Bulwark Takes

The battle for Congress is heating up ahead of the midterms. Tim Miller talks with North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton about key House races, rural voters, and gerrymandering. Plus, Sam Stein joins Rep. Nikema Williams in Georgia to discuss voter turnout, Trump's election interference, and what's at stake in November.
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Tim Miller, Sam Stein and Will Sommer give their takes on the latest chaos from the MAGA universe. Top Trump allies Chris LaCivita and James Blair had to hand over their six-figure consulting fees from a pro-Russian Balkan politician to Trump’s presidential library are right-wing influencers embarrassed themselves while campaigning for Serbia’s strongman. Plus, Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins’ was caught fantasizing about public executions and throwing Nancy Pelosi out of a plane.
Then, a pro-Trump, pro-ICE commentator gets arrested by ICE himself. A State Department employee was caught throwing a drink at a Washington Wizards game. Since we taped, she has subsequently been fired from her job. And Will breaks down the implosion of Ethan Klein’s H3 Podcast following allegations of an affair, while the trio also weighs in on influencer Clavicular’s bizarre appearance at his rape-case arraignment.
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Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow joins Sam Stein for her take on how a fabricated poll had real consequences for her Senate campaign, drying up donations, rattling volunteers, and prompting reporters to ask when she would drop out. They examine how fake polling can distort media coverage, influence donors, and shape the narratives surrounding elections, even when the numbers are completely made up. McMorrow also discusses the broader problems plaguing American politics, from scam PACs to the need for greater transparency and accountability.
Plus, McMorrow weighs in on the attacks against Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, including Islamophobic campaign ads and the death threats against women running for state office.
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Vivek Ramaswamy has dragged Amy Acton’s estranged mother into the Ohio governor’s race to smear her daughter — even though the mother’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was just 12. Now Trump and JD Vance are backing the attack, with Trump calling Acton “defective” and demanding Republicans fall in line. Will Sommer and Andrew Egger give their takes on the ad’s horrifying backstory and the shameless decision to turn Acton’s childhood trauma into a campaign weapon.
Plus, Glenn Beck, Megyn Kelly, and Ben Shapiro twist themselves into knots defending the ad, while some Ohio Republicans struggle to explain how this is acceptable politics. As Trump attacks Gov. Mike DeWine for condemning the spot, the MAGA media machine faces a familiar choice: acknowledge the facts or defend their guy at any cost.

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s surprise visit to Israel days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s election and amid the possibility of new strikes against Iran. They also discuss the strain of sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and the damage Hegseth’s office caused to a historic globe once used by Dwight Eisenhower.
Plus, Trump threatens to withhold compensation for victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune if Republicans lose the midterms.