster? And Al gives Dems some advice on how to win this fall -- while tossing in a pretty damn good Mitch McConnell impression. Check out Al's tour and podcast at alfranken.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex talk the final primary results of the season -- New Hampshire's ultra-MAGA sweep proves the GOP is still totally the party of Trump -- and why that helps Democratic prospects for holding both houses of Congress. And of course, Lindsey Graham's national abortion ban has Joe and Alex both scratching their heads. Turns out an abortion ban and ending Medicare and Social Security isn't exactly popular. Finally, some listener questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe puts his campaign manager hat back on and he and Alex discuss the GOP's latest desperate rebrand attempt. Will it really matter? And what might a GOP takeover of the House mean for Ukraine? Hint: They're saying it out loud. Also: What case does a challenger have to make to knock off an incumbent? And why the NY AG's lawsuit might be the real deal. (Thanks to Charlie Sykes for our title!)  https://morningshots.thebulwark.com/p/the-art-of-the-steal

Simon Rosenberg rejoins Joe and Alex to discuss the latest as we get into the home stretch. Why are the pundits so far behind? The Senate and House elections are all the same election. And Trump and the ultra-MAGA GOP just can't help themselves and keep making this a choice election. That's bad news for them. And how can we keep growing our pro-democracy coalition? Follow Simon on Twitter at @SimonWDC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our friend Trygve Olson rejoins Joe and Alex this week. How did a Democrat just win Alaska - a seat a Republican held for the better part of 50 years? (Hint, the pattern's continuing)... What is Joe Biden making happen that even Ronald Reagan couldn't do? And what on earth is going on inside Republican Senate HQ -- where Rick Scott and Mitch McConnell's feud is suddenly very public? And what do Joe and Trygve make of Joe Biden finally busting out the "F" word? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why the New York special election results are a huge sign for Democrats - even national pundits are coming around on Dem chances. And why the crazy might be tainting every Republican candidate nationwide. Also - what's the latest from Ohio? Joe and Alex break down why Tim Ryan's chances are real.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Congressman Joe Walsh joins the show to discuss why he's now fully on Team Democracy. Why is there such a disconnect privately vs publicly among public officials about supporting Trump? Why are there so few Liz Cheneys? And should Liz Cheney run in 2024 - why she shouldn't run as an independent. What's it like to primary Trump? Joe also discusses how he's bringing back voters from the cult of Trump one at a time -- with real conversations.  Check out Joe Walsh's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-flag-with-joe-walsh/id1590913798 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veteran political reporter Tom Edsall joins Joe and Alex to talk the latest implications from the Mar-A-Lago raid -- what will it mean for the midterms? Could the Justice Department's actions actually energize Democrats by showing voters the real threat? And Tom talks about what many people are ignoring: What would Trump actually do as president if he wins?  Read Tom's latest in the NYT here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/opinion/trump-has-big-plans-for-2025.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex discuss Tuesday's results in Arizona and Kansas -- is the GOP the dog that caught the car? Joe discusses why the Kansas results remind him of the spark that was Doug Jones' historic victory in Alabama in 2017. Also, hear why one Republican operative describes Tuesday's results in Arizona as a "doomsday ticket" and another describes it as a "catastrophe for the Republican Party... and democracy." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simon Rosenberg joins Joe and Alex to discuss why Democrats have all the momentum in national polls and how Dem chances continue to get better in the Senate and the House. Plus, what "cosmic ray" flipped a bunch of brains in the Senate? We talk about two colossal Democratic legislative wins that have the potential to reshape our national coalition -- and how House Republicans shot themselves in the foot by voting no on the CHIPS Act. Read Simon's new piece here: https://www.ndn.org/competitive-election-now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trygve Olson joins Joe and Alex to talk about the latest 1/6 Committee hearing and what it all means. We'll let Adam Kinzinger sum it up from the latest hearing: "The forces Donald Trump ignited that day have not gone away... The militant, intolerant ideologies —the militias, the alienation, and the disaffection — the weird fantasies and disinformation. They're all still out there, ready to go. That's the 'elephant in the room.'" Plus - Trump's video outtakes, what Trygve calls his "MAGA franchise operation", the latest from the Wyoming primary, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex discuss the latest Jan 6th hearings and how crazy can break a red wave. But don't lose sight of the biggest revelation of the week: Steve Bannon says the quiet part out loud. Our country was founded to counteract the idea of a king. And Trump's whole plan was to loudly declare himself king. That's the autocratic movement we're fighting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex return to discuss why the Biden 2024 speculation and new polling misses the point. Joe talks about his experience from the Kennedy-Carter fight in 1980. What lessons can Democrats learn for this year? It's time to ignore noise like this, double down, and get to work.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex take a look at a new round of Senate polls that have them both buying Democratic chances to gain in the Senate and hold the House (yes, really) this fall. Joe breaks down why this could be a historical anomaly, and Alex shares a stat that should have Dems feeling... enthusiastic. Plus, Joe gives his take on Boris Johnson's resignation in England and answers another reader question.  Read Simon's take on the latest polling data here: https://www.ndn.org/analysis-dems-leading-congressional-ballot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pollster and friend of the show Paul Maslin joins Joe and Alex to break down the big picture. After one of the most seismic weeks in American politics -- have the lines been redrawn? What will SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade do to voter enthusiasm? Are the hearings breaking through to the American people? And why does he think this is the beginning of the end for Trump? Plus, Paul helps us break down some of the more recent polls and figure out reasons for optimism for Democrats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two more January 6th Committee hearings are in the books. How did Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney's opening and closing statements make an impact? What does postponing the hearings to collect more evidence mean? Joe and Alex, unlike Jeff Clark, don't plead the Fifth over 100 times. Bill Barr called stopping Trump's attempts to overthrow the election "whack-a-mole" -- what else surprised from the hearings this week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices