1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 2: K five Democrats have been described as lost in the wilderness. 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 3: The Prop fifty campaign was about one thing for Democrats, 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 3: President Donald Trumper. 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 4: This is election night. I feel like we're on the 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 4: precipice of a remarkable moment. 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 5: On November fourth, Live team coverage results in California and 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 5: across the nation. 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 4: Take us with you. 10 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 5: I'm a free iHeartRadio app from the KFI AM six 11 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 5: forty studios. 12 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: Here's Michael Monks and Chris Merrill. 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 4: That's for your election night coverage. I'm Chris Meryl. 14 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 6: Michael Monks sitting into the padded room as well. Michael, 15 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 6: you heard during the promo that they're saying this is 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 6: perhaps a referendum on President Trump. And not only not 17 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 6: only do we have California in the prompt fifty redistricting 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 6: in response to Texas, but also, oh, we're seeing the 19 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 6: governor's race in New Jersey, in Virginia, and in New York. 20 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 4: So far those have all gone to Democrats. That's right. 21 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 6: I mean, if this is in fact a referendum on 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 6: Donald Trump as characterized, then the Democrats are coming out 23 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 6: with a message that President Trump is perhaps not popular 24 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 6: right now, or at least he's enough to motivate in 25 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 6: an off year to get Democrats out to cast ballots. 26 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,119 Speaker 6: That's always a challenge and off your elections like what 27 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 6: twenty twenty five is. But turnout was pretty good in 28 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 6: California today. It was apparently pretty good on the East 29 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 6: Coast for Democrats as well. 30 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 4: Is it fair to. 31 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 6: Characterize this as a referendum on Donald Trump? I mean, 32 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 6: after all, it is an off year. Turnout is always 33 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 6: lower in an off year election. We've got midterms coming up. 34 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 6: I think that's probably going to paint a little bit 35 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 6: clearer picture. Is it fair to say that, oh, my goodness, 36 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 6: Americans are so disappointed in the president and that's why 37 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 6: things have gone the way that they did. There was 38 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 6: no question that the mayor's race in New York was 39 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 6: going to go to a Democrat, Wasn't you know? The 40 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 6: Republican of the race has always been also ran similar 41 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 6: to California's the governor races for the last. 42 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 4: However many years. 43 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 6: But there were questions about whether a Democrat would win 44 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 6: the governorship in Virginia, whether a Democrat would win the 45 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 6: governorship in New Jersey, and whether voters in California would 46 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 6: overturn their own decision to have an independent redistricting commission 47 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 6: in order to stick it to Donald Trump, as Governor 48 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 6: Knwsom urged them to do. 49 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 4: It. 50 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 6: Looks like voters in Virginia and New Jersey have decided 51 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 6: to send a message by electing Democrats there, and in 52 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 6: about an hour we'll find out how big the margin is. 53 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 6: It's pretty much considered to be a foregone conclusion that 54 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 6: Prop fifty is going to pass here in California. How 55 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 6: white to margin, that's what we're waiting to see. So 56 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 6: let's talk a little bit about Prop fifty because this 57 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 6: has been painted as a response to Texas redistricting, and 58 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 6: Texas isn't the only state that's considering a redistricting. And 59 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 6: the thought is, well, this is in response to President 60 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 6: Trump saying give me the seats in Congress. 61 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 4: I need the seats. 62 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 6: Redistrict whatever you got to do, Jerrymander, whatever you got 63 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 6: to do to make sure that when the midterm election 64 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 6: comes around, we break the trend that says that the 65 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 6: minority party of the party that is not in control 66 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 6: of the White House gains control in the House at 67 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 6: the very least, is it fair to say that this 68 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 6: is one hundred percent response to Texas. Would this have 69 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 6: happened if not for what Texas is doing. It probably 70 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 6: would not have happened in California were it not for 71 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 6: what's happening in Texas. But what is happening in Texas 72 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 6: regardless of the origin that prompted Texas to do what 73 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 6: it did, whether it was the call from the President, 74 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 6: whether it was some legal order, there's a different interpretations 75 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 6: about why Texas is acting now. But yes, absolutely, Governor 76 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 6: Newsom got motivated when Texas decided to redistrict And remember 77 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 6: it was not that long ago that lawmakers in Texas 78 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 6: fled the state. Democratic lawmakers fled the state to try 79 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 6: to keep the state House from having a quorum and 80 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 6: voting to change the districts. That's how high the stakes 81 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 6: were for those Democrats seeing their state and their seats 82 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 6: being ripped from them. So in response, California decided to 83 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 6: take action at the behest of Governor Newsom. But now 84 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 6: what's happening, Chris is states across the country are looking 85 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 6: at their own maps and thinking, how can we counter this? 86 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 6: Republican states, democratic states. It's an absolute race to the bottom. 87 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 6: We've never had a full race for the House of 88 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 6: Representatives in an odd numbered year, and that's what it 89 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 6: feels like is happening today. Boy, that's a great point, 90 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 6: that this feels like it's got the feel of a 91 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 6: midterm election, right, that this is all about who's going 92 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 6: to control the House of Representatives, even though not a 93 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 6: single representative is on the ballot. I happen to see 94 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 6: a quote from the New York Times, and I thought 95 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 6: this was really interesting. The hosts of There on Politics 96 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 6: newsletter said, call it a test measuring the desire of 97 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 6: voters and states run by Democrats to take on the 98 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 6: president in this hyper partisan moment. According to one of 99 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 6: the hosts, the real question is are voters willing to 100 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 6: be hyper partisan? You made mention that you know, California 101 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 6: is responding to Texas, and as a result, now we're 102 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 6: seeing you know, North Carolina, or Massachusetts, or or Indiana 103 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 6: or Missouri, whomever it may be, who are now responding 104 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 6: to California and then responding back to these other states. 105 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 6: And it strikes me that this is classic escalation. Normally 106 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 6: we think of escalation in the geopolitical realm. In this case, 107 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 6: it seems to be a regional political realm. And the 108 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 6: idea is, while I'm only doing this because I assume 109 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 6: you were gonna do it to me, Well, now I'm 110 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 6: only gonna do this because you did do it to me. 111 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 6: And so is there an opportunity for the voters to 112 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 6: say enough is enough California. I guess this is the 113 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 6: only state that's really giving the voters that opportunity. And 114 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 6: we're basically saying no, we got to fight fire with 115 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:50,119 Speaker 6: fire right now? 116 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 4: Is this a pendulum that swings back? 117 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 6: That's what's unique about the situation in California, Chris, is 118 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 6: that a lot of the states that are jumping into 119 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 6: this fray are doing it legislation latively, whereas by the 120 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 6: state constitution, California had to do it electorally. So, for 121 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 6: all of the griping, and there is plenty to criticize 122 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 6: about jerrymandering for ideological and partisan gain, California did ask 123 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 6: the voters today whether this is what the state should do? 124 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 6: And no other state is taking this tax. As far 125 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 6: as the pendulum swinging back, I don't know. In this 126 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 6: hyperpartisan age in which we find ourselves, everybody is so 127 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 6: committed and entrenched to a team rather than the issues. 128 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 6: When you think about the maps that might be drawn 129 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 6: in California, You've heard the concerns from farmers. You've heard 130 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 6: the concerns not just from Republican ideologues but from actual 131 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 6: citizens who say, Look, I'm in the agriculture industry. Why 132 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 6: am I now going to be represented in Congress by 133 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 6: a guy who's let's say, based in San Jose. The 134 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 6: makeup of San Jose. Forget about the partisan tilt, just 135 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 6: the geography. The topography is completely different. Ideally, in a 136 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 6: perfect America, we're trying to draw districts that are representative 137 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 6: of a geography so that you can find some sort 138 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 6: of commonality, so that when a group of people, about 139 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 6: six hundred thousand make up a congressional district, so that 140 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 6: six hundred thousand people say, this is the type of 141 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 6: industry that is important to us, this is the type 142 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 6: of perspectives that are important to us, So this is 143 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 6: the type of representative that we should have. And let 144 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 6: a Democrat and let a Republican battle it out rooted 145 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 6: in that rather than a Republican and a Democrat battling, 146 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 6: it out rooted in support for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. 147 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 6: It strikes me that everything you're saying sounds exactly like 148 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 6: what a political science professor might say, and so I 149 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 6: guess my point is maybe we're dealing with theory versus practice, 150 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 6: because what you're talking about is the theory that would 151 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 6: be ideal versus the practice that the politicians are engaging in. 152 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 4: We'll continue on in that vein. 153 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 6: And also, are we as hyper partisan as what the 154 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 6: politicians are panning us out to be. We'll continue with 155 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 6: that in just a few moments. I'm Chris Meryl, he's 156 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 6: Michael Monks. We continue with our KFI Special Election Night coverage. 