Meet the MI candidates running for governor and U.S. Senate

Absentee ballots have gone out, early voting begins tomorrow, and the primary is 11 days away. If you’re still undecided about who you’re voting for in Michigan’s two marquee statewide races, we’re bringing you a special edition of the newsletter this week. Take a listen to the candidates who want your vote!…

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-07-24/meet-the-mi-candidates-running-for-governor-and-u-s-senate

Donald Proves Russian Collusion (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Unjustified podcast)

Donald Trump floated recycled false 2020 election claims during a national address Thursday night.

Kash Patel fired two FBI intelligence analysts that refused to join the investigation into Georgia elections.

The Justice Department finally shared evidence with Minnesota law enforcement 6 months after the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Todd Blanche sat for his confirmation hearing before the senate judiciary committee and testified that his justice department does not target political enemies.

Plus listener questions.
Interview: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/donald-proves-russian-collusion/id1317481380?i=1000777406896

Elon Musk Group BUSTED After Suspicious Mailers Tricking Voters Uncovered

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFC3sWkhNXU

JD Vance Rebrands as Church Dad for Prez (Conspirituality podcast Episode #314)

Trump ... the bright flame of his inspiration to MAGA Christians is fading. Did he drain the swamp? Prosecute the pedophiles? Save the Holy Land? Lower gas prices? Give all the grill dads better health care? What was all the speaking in tongues for?

JD Vance has an answer for the MAGA faithful: another memoir, another rebrand that turns to the device that made Hillbilly Elegy a smash hit, and the worst book ever: the gall to turn his personal and familial despair into the diagnosis of an entire culture, in Appalachia.

With Communion: Finding my Way back to Faith, Vance plays the same narcissistic trick: turning his lifelong journey through rightwing American Chrisitianity—with a short and shameful detour into New Atheism—to land in the Catholic faith of Leonard Leo, sketching out a redemption plan for every bro seeking their way home.
Interview: 

https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/314-jd-vance-rebrands-as-church-dad-for-prez

Al and Mark Leibovich on The Midterm Landscape (Al Franken podcast)

We're joined by our friend Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic to break down Trump's sinking approval ratings, the approaching midterms, and whether Democrats are overconfident.

We begin by looking at Trump and whether or not his party is feeling demoralized. Al thinks they certainly should be.

We then discuss the shape of the Senate, where Democrats need to win a net of 4 seats to take control, and the House, where Democrats seem to be on track.

Given the close races and election tampering from Trump and the GOP, how worried should Democrats be? And IF they take back Congress, what should their priorities be? Al and Mark agree that the House should leave impeachment alone.
Interview: 

https://youtu.be/-HKs3ZL50kI?si=vO8YZ5q96239rK_q

How an atheist politician beat a religious smear campaign!

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KOfwUbMHA1I

Why the California vote count is slow – and Trump’s fraud claims are bogus

“There’s not a lot of people I know who would say: ‘Nah, I would rather have known who won the race faster than have my vote count,’” Paul Mitchell, vice-president of the voter data firm Political Data Inc, told the Guardian. “The only people who complain about it are the people who lose.”…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/california-election-result-vote-count-explained 

 

This Religion Wants to Destroy Your Pets (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #637)

— James Talarico will face Ken Paxton this November in a battle for the Senate. Who will white evangelicals choose? (0:20)

— A secretive Christian sect is pressuring members to purge their pets. (2:25)

— Dozens of Oklahoma Republicans fought a bill banning child marriage. (17:25)

— The evangelical Christian hit “Testify to Love” just got a powerful pro-LGBTQ reboot. (35:45)

— Ché Ahn says drug users must choose between Christian rehab or Bible lessons in prison. (45:27)

— Rockwall County courthouse in Texas unveils illegal Ten Commandments monument. (50:07)

— The rising cost of reaching secular voters is good for democracy. (57:50)
Interview: 

https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2026/05/27/this-religion-wants-to-destroy-your-pets/

Péter Magyar vows to pursue those who ‘plundered’ Hungary after election win

Prime minister-elect promises ‘new era’ for country after defeating far-right Viktor Orbán

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/13/peter-magyar-vows-to-pursue-those-who-plundered-hungary-after-election-win 

Hungarian opposition ousts Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power

Péter Magyar’s Tisza party wins election as prime minister concedes defeat, in result likely to reshape ties with EU…

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/12/viktor-orban-concedes-defeat-as-opposition-wins-hungarian-election 

 

The FBI’s Fulton County Raid Was Based on Debunked Claims By Election Deniers – Mother Jones

The evidence provided for seizing 700 boxes of ballots was shockingly thin...

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/fulton-georgia-fbi-trump-2020-election-raid/ 

 

Can Democrats Unite to Beat Republicans in November? -- Guest: Nathan Jun (Find Out Podcast on YouTube)

With the midterms just months away, political commentator and creator Nathan Jun joins Find Out to ask the brutal question: is the left too fractured to actually stop the right? We dig into purity tests, protest votes, and why Democrats keep holding themselves to standards Republicans never do—while democracy hangs in the balance.

