The Northwest Politicast

(OLYMPIA, Wash.) – “No taxpayer dollars for anti-Trump lawsuits” was seen on a protestor’s sign at a recent town hall with Attorney General Nick Brown. But in a sit-down with the Northwest Politicast, the state’s top law enforcement officer argues that his actions are not about politics.

PLUS: President Trump moves to end voting by mail. We’ll get reaction in this all vote-by-mail state.

AND: Lawyers behaving badly.

Guests include Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Attorney General Nick Brown, legal analyst Royal Oakes, and producer Zach Wildfang.

The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola will explore the issues and politics of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.

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Washington's 3rd CD has long been GOP stronghold. But in the Trump era, voters have shifted left. MAGA Republicans ousted longtime Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler after her vote to impeach Donald Trump, paving the way for Democrat Marie Glusenkamp Perez to win in 2022 and 2024. However, her opponent in both elections was a deeply flawed candidate. Now, State Senate minority leader John Braun has entered the race, bringing the experience and gravitas that was missing in the last two cycles. Will he be able to flip the seat in what’s expected to be a strong Democratic year?

The reelection campaigns of Mayor Bruce Harrell, City Attorney Ann Davison, and Council President Sara Nelson all appear to be in trouble as progressive challengers take commanding leads in the August primary. Is this the Trump Effect or just Seattle returning to its base after an experiment with more centrist leaders over the last few years? We’ll examine.

Six months into his term, Bob Ferguson has the lowest numbers of any new governor in 33 years. Making things worse is the fact that voters overwhelmingly feel both Washington State and the country are headed in the wrong direction. We’ll break down the numbers.

AND: How a pair of pants broke politics.

Ghislaine Maxwell has been given limited immunity by the DOJ, according to CNN. But is a presidential pardon being used as leverage by the White House to get her to reveal or withhold what she knows? And if so, what would be the fallout?

We’ll examine how the Jeffrey Epstein issue has split the MAGA base, and look at the unique political phenomenon that is Trump himself.

AND: Making gas cans great again.

In one of the most contentious interviews we’ve had on the show, Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank takes other county leaders to task over what he sees as an encroachment on his authority.

PLUS: The Pierce County prosecutor responds to Swank's allegations.

AND: The latest on defunding NPR and PBS and what might be next.

It’s a race most people haven’t really paid much attention to. Until now. With Dow Constantine stepping aside to serve as CEO of Sound Transit, the race for King County Executive is wide open. And already, one of the top contenders for the post has bowed out. We’ll take a close look at the race, and how King County politics have shifted since the last time there was an open seat for County Executive.

After suffering one its worst electoral losses in history, the Democratic Party has begun a study on how they failed so badly in 2024. We’ll get some initial findings from Washington State Party Chair Shasti Conrad.

PLUS: We’ll dive deep into the litany of Supreme Court rulings that were handed down this week, including the blockbuster ‘decision’ on birthright citizenship.

President Trump’s signature piece of legislation might flame out due to an obscure Senate Rule. Republicans have vowed to use a procedure called reconciliation to pass the Big, Beautiful Bill, which would allow it to avoid a Senate filibuster. But to do so, everything in the bill must be about the budget, not policy. As a result, the Senate parliamentarian could strip the measure of any meaningful reform.

AND: Trump Mobile and Alligator Alcatraz.

Citing voting what they argue are irregularities in recent elections, the Washington state Republican Party is pushing change how we vote. First up is an initiative that would require proof of citizenship during voter registration. But the GOP is also working to end voting by mail for most people. We’ll chat with Chairman Jim Walsh.

PLUS: Now that President Trump has reached something of an agreement on tariffs with China, will we be paying less when we shop?