157 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 6: It's Monks and Meryl KFI AM six forty live everywhere 158 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 6: on the iHeartRadio. 159 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 4: By the way, if you're on the app. 160 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 6: Feel free to hit that talk back button and give 161 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 6: us your thoughts what you witnessed going on throughout the day. 162 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 4: And then this evening again, we're less than an. 163 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 6: Hour away from what we assume is going to be 164 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 6: calling the election in favor of Prop fifty, although it 165 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 6: and over till it's over right. KFI Special Election Night 166 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 6: Coverage with Michael Monks and me Chris Merril pleasure having 167 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 6: you on board. 168 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 4: We do appreciate it. 169 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 6: We've got some election updates from the national races as well. 170 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 6: The Virginia governor's race was called you heard Mark Ronner 171 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 6: talking about that and how do you say it? Abigail 172 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 6: Spamburger spam Berger Okay, I always wanted to say, spa s. 173 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 6: I don't know, why do it? This is what happens 174 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 6: when he asked me to read, don't do things like 175 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 6: that anyway. That's a that's a winner. And then Viiky 176 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 6: Cheryl in New Jersey a winner. Memdanni in New York 177 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 6: City is a winner. We'll talk more about those races 178 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 6: coming up on the show, because I think those are 179 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 6: the ones that are going to continue to grab a 180 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 6: tremendous amount of national attention. But of course, our race, 181 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 6: I think is the one that's probably going to have 182 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 6: Is it fair to say the most influence over national 183 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 6: politics in the course of the next year. Oh yeah, definitely, 184 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 6: because this will change the makeup of the United States 185 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 6: House of Representatives. Whether it does so in a way 186 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 6: that makes Governor Newsom happy in the end is yet 187 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 6: to be determined, but you can bet that if Prop 188 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 6: fifty passes certainly by the margin it's expected to pass 189 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 6: a day in overwhelming support that there's going to be 190 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 6: celebration from Governor Newsom. But as we mentioned in the 191 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 6: last segment, there are states across the country looking to 192 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 6: counteract this the way California was trying to counter act Texas, 193 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,599 Speaker 6: And so by the time we get to this November 194 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 6: next year, the entire thing could be upside down again. 195 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 6: This House of Representatives, the margin is so razor thin 196 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 6: that one, two, three flips could change control of the House. 197 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 6: And that's extraordinarily important as we enter the second half 198 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 6: of President Trump's second term. Michael, you made mentioned in 199 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 6: the first segment about the hyperpartisanship that we're that we're 200 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 6: facing right now, and it feels as though there's a 201 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 6: race to the bottom, so on and so forth. Is 202 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 6: it possible that the actions that we're seeing right now 203 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 6: are further driving hyperpartisanship? And by that, I mean the 204 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 6: people in California, in the more conservative areas cannot be 205 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 6: happy with this. 206 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 4: I mean they're going to be lumped in. 207 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 6: In one case, I think it's parts of far northern 208 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 6: California are gonna be lumped in with the Marine County 209 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 6: and parts of the Bay Area. That's that's a part 210 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 6: of California that's been trying to secede for about the 211 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 6: last twenty years. 212 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 4: They cannot be happy about this and that that's gonna 213 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 4: that's gonna make them. 214 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 6: Even more upset with Liberal And then in Texas vice versa, 215 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 6: you're gonna have people in Austin who are even more 216 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 6: upset with the GOP in Texas. In a way, though 217 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 6: it's not much different, I would say, than being a 218 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 6: staunch Republican in the middle of the city of Los Angeles. 219 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 6: You're somebody who has certain values, certain perspectives, and you 220 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 6: will never have the member of Congress that you would 221 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 6: like to have because you are surrounded by people who 222 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 6: vote for Democrats. And I think that's true in urban 223 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 6: areas across the country. It's also true for somebody who 224 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 6: may be a liberal Democrat who's out in the middle 225 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 6: of Wyoming, knowing that they've got the values that they have, 226 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 6: but they'll never be represented by who they want to be. Now, 227 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 6: it may not be a direct comparison, because it's rare 228 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 6: to have your district and your member of Congress ripped 229 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 6: away from you. It is in such a strong manner, 230 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 6: in fact, by your fellow citizens in the state saying 231 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 6: we need more Democrats in the United States House of Representatives. 