Hello and welcome to the Punch Bull News Readback podcast. I'm your host, congressional reporter Max Cohen, and this week I'm joined by Laura Weiss to talk all things what to expect when Congress to turn some recess next week. And I should note, I am recording this live on the road from Iowa, where I've been here

the past couple days interviewing candidates in competitive congressional races. So we're also

going to chat a little bit about that. But first, Laura, how are you doing? What's going on?

I'm good. Thanks so much for having me, Max. I'm really excited to do this, and I'm pumped to hear how Iowa is.

Yeah, I think we can start with Iowa. I'll give my little spiel, and you can ask some questions. Because I know you've been on the podcast this week, so Laura can do the host thing too. She can do it all. Yeah, I mean, one thing that's really stood out to me,

and I'd love to chat with you about this,

given your deep coverage of this issue,

is... at all. Yeah, I mean, one thing that's really stood out to me, and I'd love to chat with you about

this, given your deep coverage of this issue, is the way the two parties are talking about

the one big beautiful bill, the working family's tax cut, whatever you want to call it, on the campaign

trail. Because, I mean, it's a really stark example of how the midterms will be fought.

And you have Democrats on one hand saying, this is devastating Iowa. This is a bill which is

hurting the economy or hurting health care, et cetera. And then you have Republicans saying,

this is saving Medicaid, this is protecting the integrity of welfare programs, and it's

also cutting taxes and helping people. So, you know, what's your take on that, Laura? I mean,

as someone who covered the policy debates and how it's playing on the campaign trail.

Yeah, totally. I mean, I loved your story on that. We're recording it's Thursday and I am this morning. I thought it was fantastic. And I just captured, you know, I think the way that Democrats and Republicans both want to talk about the one big beautiful bill. And that's probably not the best news for Republicans, right? You know, there are parts of it. They're really excited to talk about.

I thought it was interesting that, you know, as you had in there, Miller Meeks was

proactively talking about the Medicaid spending cuts in the bill, sort of spinning her view on

those. But, you know, then you have Democrats pushing their view. And I just think it's

sort of emblematic of the messaging more over this law. Totally. But yeah, and I'm really

curious, like, what do you feel like your senses of the sentiment on the ground? Like being there being in Iowa,

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