The Wheelhouse

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election marked a better showing for the former president than the last time he ran back in 2020.

So far in Connecticut–even though he didn’t capture the state’s seven electoral votes–Trump has collected 21,253 more votes than he did four years ago. That’s according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s office.

Today on the Wheelhouse, a panel of experts analyze Trump’s gains in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Jim Haddadin: Investigative editor, Connecticut Public’s The Accountability Project
• Maysoon Khan: Investigative reporter, Connecticut Public’s The Accountability Project
• Ebong Udoma: Senior reporter, WSHU
• John Moritz: State reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
• Alex Putterman: Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media

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Last year, 46,728 people were killed in firearm deaths. For parents and families grieving children lost to the Sandy Hook School shooting, there’s no escaping the trauma associated with that loss, and the rhetoric surrounding gun violence.

Today on the Wheelhouse, how the national gun policy discourse affects survivors of gun violence.

It’s a timely conversation, given the recent election of Donald Trump as president. Recently on The Wheelhouse, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questioned whether Trump could put aside his relationship with the NRA to enact meaningful legislation protecting Americans from gun violence.

Also featured in the conversation will be Connecticut Public senior health reporter Sujata Srinivasan, who’s covering how gun violence is a public health epidemic.

GUESTS:

• Francine Wheeler: Founder, Ben’s Lighthouse
• Nelba Marquez-Greene: Activist in residence, Yale School of Public Health
• Sujata Srinivasan: Senior health reporter, Connecticut Public

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The polls have closed and votes are still being counted.

As the 2024 elections come and go, a powerhouse panel of experts will be there for Connecticut residents to take stock in what’s left to determine our political future.

Today on the Wheelhouse, analysis of what we know so far. Plus, hear from some winners in races that were already decided.

GUESTS:

• Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and a co-founder, CT Mirror
• Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
• Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford

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You voted — and now it’s time to find out.

Throughout 2024, the Wheelhouse team has asked Connecticut residents about the issues, interviewed candidates for Congress, unpacked the assassination attempts on Donald Trump, and watched as Democrats coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris.

Now, it’s time to clock in on election night…and find out where state residents really stand.

Tonight, The Wheelhouse will dive into what we know and what comes next as the polls close.

GUESTS:

• Leah Wright Rigueur: Author and SNF Agora Institute associate professor of history, Johns Hopkins University
• Mercy Quaye: Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
• Charles Venator-Santiago: Associate professor of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
• Jonathan Wharton: Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University

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In one week, voters across America will go to the polls.

But before they do, voters in Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district will get to hear from two candidates running for a congressional seat.

This hour, we talk with Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and challenger Mike France, a Republican. And after that, our panel of guests share their insights on what the candidates had to say.

GUESTS:

• Rep. Joe Courtney , (D-Conn.)
• Mike France, Candidate for Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district
• Charles Venator Santiago, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
• Paul Choiniere, Retired editorial page editor, The Day

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The race for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district is underway. This hour, we ask candidates Jim Himes (D-Conn.)–and two challengers, Republican Michael Goldstein and Independent Benjamin Wesley–where they stand on the issues.

For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse will feature a series of candidate interviews. We’ll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.

GUESTS:

• Rep. Jim Himes , (D-Conn.)
• Michael Goldstein, Candidate for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district
• Benjamin Wesley, Candidate for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district
• Andy Blye, Reporter, Greenwich Time
• Ebong Udoma, Senior political reporter, WSHU

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This hour, we talk with the candidates for Connecticut’s fifth congressional district: Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and challenger George Logan. And later, our panel of guests share their insights on what the candidates had to say.

GUESTS:

• Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, (D-Conn.)
• George Logan, Republican candidate for Connecticut’s 5th congressional district
• Livi Stanford, Reporter for Republican-American
• Lisa Hagen, Federal policy reporter for CT Mirror and CT Public

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Every four years, we’re reminded of the power of the Electoral College. But according to a recent poll by Pew Research Center, more than 6 out of 10 Americans would prefer to see the winner of the presidential election be the person who wins the most votes nationally.

This hour, we take a granular look at the Electoral College. We’ll ask questions like why do we have it? And why is it so difficult to get rid of?

Plus, in Connecticut, no-excuse absentee voting is on the ballot. We’ll unpack what this means for voters across the state.

GUESTS:

• Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University. He hosts the podcast “Amarica’s Constitution” and wrote the book “The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840”
• Geoffrey Skelley, Senior Elections Analyst at FiveThirtyEight
• John Moritz, State Reporter, CT Insider/Hearst Connecticut Media

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The race for Connecticut’s third congressional district is underway. This hour, we ask candidates Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and challenger, Michael Massey, a Republican, where they stand on the issues.

For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse will feature a series of candidate interviews. We’ll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.

GUESTS:

• Rep. Rosa DeLauro, (D-Conn.)
• Michael Massey, Candidate for Connecticut’s 3rd congressional district
• Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford
• Mercy Quaye: Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board

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We’re kicking off a series of candidate interviews today on The Wheelhouse. 

For the next few weeks, we'll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.

This hour, we ask candidates for Connecticut’s 1st congressional district where they stand on the issues: Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) and challenger, Republican Jim Griffin.

GUESTS:

• Rep. John Larson, (D-Conn.)
• Jim Griffin, seeking election for Connecticut’s 1st congressional district
• Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror
• Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.