The Wheelhouse

In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, Connecticut Public surveyed listeners about the issues they care about.

After sorting through almost 350 responses, it’s clear that affordability and economic challenges are major concerns for most respondents. Many folks also shared that they feel anxious about the viability of our democracy and the lack of access to healthcare.

Today on The Wheelhouse, hear experts put these key election issues into context. And hear directly from some of the people who participated in Connecticut Public’s election survey.

Guests:

• P.R. Lockhart, economic development reporter, CT Mirror
• Bilal Sekou, associate professor of politics and government
• Ebong Udoma, senior reporter, WSHU
• Amanda Becker, national reporter, The 19th News

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There are nearly 500,000 registered Republicans in Connecticut.

That figure is less than the number of registered Democrats – and unaffiliated voters – in the state.

Republicans are at a disadvantage in both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly. And in the final Quinnipiac University poll released ahead of the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election, the CT GOP-endorsed candidate is trailing by 20 points.

Today on The Wheelhouse, with midterm elections two weeks away, we talk to conservatives about the issues they care about and the future of their party in Connecticut.

Guests:

• Rep. Vincent Candelora (R - North Branford)
• Geoffrey Medeiros, chairman, CT College Republicans
• Jonathan Wharton, professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
• Dan Haar, senior editor and columnist, Hearst Connecticut Media Group

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Connecticut voters will choose between incumbent Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) in less than a month.

On the next Wheelhouse, we sit down one-on-one with both candidates to hear where they stand on immigration enforcement, taxes and spending, electric rates, and more.

Then, Mark Pazniokas from CT Mirror helps us unpack the candidates’ messaging. It’s essential listening in the lead up to November 3.

Guests:

• Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT)
• State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich)
• Mark Pazniokas, capitol bureau chief and co-founder, CT Mirror

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Polling of likely voters in midterm elections indicates people aren’t happy with the way the current administration is managing the U.S. economy.

About 60% of respondents in a recent New York Times/Siena University poll say they disapprove of how Donald Trump is handling the U.S. economy.

Which party is better able to tackle a national affordability crisis?

That’s a deciding factor swaying voters. Amid that national debate, the people of Connecticut live in a reality where costs continue to swell.

The average cost for a new vehicle in Connecticut has risen 2% in the last year. The median sale price for a home in the state is rising too. Redfin, a business affiliated with Rocket Mortgage, reports that the median sale price of a home in Connecticut is $474,026.

This hour, we’re talking about affordability and the midterms and asking what can be done to lift Americans out of the current crisis.

Guests:

• Martha Gimbel, executive director and co-founder, The Budget Lab at Yale University
• Abigail Brone, housing reporter, Connecticut Public
• Meghan Holden, director of marketing and communications, The Connecticut Project

Are you thinking about 2026 midterm elections? Help shape our election coverage by filling out this survey. Please submit responses by Oct. 14. 

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Last week, climate leaders from around the world gathered in New York for Climate Week – the biggest annual conference of its kind.

We’ll hear what was discussed, where we’re making progress on clean energy, and what’s getting in the way.

The political landscape is shifting, with the Trump administration rolling back federal climate policies even as some climate indicators offer reasons for cautious optimism.

We also take stock of Connecticut’s high electric bills and ask: is relief anywhere in sight?

Guests:

• Jake Bittle, writer at Grist
• Daniel Esty, Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy, Yale School of the Environment and Yale Law School
• John Moritz, covers energy and the environment for CT Mirror

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Before you toss the latest campaign mailer into the recycling bin, take a look.

You might notice a new buzzy campaign issue splashed across the ad: AI Data Centers.

According to NPR’s analysis of political advertising data, mentions of AI data centers in campaign materials are increasing – up from just a handful in January to 164 in August.

The research shows a bipartisan effort to warn the public about the construction of AI data centers throughout the U.S.

Today on The Wheelhouse, we explore AI data centers and their impact on the environment and the 2026 midterm elections.

Guests:

• Julia Tilton, energy and climate reporter, The Daily Yonder
• Grant Blankenship, multimedia editor and reporter, Georgia Public Broadcasting
• Kenneth Gillingham, professor of environmental and energy economics, Yale School of the Environment
• Tony Adili, zoning enforcement officer, town of Morris, Connecticut

Are you thinking about 2026 midterm elections? Help shape our election coverage by filling out this survey.

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Two-thirds of Americans surveyed are worried about the integrity of U.S. elections.

That’s according to a Gallup Poll released in July. A total of 67% of the respondents are concerned that political leaders will attempt to pressure election officials to change outcomes in the upcoming midterm elections. That's a significant percentage of people.

President Donald Trump had ordered the U.S. Postal Service to screen ballots to ensure they comply with a new set of conditions that would have made it harder to vote by mail. The U.S. Supreme Court responded, rejecting the administration’s attempt to restrict mail ballots.

With the Supreme Court weighing in, is there still fear of federal influence on the 2026 midterms? And what’s behind the anxiety around election security right now?

Today on The Wheelhouse, what's being done to preserve the integrity of our elections?

Guests:

• Eric McDaniel, congressional reporter, NPR’s Washington Desk

• Dion Nissenbaum, senior national reporter, Votebeat

• Stephanie Thomas, Connecticut Secretary of the State

Are you thinking about 2026 midterm elections? Help shape our election coverage by filling out this survey.

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John Larson, a 14-term Democratic congressman, was unable to stave off a primary challenge from former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin.

Larson wasn’t the only incumbent who lost on a primary night this year.

As Republicans in Connecticut make their case against local incumbents, they campaign in a blue state, outnumbered by Democrats.

Today on The Wheelhouse, we continue our midterm election coverage by dissecting local primary results.

Plus, amid a spate of immigration arrests in Danbury by federal law enforcement, how is Mayor Roberto Alves working to keep migrant families in his city safe?

Guests:

• Roberto Alves, mayor, city of Danbury
• Themis Klarides, former Republican state representative, Derby
• Christopher Keating, reporter, Hartford Courant

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The 2026 midterm elections are still weeks away, but voters are already sending signals about what November could look like.

Across the country, primary races are testing the strength of party establishments, the appeal of moderate candidates and the enthusiasm of Democratic and Republican voters.

This hour, we explore what’s happening in states from Maine to Michigan, and what those contests reveal about the broader political landscape.

Plus, what both parties need to do between now and November to turn primary results into general election wins.

Guests:

• Liz Goodwin, national political reporter for The Washington Post
• Alec Hernández, politics reporter, POLITICO
• Andy Sullivan, deputy editor for politics, Reuters 

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America is celebrating 250 years, but what does it mean to tell the whole story of the country?

This hour, we explore who gets to shape American history and what happens when stories that have been overlooked finally come into focus.

We learn about Black Americans who have too often been left out of the history books. And we look at how museums, historic sites and educators are navigating the question of whose version of America gets remembered.

Guests:

• John Mills, Founder & President of the Alex Breanne Corporation

• Bilal Sekou, Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford

• Alan Spears, senior director of cultural resources in the government affairs department, National Parks Conservation Association

• Erika Slocumb, Director of interpretation and visitor’s experience, Stowe Center for Literary Activism

Are you thinking about 2026 midterm elections? Help shape our election coverage by filling out this survey.

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