The Downballot: A Howard Dean comeback? YEEAARRGGHH!! (transcript)

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday May 02, 2024 · 4:29 PM PDT

2024/05/02 · 16:29

A Howard Dean comeback!? We couldn't believe it either, but the former Vermont governor (and one-time presidential primary frontrunner) says he's thinking about a bid for his old job, so we're strolling down memory lane on this week's episode of "The Downballot." The 75-year-old Dean would give Democrats a credible—and very recognizable—opponent for Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who currently lacks one. We gotta admit, we kinda like the idea!

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We're also talking primary previews with Daily Kos Elections editor Jeff Singer, who gives us the scoop on some of the top contests coming up this month. Among the races: the Republican congresswoman in Indiana who met bitter resistance when she tried to un-retire; the major battle in Maryland between a self-funder and the establishment; the most disgustingly transphobic GOP primary we've ever seen, down in West Virginia; and a "gun influencer" who could unseat a sitting Republican congressman in Texas.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you never miss an episode. New episodes come out every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday April 25, 2024 · 9:40 AM PDT

2024/04/25 · 09:40

Here's one way to avoid dealing with election results you don't like: just wipe them from the record books. It's not Orwell—it's Arizona, and we're talking all about it on this week's episode of "The Downballot." This fall, voters have the chance to deny new terms to two conservative Supreme Court justices, but a Republican amendment would retroactively declare those elections null and void—and all but eliminate the system Arizona has used to evaluate judges for 50 years. We're going to guess voters won't like this one bit … if it even makes it to the ballot in the first place.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also recap this week's primaries in Pennsylvania, where voters just chose nominees in the high-profile contest for attorney general and in several key House races across the state. But there's also some big news that has scrambled next year's elections in Virginia, with a prominent candidate dropping his bid for governor to instead seek the number two slot.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you never miss an episode. New episodes come out every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday April 18, 2024 · 12:03 PM PDT

2024/04/18 · 12:03

It's an old story, but it never gets old: Democrats just whooped Republicans in fundraising—again. This week on "The Downballot" podcast, we're running through some of the most eye-popping numbers Democrats hauled in during the first quarter of the year (Sherrod Brown! Jon Tester! Colin Allred!) and the comparatively weak performances we're seeing from Republicans almost across the board. The GOP hopes to make up the gap by relying on self-funders, but a campaign without a strong fundraising network can be dangerously hollow.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also recap the week's electoral action, starting with victories in a pair of special elections in Michigan that allowed Democrats to reclaim their majority in the state House, plus a noteworthy House runoff in Alabama that could lead to a Black Democrat representing Mobile for the first time since Reconstruction.

The Davids also explain why a surprise retirement from the Wisconsin Supreme Court means progressives need to be on guard against a top-two lockout in yet another critical battle for control of the court. And finally, there's the astonishing three-way House race in California that could soon turn into a humdrum two-way affair thanks to an unexpected recount.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday April 11, 2024 · 9:38 AM PDT

2024/04/11 · 09:38

It's only April, but the Washington Post's new report on GOP golden boy Tim Sheehy is a strong contender for the craziest political story of the year. On this week's episode of "The Downballot," co-hosts David Nir and David Beard dissect the countless contradictions in Sheehy's tales about a bullet wound that he either received in Afghanistan or in a national park three years later. The Davids also explain why the Arizona Supreme Court's appalling new ruling banning nearly all abortions could lead to two conservative justices losing their seats this fall.

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Our guest this week is Sondra Goldschein, who runs the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, an organization dedicated to improving America's badly lagging "care infrastructure." Goldschein explains how issues like paid medical leave laws and greater access to childcare affect an enormous swath of the electorate—and why they're closely tied to voters' perceptions of their economic fortunes. She also highlights candidates her group is working to elect to make these policies a reality.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday April 04, 2024 · 10:06 AM PDT

2024/04/04 · 10:06

Florida's Supreme Court just greenlit a ballot measure to enshrine abortion in the state constitution—and simultaneously allowed the GOP's new six-week abortion ban to become law. That makes the already-high stakes for this amendment even higher, as we discuss on this week's episode of The Downballot. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also talk about the death of New Jersey's infamous "county line" and how the GOP managed to pick yet another whackjob candidate for yet another congressional special election.

