For 2026, what we're going to see is an effort by Republicans to, again, using more sophisticated methods, to try to disenfranchise voters both before Election Day and after Election Day.

And that's why the Department of Justice is right now suing 18 blue states for access to their full voter files.

Hi, everyone.

Welcome to the Best People podcast.

The Best People podcast is about people like this week's guest.

He is someone who never says no to coming on the show and having the difficult conversations.

He's one of a very small universe of people who said yes in the earliest days after Donald Trump was elected a second time.

A lot of our regulars needed to catch their breath, process the news, and absorb what was to come,

but not this week's guest on the Best People podcast.

He is our sort of moral center in terms of understanding the stakes for our democracy of a second

Trump presidency, but he also keeps our eye on the future on the things that are happening

that may not be getting the attention they deserve. So without any further ado, this is the

best people, and this is Mark Elias.

Hello, my friend.

Hello, Nicole.

You know, I have a list.

I don't keep a lot of lists anymore, but I do have a list of the people that came on the broadcast the days after the 2024 election, and you're the first, second, and third

person on that list.

Why are you ready to talk about what so many people couldn't face yet?

I think because the challenge was so clear and was clearly going to be so great.

And so I don't begrudge people for taking time and space that they need. But Nicole, you probably noticed I don't

tend to be one of those people. I tend to focus on the challenge in front of us. And it was clear to me

...