Episode #425: Day Of The Woman? Election 2025
Ken Rudin's Political Junkie
Ken Rudin
4.7 • 635 Ratings
🗓️ 29 October 2025
⏱️ 76 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Maine Public Radio’s Steve Mistler focuses on what may be the Democrats’ best chance at a Senate pickup in 2026, the seat of five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Establishment Democrats in Washington have come up with who they feel would be the strongest opponent, popular Gov. Janet Mills; earlier this year she made a name for herself by standing up to President Trump at a governors’ conference. But she is 77 years old, and progressives back home are instead rallying behind Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and former Marine who has raised more than $4 million. However, controversial old social media posts of Platner’s have been uncovered, threatening his chances.
And there are two gubernatorial races taking place next week, in New Jersey and Virginia, states where both incumbents are term limited. Bob Holsworth of Decide Smart says that Democrats in Virginia are likely to take back the governorship with Abigail Spanberger. But media coverage is now focused on a series of ugly emails that came from the Dem candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, whose own lead has evaporated. And in New Jersey, NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson reports that Democrat Mikie Sherrill’s lead has narrowed and that the Republican, Jack Ciattarelli, making his third bid for the job, is within striking distance.
Music in this Episode:
She’s a Sensation by the Ramones
Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen
The post Episode #425: Day Of The Woman? Election 2025 appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Rewriting facts about Charlie Kirk and political violence, |
| 0:04.1 | Maine Democrats have a generational battle over a winnable Senate seat, |
| 0:08.4 | and the Trump effect on the 2025 off-off-year elections. |
| 0:13.2 | It's a show even Bad Bunny would enjoy on the political junkie. |
| 0:18.9 | You like Ike, I like, like, everybody likes Ike. |
| 0:22.6 | For president. |
| 0:23.6 | Add light to you, and lead to me, I don't care how you quoted. |
| 0:26.6 | Come on and vote for Kennedy, vote for Kennedy, and we'll come out on top. |
| 0:33.6 | Vote for Richard Nixon and Henry Cavettlach, because they're the ones to lead the USA. |
| 0:44.9 | Thanks for joining us, and welcome to episode 425 of the political junkie. I'm Ken Rudin. |
| 0:52.4 | I assume you love politics as I do, and I assume you care about what |
| 0:56.8 | happens to this country as I do. And so I'm also assuming that, regardless of your party, |
| 1:03.2 | there are things that have alarmed you these past few months. That's what makes following |
| 1:08.2 | politics so heart-wrenching. I have no interest in turning the political junkie into an anti-Trump, anti-Republican screed. |
| 1:16.2 | There are plenty of podcasts around for that. |
| 1:19.3 | And as I like to remind myself, I spend decades at ABC News and NPR without taking sides. |
| 1:26.3 | That was my job, of course, but that was also my heart. |
| 1:30.1 | I loved politics. I loved campaigns, and I loved politicians, Ds and ours alike. |
| 1:37.4 | At the same time, I cannot hide what my heart is feeling after nine months of this presidency. |
| 1:43.8 | It's not good. There are so many things on my |
| 1:47.9 | list, but I want to focus on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Yes, I know. This happened six |
| 1:53.2 | weeks ago, and there was nothing new I can add. It was a regrettable and horrific act, an unacceptable |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ken Rudin, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Ken Rudin and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.