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Our guest this week is Daria Dawson, the executive director of America Votes, an organization that forms a crucial piece of infrastructure for the progressive moment. As Dawson explains, America Votes plays the role of "traffic cop" to ensure that its 400 partners don't duplicate each other's work—and that the right groups communicate with the right voters. She also emphasizes that Democratic candidates need to affirmatively tie themselves to ballot measures protecting abortion rights and says that voting rights are key to differentiating between the parties when talking to voters.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday March 28, 2024 · 1:18 PM PDT

2024/03/28 · 13:18

Another special election just delivered still more bad news for the GOP, but Democrat Marilyn Lands', well, landslide should really have Republicans quaking. As we explain on this week's episode of The Downballot, this was the first test of in vitro fertilization at the ballot box since the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that imperiled the procedure, and Republicans failed spectacularly—with dire implications for November.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also examine the fallout from Tammy Murphy's shock decision to abandon her Senate bid and why Andy Kim's campaign has dealt a major blow to New Jersey's political machine. The Davids then explore whether the seemingly impossible might come to pass: Could Democrats take back control of the House before Election Day? Whatever the odds, Democrats need to be ready.

Our guest this week is Lauren Baer, a 2018 congressional candidate in Florida who now runs Arena, an organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of campaign staff. Baer tells us about her group's work to train and place staff with campaigns, including how they help staffers weather the dry "shoulder season" between election cycles. She also warns about the huge GOP advantage in funding their talent pipeline and explains how Democrats can make up this crucial gap in campaign infrastructure.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday March 21, 2024 · 12:48 PM PDT

2024/03/21 · 12:48

One of the most under-represented groups in elective office is also one of the least discussed: moms, especially mothers of young children. On this week's episode of "The Downballot," we're talking with Liuba Grechen Shirley, the founder of Vote Mama, an organization devoted to electing progressive moms at all levels of the ballot.

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Grechen Shirley describes her groundbreaking success in getting the FEC to allow her to use campaign funds for childcare when she ran for Congress on Long Island in 2018 and her subsequent efforts to support candidates like her. She explains how electing more mothers will mean more pro-family policies and tells us about some of her top candidates running this fall.

Co-host David Nir and guest co-host Joe Sudbay also recap Tuesday's key primaries in Ohio and Illinois, including the blowout GOP Senate primary in the Buckeye State whose results will make both Donald Trump and Democrats happy. They also discuss an important new ruling from the Montana Supreme Court, which just smacked down an attempt by the state's Republican attorney general to keep an abortion rights amendment off the November ballot.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday March 14, 2024 · 2:17 PM PDT

2024/03/14 · 14:17

The ripple effects of the Dobbs decision are impacting not only the right to an abortion but also abortion funding, IVF, and even recreational sex. Joining us on this week's episode of "The Downballot" is Grace Panetta, a political reporter at The 19th who has closely covered the electoral consequences of this ever-widening set of issues. Panetta highlights key races this year where reproductive rights will take center stage, including ballot initiatives in multiple states, efforts to repeal bans on public funding of abortions, and an upcoming special election in Alabama, the state that just thrust IVF into the limelight.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also discuss Ken Buck's highly entertaining resignation, which is making life way more difficult for both Mike Johnson and Lauren Boebert. They then preview next week's primaries in Illinois and Ohio, which will, among other things, determine which Republican will take on one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators up this year, Sherrod Brown.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday March 07, 2024 · 9:58 AM PST

2024/03/07 · 09:58

We're recapping all of Tuesday's primary night action on this week's episode of "The Downballot""! Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard go coast-to-coast, setting the table in Texas' Senate race and picking apart the bloodbath in the state House. Then it's on to North Carolina, where GOP extremists dominated at all levels of the ballot—and where one notorious election fraudster is now on his way to Congress. We wrap with California, whose troublesome top-two primary system made its quirks felt in a whole bunch of races, from Senate on down.