232 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 6: We don't have enough. So we are taking your Republican, 233 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 6: your reliably Republican seat, and turning it blue. 234 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 4: That's why I sing a little harder. I think that's 235 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 4: the biggest difference. 236 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 6: If if I'm a conservative living downtown here, I choose 237 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 6: to do that for one reason or another, work, you know, family, 238 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 6: whatever the reason is, right, I choose to do that. 239 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 4: To have that completely taken away. 240 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 6: If I'm if I'm in the you know, central California, 241 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 6: if I'm in a farming district, if I'm in h 242 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 6: let me see which one is a district three? Which 243 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 6: is which is going to take a number of farmers 244 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 6: in east central California and throw them in with Sacramento. 245 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 6: I mean that they chose to live in a red 246 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 6: area where the where you've got rural values which tend 247 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 6: to be more conservative, and all of a sudden they're 248 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 6: just being told, well, your representation is completely gone. That 249 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 6: stings even more, and I think that probably is going 250 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 6: to drive those who maybe were more moderate to say, 251 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 6: screw you guys. Whatever I can do to defeat you guys. 252 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 6: That just took my voice away. Yeah, I don't think 253 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 6: giving somebody in that rural part of the state a 254 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 6: Democratic congressman is going to make them any more interested 255 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 6: in being a congressman. Now, look, it's possible that whatever 256 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 6: Democrat gets elected from that district goes to Washington and 257 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 6: delivers and surprises people and wins some folks over builds 258 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 6: relationships and that sort of thing. But that's not really 259 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,559 Speaker 6: the point. That it's not really about delivering for those 260 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 6: counties as much as it is for delivering for the 261 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 6: national democratic agenda. Governor Newsom made that nakedly clear in 262 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 6: the campaign. One last question here before we go to 263 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 6: news with Mark, we were talking about the hyperpartisanship, and 264 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 6: I kind of wonder if maybe we are. 265 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 4: Tainted on this. 266 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 6: Do we have a bias in media because we cover 267 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 6: the politicians who drive this, you know, my way or 268 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 6: the highway sort of thing, and we hear from the people. 269 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 4: Who have the most base views. 270 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 6: Does the rest of the country feel as split as 271 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 6: maybe what we view in media? Well, I think if 272 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 6: they're consuming traditional media or non traditional media, which frankly 273 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 6: can be worse because it is. 274 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 4: Some algorithms pushing it. Absolutely. 275 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 6: It's so nakedly ideological it's not even partisan at this point. 276 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 6: It's committed to an ideology rather than a party, and 277 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,479 Speaker 6: can be kind of scary both leftist extremism and rightist extremism. 278 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 6: I think if you take somebody like Congressman Kevin kylie 279 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 6: On a northern California, a Republican whose seat is going 280 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 6: to be torn up, and he, if he runs for election, 281 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 6: would have a much harder time than he has in 282 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 6: the past. He proposed in the House, the United States 283 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 6: House of stopping this madness, maybe to protect himself, but 284 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 6: it would have stopped Texas as well. It would have 285 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 6: stopped all of this mid decade unusual redistracting. I bet 286 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 6: if you pulled that independently across the country, it would 287 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 6: have overwhelming support. I think you find that folks think 288 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 6: jerry mandering stinks, but I agree right now when you 289 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 6: get more specific than that, when you say, should California 290 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 6: counter what Texas is doing, they're fired up and they say, heck, yeah, yeah, Well, 291 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 6: we'll talk more about that race to the bottom, and 292 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 6: then what we're seeing with the other races around the nation. 293 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 4: As we made mentioned before. 