Practically Political

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate the final three weeks before the midterm elections, with Senate races in Texas, Michigan, Maine and other states drawing attention. They debate whether candidate debates can still sway voters, the clash between Kristi Noem and country music star Kacey Musgraves, and whether Democrats are missing the mark with voters more concerned about grocery bills than political messaging.

The conversation then turns to whether Mike Johnson could remain the party's leader if Republicans lose control of the House. They also discuss the new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia’s failure at her first briefing, whether she'll last in the role, Kimberly Guilfoyle's role as ambassador to Greece, her relationship with Trump Jr. and Newsom and whether Scott Jennings could be a future press secretary.

Finally, Dave raises concerns about Trump's Russia diesel deal and what it could mean for Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and America's relationship with its allies. The trio debates whether the deal benefits Russia and its potential impact on the war in Ukraine.

Topics Discussed:
0:00 Welcome to Practically Political
1:13 Kristi Noem vs. Kacey Musgraves: Celebrities in Politics
5:00 Midterm Debates and the Senate Races to Watch
14:05 Could Mike Johnson Lose His Leadership Role?
17:48 White House Shakeup: Katie Zacharia, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Scott Jennings
25:35 Trump's Russia Oil Deal and the War in Ukraine

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Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella discuss the three-year anniversary of October 7, changing attitudes toward Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. They also discuss concerns about antisemitism and national security.

The conversation then turns to the midterms, including the Texas Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton, whether Latino voters could shift back toward Democrats and the races that could determine control of the Senate. They also look ahead to 2028 and some of the Republicans who could emerge as presidential candidates, including J.D. Vance, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Spencer Cox.

Finally, they debate what Republican leadership could look like if Democrats take control of the House, including whether Jim Jordan could become minority leader. Plus, President Trump’s fight with Sen. Tom Cotton leads to a debate over permanent daylight saving time and what happened when the U.S. tried it in the 1970s.

Topics Discussed:

0:00 Welcome to Practically Political
1:29 October 7 Anniversary, Israel and Netanyahu
7:26 Texas Senate Race and the Midterm Battle for the Senate
17:52 GOP 2028 Candidates and Jim Jordan as House GOP Leader
25:36 Trump, Tom Cotton and Daylight-Saving Time

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate the remaining weeks ahead of the midterms, whether Republicans can still make a difference in Congress and why some candidates are distancing themselves from President Trump. They also discuss Trump’s role on the campaign trail and whether his presence helps or hurts Republicans.

The conversation then turns to the battle for control of the Senate, the future of the Republican Party and what could happen if Democrats take control of Congress, including whether another impeachment effort against Trump could be on the table.

Finally, they debate Trump’s red carpet greeting for Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. policy toward China and whether Trump’s approach has been too inconsistent.

Topics Discussed:

0:00 Welcome to Practically Political
0:57 Congress and the Final Midterm Push

3:57 Republicans Breaking With Trump
8:39 Trump’s Role in the Midterms
15:50 The Senate and the Future of the GOP
24:02 Trump, Xi Jinping and China

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate America’s role in the world as wars continue in Iran and Ukraine and U.S. allies look to other countries, including China. They discuss NATO and whether the United States is giving up its international influence.

The conversation then turns to AI and whether the federal government needs to step in with regulation. The trio also weighs the idea of an AI “kill switch,” who would have the authority to use it and whether something like that could actually work.

Finally, with the midterms approaching, they debate whether Republican messaging around socialism and Hasan Piker will resonate when voters are dealing with gas and grocery prices. They also discuss Trump’s role in the midterms, Republican campaign spending and whether Trump-aligned groups waited too long to start spending heavily in key races.

Topics Discussed
0:00 Welcome to Practically Political
0:52 Trump, NATO and America’s Role in the World
11:12 AI Regulation and the Kill Switch Debate
21:48 The Midterms, the Economy and Republican Messaging
25:57 Trump, Campaign Spending and the Midterm Fight

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.
 

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella break down the biggest moments from the last week, including the Republican midterm convention, which included President Trump’s promise of a $5,000 dividend and whether Americans will ever actually see the money. The conversation turns to Sen. John Fetterman after his surprise video appearance at the GOP convention sparked more speculation about his future in the Democratic Party. Could he ever switch parties, or does staying a Democrat actually give him more political power?

The trio then turns to the Iran war, gas prices and interest rates before revisiting some of Kurt’s previous political predictions and discussing the latest controversy surrounding FBI Director Kash Patel.

Topics Discussed

0:00 Welcome to Practically Political

0:34 Republican Midterm Convention

4:33 Trump’s $5,000 Dividend

9:31 Will Fetterman Switch Parties?

12:55 Iran War, Gas Prices and Interest Rates

17:40 Kash Patel and the FBI

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella take another look at President Trump’s Venezuela oil deal and the questions surrounding who will pay to rebuild the country’s oil infrastructure, whether U.S. oil companies will be willing to invest again and how long it could take Americans to see any benefit.

The conversation then turns to the midterms as Trump pledges millions to help Republicans. Can Trump still turn out Republican voters by asking them to pretend he is on the ballot? Plus, the Senate races to watch and why Trump’s upcoming midterm convention is going head-to-head with the start of the NFL season. The trio even shares their favorite NFL teams!

Topics Discussed

0:00 Welcome to Practically Political
1:10 Trump’s Venezuela Oil Deal
7:46 Trump’s $500 Million Midterm Pledge
15:24 The Senate Races to Watch
20:02 Trump Takes on the NFL

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.
 

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella are joined by Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha to break down the races shaping the midterms, including whether Texas is becoming more competitive and what James Talarico’s momentum could mean for Ken Paxton.

They also look at the upcoming Republican midterm convention in Dallas and whether President Trump can get his voters to turn out when he isn’t on the ballot. Plus, Chuck weighs in on key Senate races in Michigan, Massachusetts and Maine and what they could mean for control of the Senate.

Topics Discussed

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella debate whether President Trump’s new sanctions on Iran can work and whether he is willing to put pressure on China and Russia to truly isolate the Iranian regime. They also weigh Trump’s latest fight with Canada and what it means for America’s relationships with its allies. The conversation gets heated over Natalie Harp, her relationship with President Trump and the personal letters that have put his longtime aide in the spotlight.

Finally, with Trump’s approval ratings falling and the midterms approaching, the trio looks at what could happen if Democrats take control of Congress and which Senate races could signal serious trouble for Republicans.

Topics Discussed

0:00 Welcome to the Practically Political Podcast

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down President Trump’s approach to South Korea, North Korea and America’s alliances, including what an increasingly unpredictable U.S. foreign policy could mean for the country’s role around the world.  They also debate the war in Iran, rising gas prices, and whether economic pressure could ultimately bring Iran back to the negotiating table. Plus, who should replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary? The trio weighs Scott Jennings, Jason Miller and Spencer Pratt before taking on one final question: Why does political polling keep getting it wrong?

Topics Discussed

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella discuss Republican senators Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, and John Cornyn, whether they have sacrificed ethics for political survival, and why pushing back against President Trump remains so difficult within the Republican Party.

The conversation then turns to President Trump's approach to Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices, and whether economic pressure rather than further military action could ultimately bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

Finally, the trio discusses Judge Jeanine Pirro and the dismissal of the Reflecting Pool vandalism case.

Topics Discussed

0:49 Welcome to the Practically Political Podcast

11:59 Trump, Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz

Practically Political releases new episodes weekly. Make sure to like and subscribe for more conversations on the biggest stories shaping politics.