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Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show.New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday February 29, 2024 · 10:34 AM PST

2024/02/29 · 10:34

The first downballot primaries of 2024 are here! We're previewing some of Tuesday's biggest races on this week's episode of "The Downballot" with Daily Kos Elections editor Jeff Singer. Singer highlights major elections in four states, including the battle for second place in California's Senate contest; whether Democrats will avoid a lockout in a critical California House district; if the worst Republican election fraudster in recent years will successfully stage a comeback in North Carolina; and how Alabama's new map will affect not one but two House races.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also shake their heads in dismay at New York Democrats, who just unilaterally disarmed in the face of extreme GOP gerrymandering nationwide by passing a new congressional map that barely makes any changes to the status quo. The Davids emphasize that as long as Republicans keep blocking Democratic efforts to ban gerrymandering, Democrats have no choice but to fight fire with fire. Yet in New York, they grabbed the fire extinguisher.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday February 22, 2024 · 10:12 AM PST

2024/02/22 · 10:12

The economy seems to be going great, but lots of voters still say they aren't feeling it. So how should Democrats deal with this conundrum? On this week's episode of "The Downballot," communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio tells us that the first step is to reframe the debate, focusing not on "the economy"—an institution many feel is unjust—but rather on voters' economic well-being. Shenker-Osorio advises Democrats to run on a populist message that emphasizes specifics, like delivering tangible kitchen-table economic benefits and protecting personal liberties, including the right to an abortion.

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Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also investigate the new candidacy of rich guy Eric Hovde, the latest in a long line of GOP Senate candidates who have weak ties to the states they want to represent. Then it's on to redistricting news in two states: Wisconsin, which will have fair legislative maps for the first time in ages, and New York, where Democrats are poised to nuke a new congressional map that no one seems to like.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

The Downballot for Daily Kos Elections

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday February 15, 2024 · 9:43 AM PST

2024/02/15 · 09:43

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, Democratic candidate for New York's 3rd congressional district, speaks at his election night party Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Woodbury, N.Y. Suozzi won a special election for the House seat formerly held by George Santos.  (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) — New York Rep.-elect Tom Suozzi (D)

Ohhhhh yeah! Democrats kicked ass and then some in Tuesday's special election in New York, so of course we're talking all about it on this week's episode of "The Downballot." Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard explain how Tom Suozzi's win affects the math for Democrats' plan to take back the House, then dive into the seemingly bottomless list of excuses Republicans have been making to handwave their defeat away. The bottom line: Suozzi effectively neutralized attacks on immigration—and abortion is still a huge loser for the GOP.

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The Davids then chat with Alex Roarty, a politics reporter at NOTUS, a new nonprofit newsroom promoting a new model not just for covering news but for training the next generation of reporters. Roarty tells us how his work has changed since coming over from the for-profit world and also shares his thoughts on the down-ticket races he's watching most closely this year, including bellwether contests in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Subscribe to "The Downballot" on Apple Podcasts to make sure you never miss a show. New episodes every Thursday morning!

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The Downballot: A Howard Dean comeback? YEEAARRGGHH!! (transcript)

The Downballot: The AZ GOP's plan to retroactively erase an election (transcript)

The Downballot: Dems are crushing the GOP in fundraising—again (transcript)

The Downballot: The craziest effing story of the year (so far) (transcript)

The Downballot: The stakes for Florida's abortion amendment just got higher (transcript)

The Downballot: The GOP should be terrified after Alabama's landslide

The Downballot: Why we need to elect more moms (transcript)

The Downballot: After abortion, conservatives are coming for recreational sex (transcript)

The Downballot: Far-right Republicans dominate Tuesday's primaries (transcript)

The Downballot: Our big fat Super Tuesday primary preview (transcript)

The Downballot: How Democrats can win on the economy (transcript)

The Downballot: Dems dominate in huge special election flip (transcript)