Chuck and Mike meet up in Sacramento, where they just finished briefing the California Senate Democratic Caucus — and they've got a lot to say. Recorded on the night of Trump's State of the Union address, this episode covers all the big races and trends you need to watch heading into the Texas primary.

The numbers out of Texas are unlike anything they've seen before: Democratic early vote is outnumbering Republicans by six figures in major counties, with 30-point swings compared to 2022. But what does it all mean? Chuck and Mike break down the historic Crockett vs. Talarico Senate race and explain why Latino voters — not Black or white voters — will be the ones deciding the outcome. They also dig into the Republican primary chaos between Cornyn and Paxton, the $100M+ already spent in what's become the most expensive Senate primary in American history, and why Bobby Polito might be the most important candidate you've never heard of.

Plus: the California governor's race is more complicated than it looks, Trump's allies are sitting on a $450M war chest heading into the midterms, and young non-college-educated Latino men remain the one demographic that hasn't swung back left. Chuck and Mike tell you what to watch for on election night — and announce plans for the first-ever Latino Vote Summit in Washington, D.C. this summer.

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Recorded February 24, 2026

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