Alex is on the road this week; Joe is joined by journalist Cal Perry. California primaries come to a close. Has MAGA done enough to make a dent in the state? Can a reality star really become mayor of Los Angeles? What trends does Joe predict will define the primary elections nationally? Has Trump sabotaged his own coalition? Joe unpacks new polling data and what that means for undecided voters. And what does an MLB salary cap mean for Joe’s Orioles and Dodgers? 

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How can Democrats win back a vital part of the Trump coalition? And with the matchup in Texas set - can Talarico win that Senate seat? Trippi's take on why the anti-trans attacks he and other Democrats are facing aren't landing like they did in 2024. And why Joe thinks Trump's biggest weakness is... Trump. What can Democrats do about it? And can Trump dig out of the hole he put himself in?

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Why this week's Republican primaries may be a win for Trump - but ultimately may portend bad news for them in the general election. Alabama is in play, folks - what numbers are Joe and Alex excited to see? Plus: Was the DNC autopsy leak intentional? What's Joe's take on what went wrong in 2024? And why is Trump's $1.8 billion "slush fund" blowing up the Republican Party right now - and why Joe thinks this isn't over, no matter what Trump's trying to do at the federal level.

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With major court wins for Republicans in redistricting - how much is it going to matter for control of the House in 2026? The title may be a spoiler... why Joe thinks it matters less than people are realizing. What's a less-insane-than-most-realize scenario for MAGA to steal the House? And let's say Democrats win in 2026 - what does Joe think needs to happen when they win back the Speaker's gavel? And what can national Democrats learn from Nebraska?

Check out Andy Craig's article on how the steal could happen in 2026 here: https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/the-vra-ruling-might-have-handed?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=461280&post_id=197247746&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1aumh&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

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Another big win in Michigan for Democrats. Zooming out - can we actually take insights from this and all Democrats' recent wins for the fall? What's going on under the hood that makes Joe think - yes, yes we can. Plus: Our first look at who's moving away from Trump. Who's regretting their vote - and why? Will they even turn out in the fall? And why the latest economic numbers aren't exactly something to go on Fox News and brag about - unless you're the Trump regime.

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Why the sky may not be falling with the Supreme Court decision - how Trump keeps blowing up his 2024 coalition. Does Joe see anything happening with Iran or the economy that might get Trump out of this? And while Republicans might feel better about the House today - why some GOP insiders are already panicking about the Senate. And a listener question you might not expect... why Alex and Joe seriously disagree.

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Brandon Jones, Director of Political Campaigns for the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund and New Southern Majority, joins Joe and Alex with a seismic new poll out of Mississippi. And if you compare it to some new national numbers - Alex explains why Mississippi is absolutely in play in 2026. When an incumbent Senator's 20 points underwater in May... well, that's shaping up to be one heck of a wave year. Plus - where else does Brandon think Democrats can make a splash this cycle? Learn more and join New Southern Majority at http://newsouthernmajority.org/.

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President of Brady United to Prevent Gun Violence Kris Brown joins Joe and Alex to discuss where we are in 2026 with gun violence prevention in America. Why it's not hopeless - some big wins that gun violence protection advocates can point to. What's the biggest challenge facing the movement in 2026? What's next for driving the culture change needed to reduce gun violence? Read more about how you can help Brady United and Kris's Substack at https://krisbrownofficial.substack.com.

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Lanny Davis joins the show! Together, Lanny and Joe break down how presidential politics have changed throughout the years. What is Lanny’s third way to reignite a political party? Is there a way to reframe compromise between the Republicans and Democrats? Lanny shares what inspired him to write “Finding the Third Way: Lessons in the Politics of Civility from My Journey through History” and what it means to compromise. How does Bill Clinton’s State of the Union address on border security land today? Joe shares his admiration for Lanny’s ability to engage in civil discourse, and they discuss how to talk to a Trump voter in today’s climate.

Find Lanny’s book “Finding the Third Way” here: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Third-Way-Politics-Civility/dp/B0G318P334

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Alexander Theodoridis joins the show and shares his findings on his latest poll. Alexander and Joe dive deeper into what it means for the United States as it approaches its 250th birthday. What does it really mean to be an American? Is the GOP really more American than the Dems? Do people want to believe in the American experiment? How do the different parties view crimes and their severity? Is it possible to see a bipartisan shift in the future?
Find the UMASS Amherst poll here: https://www.umass.edu/political-science/about/reports/2026-4

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Joe's been talking about it since at least last November - what critical cohort that decided 2016, 2024, and the 2022 midterms is very, very mad at Trump? And they're a growing percentage of the electorate, too. Plus - why did Melania drop a surprise Epstein press conference on Thursday? Is Iran going that poorly? (Yes!) And can Dems make any gains on the ridiculous trading corruption that's happening on prediction markets right now? Joe explains why we have to keep our eye on the prize.

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