294 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 6: Races decided New York City, the mayor's race, the governor's 295 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 6: race in New Jersey, and in Virginia, I believe the 296 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 6: Virginia Attorney General's race as well. Well, we'll get the 297 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 6: latest on all of those and how those are playing 298 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 6: out and what the. 299 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 4: Reaction might be from the losing parties as well. 300 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 6: That's next our complete KFI special Election Night coverage with 301 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 6: Michael Monks. I'm Chris Merril KFI AM six forty. We're 302 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 6: live everywhere in the iHeartRadio app. 303 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 304 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 6: It is special KFI Election Night coverage with Michael Munks 305 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 6: and I'm Chris Merril KFI AM six forty. More stimulating talk. 306 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 6: We've been talking about Prop fifty. The polls closed in 307 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 6: about twenty five minutes. We'll we'll find out whether or 308 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 6: not as we expect, they're going to call that race 309 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 6: because early polling, exit polling was that it was pretty 310 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 6: well decided. However, just because we had early mail in 311 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 6: ballots that went well, we do know that there was 312 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 6: going to be a late bush by people who were 313 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 6: opposing Prop fifty. So we'll find out coming up here 314 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 6: at eight o'clock. Joining us right now is our ABC 315 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 6: News correspondent Scott Pringle, live from New York City. The 316 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 6: mayor's race, the New Jersey Governor's race, those are all decided. 317 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 6: And again Scott, like we're expecting with Prop fifty, those races, 318 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 6: those seem to be decided about as soon as the 319 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 6: polls closed. 320 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, Mi Inclish was rather quickly, I don't know, maybe 321 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 3: twenty minutes after the balls closed that it was declared 322 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 3: that Donny was the winner here and you know it's 323 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 3: so forward lost of the vote in he's upon Plomo 324 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 3: or b Cuomo unofficially by about eight eight and a 325 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 3: half points. 326 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 6: So, Scott, what's the what's the atmosphere right now in 327 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 6: New York? I mean, obviously Madonnie is excited about what's 328 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 6: going on. I'm guessing that the the others are concerned 329 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 6: because he's a self declared democratic socialist, which are some 330 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 6: words that really scare a number of people. 331 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 7: Yeah, well, you can say invested is kind of two 332 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 7: sides of this year, honey camp campaign people and hooland 333 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 7: here is really what door to door knocking and capture 334 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 7: the young voter. So there's a lot of enthusias and 335 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 7: form from a little one the younger voter side where 336 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 7: the older folks are, and of course he's the conservative 337 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 7: and they are because some of his policies are what 338 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 7: his opponents to say are pretty extreme and and with 339 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 7: something to argue that they're not possible. I mean, he's 340 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 7: promising pre mt A bus rides and that the runs 341 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 7: the subway and bus system here and promising pre state 342 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 7: in the landlord aren't going to make them a picker. 343 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,400 Speaker 7: Is a funny, you know a lot of these. 344 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 3: Part that's already the important editions every child kicker and 345 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 3: then give every taxes on the wealth team. 346 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 4: He's all right, uh. 347 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 6: Scott Pringle er ABC News correspondent in New York, And 348 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 6: obviously you're hearing that. 349 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 4: Uh uh. 350 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 6: I guess everybody's on their cell phones now and they're 351 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 6: all calling each other to either complain or congratulate based 352 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 6: on how they and their families and friends voted. 353 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 4: So, Scott, thank you so much for your time. I 354 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 4: appreciate that. Uh, very good. Uh. 355 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 6: Michael, is there is there any way that Memdannie, who 356 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 6: is the Democratic Socialist in New York, is able to 357 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 6: implement many of the different, you know, policies that he 358 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 6: was advocate of, free bus rides and and and the 359 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 6: other things that he's doing. Is there is there any 360 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 6: practical way that he can implement those things, because let's 361 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 6: face it, they ain't free. 362 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 4: No, they're not. 363 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 6: And it's policies that have been tried in other places 364 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 6: and have not worked out very well. And there is 365 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 6: a legislative process in New York, just like there is 366 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 6: in Washington GC that the mayor of New York is 367 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 6: a nationally visible position and it's somebody who can wield 368 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 6: influence nationally with the right personality. This guy has certainly 369 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 6: drawn the attention of the national media, particularly the conservative media, 370 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 6: But whether or not he can enact all of these 371 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 6: policies will be up to the city council as well, 372 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 6: which is also very strong and also very large. I mean, 373 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 6: New York is a huge city. It's more than twice 374 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 6: the size of the population of the city of Los Angeles. 