What Next - Are Democrats Already Fumbling a Win?
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3.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 20 October 2025
⏱️ 33 minutes
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Summary
Off-cycle elections generally favor the party that isn’t in the White House. And with a large voting bloc of federal employees, Virginia Democrats were feeling good about the upcoming elections for governor and attorney general. Then texts from their AG candidate hit the news.
Guest: Eva McKend, correspondent covering national politics for CNN.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey everyone, it's Mary. Before I get into it, I have a fun request for you. In an upcoming |
| 0:06.3 | plus segment, we are going to be talking about Halloween. Specifically, is it possible to do a |
| 0:12.6 | topical Halloween costume this year and have it be fun? But to make this episode saying, |
| 0:18.6 | we need you. So, tell me your favorite Halloween costume story. Tell me if you have a costume this year. What it is. Why? In a world of ice raids and National Guard deployments, can you have a topical costume that is, dare I say, hilarious? You can weigh in by leaving a message on our voicemail line. That is |
| 0:39.7 | 646-582-0091. Again, 646-58-2-0091. All right, here's the show. Here is something I know in my bones. |
| 0:57.8 | No one in politics has a crystal ball, but everyone in politics is trying to convince you, |
| 1:04.0 | they do. |
| 1:08.9 | I've been thinking about this crystal ball thing because of what's playing out in Virginia and New Jersey right now. |
| 1:15.0 | Every few years, these states elect their governors at a moment that feels predictive. |
| 1:20.9 | Their elections fall right in between a presidential year and a congressional midterm. |
| 1:26.0 | For better or for worse, they are seen as bellwethers. |
| 1:30.8 | These off-year elections are the first real test that we can get about the mood of the |
| 1:37.2 | electorate, how they're feeling about the White House and the state of the country. |
| 1:44.1 | Eva McKend is a reporter for CNN. She's been focusing on what's going on in |
| 1:48.6 | Virginia in particular. In Virginia, typically the electorate, but not always, votes for the |
| 1:57.4 | opposite of the party and power that's in the White House. |
| 2:01.1 | So this was always looking to be a good year for Democrats in Virginia, |
| 2:06.7 | given that President Trump is in the White House. |
| 2:09.2 | It's interesting, though, like when I think about the bellwetherness of Virginia, |
| 2:15.0 | I don't just think about outcomes. |
| 2:16.9 | I don't just think about who's going to win. I also |
| 2:20.0 | think about the process to get there. And as a bellwether, when I look at Virginia, I'm like, |
... |
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