Politics: The Final Weekend Before The Midterms
Summary
This episode covers the final days of the 2024 midterm elections, analyzing President Trump’s rally strategy in deep-red states and the impact of Representative Haley Stevens’ controversial endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan. Guests Tolu Olorunipa and Stephen Henderson discuss the implications for congressional control and the future of the MAGA coalition.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Con Edison
Midterm election overview and Michigan Senate race
Sponsor: WISE
Promo: Terry Gross interviews Paul McCartney
Haley Stevens endorsement and its significance
Analysis of early voting and poll data in Michigan
Trump's rally strategy and voter enthusiasm
GOP strategy and El-Sayed's campaign challenges
Trump's focus on states he won in 2024
Executive power vs. legislation in Trump's term
Reaction to Stevens' endorsement and El-Sayed's fundraising
Internal Democratic politics and Supreme Court appointments
Big questions for Democrats and Republicans post-midterms
Sponsor: Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me
Introduction to AP election calling process
Early voting trends and AP's 178-year history
State election rules and the race-calling standard
Data collection methods and redundancy checks
Accuracy, mistakes, and transparency in AP calls
Timing of calls and impact on remaining voters
Preparation and testing before election night
AP VoteCast survey and exit poll accuracy
DOJ monitors and addressing voter fraud claims
Explaining the facts behind race calls
Expectations for delayed results and ranked choice voting
Reporting on voter fraud arrests in California
Advice for navigating misinformation on election night
Why AP calls races before all polls close
Show outro and credits
Sponsor: Google Workspace with Gemini
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