On this week's show, longtime and top North Carolina Republican consultant Paul Shumaker joins Tim to talk about why North Carolina's most powerful politician, Phil Berger, has likely lost his primary race and what it means for the future of the party.

They also talk about the impact of Iran and prices on the midterm elections, especially in the nation's most closely U.S. Senate race here in North Carolina.

Finally, Shumaker discusses Senator Thom Tillis' newfound independence in Washington, D.C. as his final year in office winds down. Shumaker has been a top consultant for over four decades, prominently representing U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr, among others.