Interview: 

https://youtu.be/mSotGhgOwCY?si=sx-CEc6k4P48fgYu

Weekly Roundup: Minnesota vs. ICE: Neighbors, Authoritarianism, and the Future of Democracy (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad Onishi—author of American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy—is joined by co-host Dan Miller, Professor of Religion and Social Thought at Landmark College. They begin by unpacking the ongoing ICE operations in Minnesota, framing the federal crackdown as a clash between authoritarian state power and a deeply organized, nonviolent response by ordinary Minnesotans. Drawing on political theory and on-the-ground reporting, Brad and Dan argue that what's unfolding in the Twin Cities is not a partisan skirmish but a vivid example of democracy in action: neighbors mobilizing to protect one another against coercion, violence, and the erosion of basic rights.

The conversation then turns to two deeply troubling developments with national implications. First, they examine the killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and legal gun owner, and the Trump administration's sudden hostility to Second Amendment arguments—revealing how rights are selectively applied depending on political loyalty. Finally, they analyze the FBI raid on a Georgia election office, tracing its roots to Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results and warning of the chilling precedent this sets for future elections. Taken together, these stories reveal a pattern: the criminalization of dissent, the dehumanization of political opponents, and an accelerating effort to use state power to intimidate, suppress, and control.
Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/weekly-roundup-minnesota-vs.-ice-neighbors-authoritarianism-and-the-future-of-democracy?hsLang=en

‘Don’t expect troops on the ground,’ Johnson says after Venezuela briefing - POLITICO

"We don't expect troops on the ground," Johnson told reporters after the two-hour evening briefing on Capitol Hill. "We don't expect direct involvement in any other way beyond just coercing the … the interim government to get that going. I expect that there will be an election called in Venezuela. … It should happen in short order."…

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/venezuela-maduro-congress-briefing-mike-johnson-00712155 

 

Dems Keep Winning and Trump Melts Down (The Find Out Podcast on YouTube and Kristofer Goldsmith)

Democrats keep their win streak alive in special elections, while Trump completely melts down over, well, everything.

Across a series of special elections, Democrats have been outperforming expectations, even in districts once reliably Republican. We’ll explore why Democratic candidates are winning and whether this momentum can carry into the 2026 midterms.

At the same time, the GOP — and especially Donald Trump — find themselves in a bind. Trump-endorsed candidates have stumbled in high-profile races, and analysts are calling his influence “kryptonite” for some Republican hopefuls, particularly among key demographic groups like Latino voters.
Interview: 

https://youtu.be/y8TVexivCKk?si=jnD1afLLVrpjytKn

The Big Blue Wave (Find Out podcast on YouTube)

Today we are joined by Amanda from ‪@Amandas-Mild-Takes‬ to unpack a night where Democrats over performed literally everywhere (it feels good to say that doesn’t it?).

From tight races that turned into decisive wins to battleground districts that broke blue by surprising margins, we break down how Democrats exceeded expectations up and down the ballot.

Amanda brings her signature sharp-but-grounded analysis as we look at what powered these over performances, the races that best captured the trend, and what it all means heading into 2026.
Interview: 

https://youtu.be/4LVOV9WNZ6I?si=VotyNsKp-dQJgi4d

Can Donald Trump Run for a Third Term? (Andrew Seidel; One Nation, Indivisible podcast Episode #036)

Hear a constitutional attorney answer the question: Can Donald Trump run for a third term? And also, how we can fight back against this, because as Andrew explains, it’s going to happen.

CRS report on Presidential Terms and Tenure: Perspectives and Proposals for Change
Interview: 

https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-d5rst-285afe17

Blow to hard right as Geert Wilders’s PVV loses seats in Dutch election - The Washington Post

Wednesday's election became a microcosm of competing visions in the West, with Wilders representing a staunchly anti-migrant and populist view in line with the U.S. MAGA movement and far-right parties across Europe, including France's National Rally.

Jetten's party embraced optimism, the politics of civility, affordable housing and a green agenda. "The positive forces have won!" Jetten posted on X. "I want to get to work for all Dutch people, because this is the land of us all!"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/30/netherlands-election-results-geert-wilders-rob-jetten/

Inside Cuomo’s donor surge - POLITICO

The former governor picked up the most support from upper Manhattan and Jewish enclaves in Brooklyn...

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/21/inside-cuomos-donor-surge-00616868 

 

Democrats foil justice department lawsuit by negotiating to keep 98,000 North Carolina voters

"Today, the DNC successfully defended the rights of all North Carolinians, full stop," said DNC litigation director, Dan Freeman. "Though there is still work to be done to ensure that North Carolina voters' voices are heard in state and local elections, this is a huge victory for the DNC and our entire democracy. Democrats will never stop fighting for the rights of all North Carolina voters."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/03/trump-north-carolina-elections-lawsuit