Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast for Episode 57! We somehow have made it all the way to the end of October, which means that election season is coming to a climax. (And thank God for that; I have just about had enough of the constant campaign mailers.) That means it is also time for our MIDTERM ELECTION EXTRAVAGANZA! After covering the results of the Israeli and Brazilian elections, including the predictable inconclusiveness of the former and the wild aftermath of the latter, hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay dive into rank punditry on our own domestic electoral politics. To set the stage, we discuss the overarching themes of this election season, where things stand today in terms of broad public polling, and the current makeup of Congress. Then we get into the weeds of the race for control of the House of Representatives, agreeing on the likelihood that Democrats take the lower congressional body, as well as what that outcome could mean for the next two years. We spend the bulk of the time, however, previewing the senatorial election slate, hitting 14 states that range from leaning one way to being a total toss-up. We talk about the controversies in Michigan and Alaska, the potential for Democrats to flip surprising Midwestern states, and whether Susan Collins can remain seated atop her throne of opposing skulls up in Maine. We also debate the coming radicalism (or not) of the Democratic Party and how these races may impact the real Big Kahuna: the 2028 presidential contest.
Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, have a happy Halloween!