375 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 6: So they've got a lot of city council members on 376 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 6: a lot of that to go through. But here's what's interesting, Chris, 377 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 6: is that you've got this relative newcomer, Zoron Mamdani, a 378 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 6: young man who identifies as a democratic socialist, branded as 379 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 6: a communist by a lot of his detractors, going up 380 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 6: against not just a veteran politician, a former governor, Andrew Cuomo, 381 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 6: but a scion of a previous governor, Mario Cuomo, a 382 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:50,719 Speaker 6: dynastic family. You had, Mario Cuomo. I'm sorry Andrew Cuomo 383 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 6: saying let's get the Republican candidate, Kurtis Sliwa out of 384 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 6: this race, and then we've got a fighting chance to 385 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 6: knock this insurgent out of the race. We can beat 386 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 6: Mom Donnie if Curtis Sliwa would drop out. But as 387 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 6: it stands right now, even if you combine Curtis slee 388 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 6: Was and Andrew Cuomo's vote total, they lose to Zoran Mamdani. 389 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 6: He's over fifty percent right now, and that I think 390 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 6: is important to him as a candidate not to have 391 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 6: it his victory delegitimized in any way. By saying the 392 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 6: Republican candidate was a spoiler. I mean this proves that 393 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 6: more than half of the New York voter, the electorate 394 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 6: there in New York City wanted Zorn Mamdani. I think 395 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 6: we should also point out that Curtis was a lifelong 396 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 6: radio talk show host, and fair to say, the talk 397 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 6: show hosts screw up everything that they put their hands on. Yeah, 398 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 6: usually you have to go the other way, right, you 399 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 6: run for office and then you get into the talk 400 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 6: show business. You don't want to go the other way. 401 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 6: That rules us out. And thank god for America, I think, yeah, 402 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 6: better off for everybody. I did happen to see this. 403 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 6: Axios was reporting that President Trump's political operation dug into 404 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 6: their own massive war chest to bank roll multimillion dollar 405 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 6: voter turnout efforts in the final days in both New 406 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 6: Jersey and in the Virginia governor races. Each state got 407 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 6: a million dollars plus micro targeting that was aimed at 408 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 6: Trump supporters and other Republicans who usually skip off your 409 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 6: races trying to get out the vote. Again, is this 410 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 6: showing that the president doesn't have as much positive sway 411 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 6: as he did a year ago. Obviously, a year ago 412 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 6: President Trump was on top of the world. Now here 413 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 6: we are a year later. People have been reminded of 414 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 6: his presidency. Maybe they like or don't like what he's 415 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 6: got going on, but they've dumped a lot of money 416 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 6: into those races and it did not seem to help. 417 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 6: Now you have President Trump, who made perhaps the greatest 418 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 6: political comeback in American history after losing in twenty twenty, 419 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 6: being elected to a second term after losing four years earlier, 420 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 6: coming in with a lot of voters that supported him 421 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 6: this time around that did not four years earlier. But 422 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 6: he's been in office now and he's gone back to 423 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 6: his usual bag of tricks, which includes in inconsistent economic policies, 424 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 6: poor messaging. I mean, the guy loves to speak, but 425 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 6: he does not always speak effectively. He contradicts himself, he's 426 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 6: not consistent with his messaging. He's very grandiosed and bombastic 427 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 6: and boastful. But voters want to see results, and perhaps 428 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 6: they aren't on Campaigning is always easier than governing. You 429 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 6: can always promise things, but in government you actually have 430 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 6: to deliver. And whether or not he has done that 431 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 6: is I think what we're seeing on the ballot today. 432 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 4: Boy, no truer words have ever been smoking. 433 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 6: That campaigning is way easier, especially if you're campaigning against something, 434 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 6: which I think is probably what we saw a great 435 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 6: deal of tonight. You saw a governor races where they 436 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:56,920 Speaker 6: were campaigning against the president. You saw the mayoral race 437 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 6: campaigning against the president. You see Prop fifty California, which 438 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 6: to be campaigning against what the president is doing. Not 439 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 6: necessarily standing for something, but they are standing up against 440 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 6: all cherry picking whatever the bad stuff is that they 441 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 6: don't like from President Trump. And not only that, think 442 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 6: about all of the messaging against President Trump, certainly that 443 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 6: you've seen here in California with Proposition fifty, and maybe 444 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 6: to a lesser degree, in the Democratic campaigns on the 445 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 6: East Coast, you have the entire conservative media industrial complex 446 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 6: putting out a lot of coverage about Zorn Mumdani. In 447 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 6: New York City. Now that is a culturally influential position. 448 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,120 Speaker 6: You will get a lot of headlines as the mayor 449 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 6: of New York it's the largest city, but ultimately you 450 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 6: have no effect on national policy. You are a local 451 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 6: politician at the end of the day. So while you 452 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 6: have Governor Newsome leading voters here in a fight against 453 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 6: President Trump, as you're noting, people are against the president today, 454 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 6: that's what they're voting for. The president. And the conservative 455 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 6: media apparatus have been against Mamdani and they lost there too. Yeah, 456 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 6: and we'll continue to wonder what that portends for the 457 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 6: future for mid terms. We'll continue with our complete coverage 458 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 6: here too, including getting more East Coast reaction. Our own 459 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 6: Steve Roberts, our ABC News political analysts in Washington, give 460 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 6: us a little bit more of what's going on. He's 461 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 6: going to be closer to that Virginia governor's race, and 462 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 6: Virginia is a funny one because that one flipped right 463 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 6: that was the Republican governor has now gone to a 464 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 6: Democratic holder in Virginia. So we'll talk about what that 465 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 6: might read and does that portend anything. 466 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 4: For twenty twenty six. 467 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 6: Our complete KFI special election night coverage with Michael Monks 468 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 6: and on Chris Merrill continues KFI AM six to forty 469 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 6: relive everywhere on the iHeartRadio. 470 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:44,120 Speaker 4: Hey get evening on Chris Meryl. 471 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 6: He's Michael Monks KFI special election night coverage. We'll check 472 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:53,160 Speaker 6: with our ABC News political analyst, Steve Roberts. Steve's been 473 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 6: covering the East Coast races, New Jersey governor's race and 474 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 6: the Virginia governor's race. Is Steve, I know that New 475 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 6: Jersey governor's race was close. What can you tell us 476 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 6: about the margin of victory as far as we know, 477 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 6: and I know we're going on exit polling, it's going 478 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 6: to be a while before we know that the actual numbers, 479 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 6: but that really still called pretty quickly. 480 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 2: It's stunning. I mean, Mikey Scherah, the Democrats that had 481 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: by sixteen points, close to four hundred thousand votes. It 482 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 2: wasn't supposed to be anywhere near this close. And I 483 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 2: think it's a very significant result because you know, you 484 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 2: can overinterpret these media elections, but this was a state 485 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:39,959 Speaker 2: where the incumbent Democrat governor was unpopular and poll showed 486 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 2: Cheryl with a very narrow lead, and this is an 487 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 2: enormous blowout. And you know, the bottom line here is 488 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 2: this is this is a change election. Voters are unhappy 489 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,400 Speaker 2: with the economy, and that's exactly what happened a year ago. 490 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 2: Voters were elected Donald Trump because they were unhappy with 491 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 2: the economy. They didn't believe in bidenmics, no matter how 492 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 2: much Biden and Harris told them things were good. They know, 493 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 2: around their kitchen tables in Los Angeles and everywhere else, 494 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: that was not true. Well, today Donald Trump's telling them 495 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: everything's fine. He promised an economic miracle his own quote, 496 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 2: and they know, in their hearts and in their pocketbooks 497 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 2: and then their kitchen tables, that's not true. And they 498 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 2: showed in the exit polls tonight the economy was by 499 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 2: far the most important issue in both Virginia and New Jersey. 500 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,439 Speaker 2: And we know from polling leading up to the election 501 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 2: that voters are sour. Our ABC poll said that on 502 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 2: the eve of the election, fifty two percent of the 503 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 2: voters say they were worse off economically since Donald Trump. 504 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 2: That's not a miracle, that's that's pretty far from a miracle. 505 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 2: So the irony here is the very same feelings of restless, 506 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 2: unhappiness and sourness over the economy which helped elect Donald Trump, 507 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 2: helped elect Democrats tonight. 508 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 6: Steve, when I mean, you're right to call this a 509 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,440 Speaker 6: blowout in New Jersey, it was a blowout in Virginia 510 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 6: as well. 511 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 4: It was a bit of surprise. 512 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 6: I mean, the polls didn't indicate the margin of victory 513 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 6: for the Democrats would be this large. Some polls even 514 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:18,239 Speaker 6: suggested a Republican victory in Virginia. What role did the 515 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 6: president play in these outcomes? In these outcomes, did he 516 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 6: feature prominently at all in ads from either side? 517 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean, the Democrats basically tried very hard to 518 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 2: tie the Republicans, but in both cases, to Donald Trump, 519 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 2: and they were successful at doing that. And look, you 520 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 2: Donald Trump won forty nine point eight percent of the 521 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,119 Speaker 2: vote last year, almost fifty percent, but on our ABC 522 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 2: poll on the eve of the election, and his popularity 523 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 2: was down to forty one percent. CNN poll it was 524 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: down to thirty seven percent. So it doesn't take a 525 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 2: political genius to figure out that if you can tie 526 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 2: Republicans to Trump right now, that's a winning strategy. And 527 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 2: it's a lot of the Democratic ads in both states 528 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 2: very explicitly rallied the anti Trump feeling. And look, uh, 529 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 2: this is tied, as I say, very closely to economic pessimism. 530 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: But that's not the only issue. There's a there's a 531 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 2: larger sense if you look at the polling, a lot 532 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 2: of voters unhappy with the way Trump has used his powers, 533 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 2: Unhappy with the ice rates, which of course has been 534 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 2: very prominent in Los Angeles, unhappy with them, uh, with 535 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 2: the tariffs which are raising prices on you know, one 536 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 2: Republican said, boy, when people start realizing how much more 537 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 2: of the Christmas presents they're going to cost, this year 538 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 2: because of the tariffs, so many of the toys and 539 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 2: other goods sold that Christmas are imported. So uh, it's 540 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 2: it's anti Trump personally, but it's also is the economic 541 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 2: policies that field the Democrats today. 542 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 6: Steve Roberts there ABC News political analysts in Washington on 543 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 6: the aftermath now of the New Jersey governor's race, the 544 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 6: Virginia governor's race, and of course Mamdani and I will 545 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 6: learn how to say his name at some point in 546 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 6: New York for the mayor's race. It reminds me, Steve, 547 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 6: of the James Carvel quote. Right, it's the economy, stupid? 548 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 2: What always is? 549 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 6: Yeah, what does the it's always always the economy. What 550 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 6: does the GOP take away from this and how do 551 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 6: they make halftime adjustments before the midterms. Certainly there must 552 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 6: be meticles right now learning lessons. 553 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a very good question. And one of the 554 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 2: things you can see immediately is the attempt by the 555 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 2: Republicans to make Mamdannie the face of the Democratic Party. 556 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 2: You know, one of the fascinating things is that you 557 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 2: had two very different models today right in Virginia, New Jersey. 558 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: You had two women, two former members of Congress, two pragmatists, 559 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 2: both of them with nationalsecurity credentials. And so the pragmatic 560 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 2: and more moderate wing of the Democratic Party is going 561 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 2: to say, see, this is our model going forward, find 562 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 2: the middle, find people with national security credentials. Don't let 563 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 2: Trump brand us, as you know, as extreme left wingers. 564 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 2: But the left wing of the Democratic Party, which is 565 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 2: alive and well in California and many other places, are 566 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 2: they're going to say, see, we elected a thirty four 567 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 2: year old Democratic socialist in New York. That's the answer. 568 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 2: We got to go to the left. We've got to 569 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 2: stand up to Trump and the open warfare. And I 570 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:41,239 Speaker 2: promise you by tomorrow morning, the Republican Party is going 571 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 2: to try to make Mom Donnie the face of the 572 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 2: Democratic Party, and they see an opening here. They've already 573 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 2: been denouncing them as a Marxist and a communist, and 574 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 2: this is an old playbook. Remember they tried to do 575 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 2: this with AOC. They tried to do as members of 576 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 2: the squad of liberal members of Congress. And that's going 577 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 2: to be one of the battles. And the Democratic Party 578 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 2: is split, and you're going to see that split playing 579 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 2: out in the days ahead, as the Democrats wrestle with 580 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 2: the question of how do they end the government shut down? 581 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 2: Because the more pragmatic wing of the party, represented by 582 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 2: people like span Berger and Cheryl, are trying to reach 583 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 2: some sort of a compromise to reopen the government so 584 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 2: that federal benefits and things like food stamps and the 585 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 2: heating programs can get restarted. The less way of the 586 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 2: Democratic Party is already yelling, don't you dare, don't k 587 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 2: then don't give in, resist to the last man. So 588 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 2: one of the really interesting questions going forward is which 589 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 2: model becomes the dominant idea. Is it the two new 590 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 2: governors in Virginia and New Jersey, or is it the 591 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 2: mayor of New. 592 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 6: York, Steve Roberts or ABC News political analyst I Washington. Steve, 593 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 6: thank you so much, always always appreciate your insight, my friend. 594 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:10,479 Speaker 4: Sure, all right, we are just just. 595 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 6: Over a minute away from the polls closing here in California, 596 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 6: and we will start to have an idea of Prop 597 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 6: fifties results. We'll continue with our KFI special election night 598 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 6: coverage with Michael Monks. I'm Chris MERRILDS KFI AM six 599 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 6: forty live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 600 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand