Trump Sinks Massie as "Livid" Senate Republican Establishment Reels After President Endorses Paxton

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Morning Meeting

Episode: Trump Sinks Massie as "Livid" Senate Republican Establishment Reels After President Endorses Paxton
Date: May 20, 2026
Host: Mark Levin (with Mark Halperin), Steve Elmendorf, Larry, Eric Erickson, Special Call-In: Donald Trump
Podcast: The Morning Meeting, 2WAY

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Overview

This episode dives into the fallout from recent primary elections, Trump’s increasingly dominant grip on the GOP, and the roiling discontent within the Senate Republican establishment following Trump's decisive endorsement of Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas, sinking incumbent Thomas Massie. The host panel forecasts the impact of these results on the general election and the remaining primary contests, also touching on Georgia and Texas politics, party divides, Trump's relationship with the GOP, war with Iran, and implications for congressional Republicans ahead of the midterm cycle.

The tone is spirited, candid, and direct, with sharp exchanges, statistical data, and inside analysis of current and future political dynamics.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Georgia Primaries & the Gubernatorial Runoff

[05:57–11:16]

• Governor’s Race: Runoff between Bert Jones (Trump-endorsed, Lieutenant Governor) and billionaire Rick Jackson.
• Keisha Lance Bottoms: Wins Democratic primary outright; panel disagrees on her electability for the general; Eric Erickson notes her underperformance in core Democratic counties—a warning sign for November.
  • Eric Erickson [07:02]: “She underperformed every other Democrat in the metro Atlanta area. The further away from Atlanta she did, the better she did where they aren’t familiar with her.”
• Senate Race: Mike Collins (current Congressman under ethics inquiry) vs. Governor Kemp’s candidate Eric Dooley—another runoff.
  • Eric Erickson [10:38]: “Collins is a strong MAGA candidate, but…the closer you’re tied to Donald Trump, the worse you do. Georgia Republican base voters love Donald Trump. Georgia suburban Republicans don’t.”
• Democratic Strength: Consensus is Jon Ossoff remains favored in his Senate re-election, though concerns remain about Georgia’s red lean and toxicity for Republicans.
  • Steve Elmendorf [13:17]: “We’re in such a toxic environment for Republicans that he has the advantage because we’re going to overperform everywhere, not just in Georgia.”

2. Texas Senate Runoff: Paxton vs. Talarico

[14:06–15:39; 18:54–20:46]

• Trump’s endorsement gives momentum to Ken Paxton, despite Paxton’s corruption scandals.
  • Eric Erickson [14:15]: “I actually do think that Paxton can beat Talarico. Just the amount of money to get him across the finish line … will deprive the GOP of money in Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Maine and Ohio.”
  • Eric Erickson [14:58]: “It’s Texas and you’re running against a vegan who orders meatless tacos and thinks God has no gender…that’s not going to go well.”
• GOP establishment livid; concern over resources diverted to salvage Paxton’s bid.
• Lively discussion over Talarico’s real chances; panel estimates Talarico’s chances between 20–40%.

3. Massie Defeat and Trump’s Control of the GOP

[21:30–22:26]

• President Trump’s endorsement machine is credited with ousting Thomas Massie.
  • Steve Elmendorf [21:30]: “The larger meaning is just a reiteration that Donald Trump controls the Republican Party. It has no relevance to what’s going to happen in November in terms of the House.”
  • Larry [21:41]: “The lesson’s been learned now…when Mr. Blair and the President’s political operation focus on a race…they’re going to win…these are all scrimmages for the general election.”
• Implications: Message sent to other GOP incumbents—crossing Trump is politically lethal.

4. Senate Republican Establishment Discontent

[15:39–17:48; 22:26–23:24]

• Trump’s triumphs over GOP establishment picks, aggravating relations with senior Republican senators (McConnell, Cornyn, Cassidy, etc.).
• Larry [23:02]: “Cornyn? Less so than Cassidy, but yeah, probably [will be thorns in Trump’s side].”

5. Trump’s Slipping Poll Numbers and Party Tensions

[24:35–29:35]

• Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump’s approval dipping to 35% overall, down to 79% among Republicans.
• Intensifying economic dissatisfaction fueled by inflation and gas prices, despite strong AI-driven stock market performance.
  • Mark Levin [26:33]: “President’s approval drops to 35% as Republican support softens.”
• Heightened war fatigue over Iran and internal party divide; calls for separation from Trump likely to grow if the situation doesn't improve.

6. War with Iran & Republican Messaging Challenges

[31:28–36:34]

• Ongoing military stalemate with Iran; debate over bombing versus seeking a truce.
• Steve Elmendorf [35:10]: “He [Trump] has no way out. The only way out is going to be more bombing. And frankly, the only way out would be ground troops, which…is acceptable to a large part of his party, let alone the overall country.”
• Criticism from Newt Gingrich and Erickson for lack of decisive military campaign.

7. Trump Live Call-In: On Paxton, Party Rivals, and Vanity Projects

[36:39–41:18]

• Trump ridicules Talarico: “He’s a vegan. He’s a vegan in Texas. And you can’t get elected as a vegan in Texas.”
• Boasts about the new “ballroom” at the military complex, which is also a “drone port.”
• Continues to allege voting fraud, offers little on economic relief or cost-of-living issues.
  • Steve Elmendorf [41:26]: “He continues to talk about the ballroom…none of which voters care about and none of which do anything to help Republicans win the midterm election.”
  • Larry [42:11]: “He actually answers the question that’s asked of him…he’s so transparent and affable that he’ll answer the questions.”

8. Audience Questions: Youth and the GOP, Generational Divides

[45:04–49:46]

• Caller Nick from Colorado highlights a generational gap within the GOP; younger voters feel ignored, are more concerned about debt and government spending.
  • Nick [45:41]: “We understand that government spending is what's really driving all of our problems…especially in Colorado, people can’t afford houses.”
• Panel debates failed efforts by figures like Massie to bridge that gap; the messaging has not translated to wins.

9. Barney Frank’s Legacy

[49:47–51:18]

• Noted as one of the smartest and most effective members of Congress, praised for bringing his party closer to the center and prioritizing legislative outcomes.

10. Other Notable Races and Figures

• Minnesota Senate Race: Listener from Minnesota notes voter frustration with taxes and fraud; two leading GOP contenders (moderate Michelle Tafoya and a pro-Haley Navy SEAL) discussed.
• Rubio vs. Vance: Brief analysis of J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio’s prospects as future GOP figures—media and establishment perceptions matter.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Eric Erickson on Keisha Lance Bottoms [07:02]:
  “She underperformed every other Democrat in the metro Atlanta area…which is a warning sign for her in November.”
• Mark Levin on Trump’s Approval Slide [26:33]:
  “President's approval drops to 35% as Republican support softens.”
• Donald Trump on Paxton’s Democratic Opponent [36:46]:
  “He’s a vegan in Texas. And you can't get elected as a vegan in Texas.”
• Steve Elmendorf on Trump’s Ballrooms [41:26]:
  “He continues to talk about the ballroom…I hope he keeps talking about the ballroom every day…and none of which do anything to help Republicans win the midterm election.”
• Larry on GOP Establishment’s Lesson [21:41]:
  “[Trump’s team] won in Indiana, they won in Louisiana, they won here…these are all scrimmages for the general election.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Georgia Primary & Runoff Analysis — 05:57–11:16
• Senate Runoff—Collins vs. Dooley; Ossoff & Fundraising — 10:38–13:49
• Texas Senate Runoff—Paxton, Trump’s Endorsement — 14:06–15:39
• Super PAC Ad & Senate Republicans’ Fury — 18:54–20:46
• Massie’s Defeat: Trump’s Control of GOP — 21:30–22:26
• Senate Republicans vs. Trump — 15:39–17:48; 22:26–23:24
• Trump Approval Ratings, Internal GOP Tensions — 24:35–29:35
• Massie Primary Turnout & Voter Intensity Debate — 30:00–30:49
• War with Iran, Gingrich/Erickson Criticism — 31:28–36:34
• Trump Call-In: Paxton, Ballroom, Vanity, Fraud — 36:39–41:18
• Audience Call-In: Youth Frustration, Generational Split — 45:04–49:46
• Barney Frank’s Legacy — 49:47–51:18
• Minnesota Senate, Rubio/Vance Discussion — 52:03–56:45

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Final Takeaways

• Trump’s dominance in Republican primaries remains absolute—GOP incumbents crossing him risk immediate political death; the party continues to realign under his policy and personal brand, occasionally alarming the Senate establishment.
• Resource allocation and ideological gulf threaten Republican Senate ambitions in contested states like Texas and Georgia; questions linger about whether candidates with heavy Trump associations can win critical suburban and independent votes.
• Internal polling, and economic woes pose an increasing threat to Trump’s midterm prospects, with party elites growing anxious about energy prices, war fatigue, and a lack of disciplined messaging on cost-of-living and voter concerns.
• Generational divide and messaging failures are leading younger Republicans to feel alienated; the party’s future viability may depend on adapting strategy and rhetoric to reach Millennials and Gen Z.
• The panel’s concluding sentiment: Trump is on top, but the cracks beneath the surface of GOP unity—and in the core issues most affecting voters—are widening, with real risks heading toward November.

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(Summary excludes advertisements, sponsor reads, and closing show logistics.)

Transcript

[Steve Elmendorf]

Foreign.

[Mark Levin]

Everybody, welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. This is the morning Meeting. It's a special episode for a variety of reasons. First of all, Steve Elmendorf is here. Steve, contributor to the morning Meeting and to Two Way. Steve, welcome in.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Good to be here.

[Mark Levin]

Larry's here. Eric Erickson will join us in just a minute. We're lucky to have Eric here on a day after the Georgia primaries, which will be a focus of our conversation in a moment.

[Larry]

And say that Eric Erickson is your favorite conservative commentator.

[Mark Levin]

Mark halpern, it's my favorite commentator regardless of ideology. Eric's you know when people say to me, oh, Mark, your newsletter today was so good, and then I say punchline of one of my favorite jokes. What's the matter, you didn't like last week's Eric's newsletter? This week has been particularly good. It's always good. But this week he's written about, as he always says, he's written about both parties spectacularly well.

[Larry]

Very good. You could almost say he's channeling me.

[Mark Levin]

It's not good, right? That's how good it is. It's like I was like, didn't Larry say that all this earlier? Anyway, Eric will be here in a minute. We're, we'll run through stuff and then as always, we'll take your questions at the end of the program, please. If you're here and you want to be in on the conversation, we'd love for you to raise your hand. If you've never raised your hand before, please do. I'll run through the daybook real quick. Then we'll talk about, as always, we're forward looking here. We're not going to review the results. We're going to talk about what happens next. And in a lot of cases that means runoffs and then general election. And big question is in the runoffs, who's going to win and who's the stronger general election candidate. So we'll run through that with Eric. I'm going to have one point of contention with him that's going to make him bonkers. But we'll get to that in a minute. I think it, I think it will. Anyway, the president today is headed to give the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. He leaves. He's got office time now. Leaves, leaves shortly for or maybe he's already left. Has he left yet? I don't think so. I haven't seen a pool report, but the pool has been gathered. So he leaves shortly and he goes to Groton and The speech is at 11 and then he's back at the White House this afternoon at a time tbd. Don't know what the vice president's doing. Todd Blanche is in Florida where he will announce an indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro this afternoon. Doug Collins, Veterans Affairs Secretary, at 4 o' clock testifying before Veterans Affairs. A lot of activity on the House. They're finally back. And there's a House conference meeting right now after which Mike Johnson and the leadership will have their weekly news conference. Cuban American members also right around now are having a press conference related to the indictment of Castro. Senate Budget is doing a markup on the immigration reconciliation bill at 9:30. Democrats are having their House Democrats having their press conference this afternoon. Pete Aguilera and others, Bernie Sanders and Summer Lee have a news conference at 3:30 to introduce legislation to ban super PACs from participating in elections. Hopefully it'll involve repealing of the First Amendment because otherwise they'll be wasting their time. And thank you. And stock market's poised to open higher than Nvidia earnings after the bell. And ladies and gentlemen, whatever you think about AI as something that's going to change our lives, know that you it's driving the stock market. It's keeping the economy afloat. The rest of the market is mixed, but the AI stocks continue to drive it all. Still watching the bond market. We talked about that with David Bonson yesterday. Oil dropped, gas prices up again. The craziness of that that I cannot explain to you, but all my friends in finance can. All right, quick word from a sponsor, then Eric will be here. We'll start running through the results yesterday and Iran and everything else. Cozy Earth will give you 30% off right now. Go to cozyearth.com, you support promo code morning for everything on the site. This Memorial Day sale allows you to give yourself the kind of comfort that lives with you all day, not just when you get home. And as we've told you all week, the Cozy Earth jogger sets are extraordinarily nice and comfortable. And soft biscuits made from bamboo recommend them to you if you're sitting around in the house getting stuff done or going out to do errands or maybe meeting Larry for coffee. I recommend the Cozy Earth jogger sets come in all all kinds of colors. And the lakehouse clogs are the shoes you'll wear over and over again. And lastly, again, the Cozy Earth bedding. It's soft, it's comfortable. Whether you're getting a bubble cuddle blanket. Bubble cuddle Pillow the sheets, whatever it is, they're so confident you'll like it, they'll let you try them for 100 days. Return them if you don't like them and they'll give you, as always, their 10 year warranty, which gives you an idea of how confident they are of how great their stuff is. Cozy or dot com, use my promo code. Morning. 30% off this run sale runs through June 1st. Try it right now. If you see the post purchase survey, please mention you heard about Cozy Earth here.

[Matt Ebert]

I started with one shop. No college degree, no big investors. It was just a willingness to work. Over time, that one shop turned into a multi billion dollar business called Crash Champions. All the lessons I learned along the way came from the grind. And that's what my show Pod Crash is all about. We have real conversations with people who've built things the hard way. We talked to founders, athletes and blue collar leaders who kept going when things got tough. You'll hear stories of grit, leadership and growth, plus real world lessons you can take back to your team and your life tomorrow.

[Steve Elmendorf]

When you get momentum, you step on the gas. That's how you get separation from everybody else.

[Mark Levin]

I was at Harvard Law School. I was blah, blah, blah. I looked up, let me tell you something, there's kids in my neighborhood putting in Sheetrock that are smarter than you. AI is going to disrupt a lot of stuff. It is never going to disrupt physical blue collar trade skill.

[Eric Erickson]

And the guy just looked at me and he said it's bloody impossible. So I asked him this question. I said it's impossible.

[Matt Ebert]

Unless that's podcast with me, Matt ebert. Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mark Levin]

All right, enough of flattering Eric Erickson behind his back even though he's been listening the whole time. Eric, welcome in. Thank you for being here. Grateful to you for making some time for us.

[Eric Erickson]

Thanks for having me.

[Mark Levin]

Well, start with Georgia because Eric's here and. And it's one of the marquee things of the evening, along with of course, Mr. Massie losing his race. Here's the headline from Axios 1. Well, let's start. 106, please. Landed Journal Constitution, one of Eric's favorite papers because they're fair minded coverage of both parties. 1 106, please. Rick Jackson, the businessman billionaire. Bert Jones, the president's candidate, head to a runoff in the governor's race. There now, somewhat surprising to some, the former mayor of Atlanta. What's her name, Eric?

[Eric Erickson]

Keisha Crimeway. I mean, Lance bottoms.

[Mark Levin]

Keisha. Lance bottoms. 1. It doesn't have to go to a runoff. She won outright. There it is. She stuns rivals with the outright Democratic primary for governor. Eric this morning made clear that he thinks her record as as mayor of Atlanta is disqualifying. But, Eric, I think she could win the general election. I know you don't think she'd be good choice for the voters of Georgia, but do you rule out that she could win the general?

[Eric Erickson]

You know, anything is possible in Georgia. Although I got a data point for you, Mark, because I suspected that's where you were going. She underperformed every other Democrat in the metro Atlanta area. The further away from Atlanta she did, the better she did where they aren't familiar with her. But in Cobb county, Gwinnett County, DeKalb county, in Fulton county, and even Clayton county, she actually underperformed the other Democratic candidates, which is a warning sign for her in November.

[Larry]

Yeah.

[Mark Levin]

So Ossoff is going to swell black turnout. And the math is, for Republicans in the south is unforgiving. If the contribution to the vote in the general election amongst African Americans goes up 5% and the Democrats get their normal percentage of the black vote, which in this race, they would maybe even a little higher. Democrats can't lose. And so if Ossoff does well and she's not destroyed by negative ads, I think she'll do well. So, Steve, what do you think of her chances in the general election? Not knowing who the Republicans are going to nominate after the runoff.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Better than expected. Because the overall environment is so toxic for Republicans and because Jon Ossoff is a generational talent that's going to really carry the day in Georgia.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. Again, the two candidates in the runoff now are the lieutenant governor with Trump's endorsement and a billionaire who spent a lot of money. Larry, did it surprise you that Jackson did not finish first?

[Steve Elmendorf]

No.

[Larry]

You were way higher on Jackson yesterday than I was. What surprised me was that honestly, in the Senate race that Collins did as

[Mark Levin]

well as he did. We'll get this in a race. All right, hold on. Get the Senate race. Eric, who. Who's going to win the gubernatorial runoff and who would be the stronger general election candidate?

[Eric Erickson]

Yeah, boy, tough call there. My suspicion, suspicion is that Bert Jones will be able to carry it through with the. With the president's endorsement, despite Jackson's billions. However, you know, in Georgia, typically, if there's about a 10 point gap headed into a runoff, the guy in the first place wins. And if there's closer than that, the guy in second place wins. And that's just Rick Jackson, he's got less baggage headed into the general than the lieutenant governor does, including the lack of the indictment over the January 6th stuff, among other things. But Burt's become a strong candidate. He was, would have been a terrible candidate in the general had Jackson not gotten in. And he's had to improve his A game. The problem is that, I mean, for example, I interviewed all four of the candidates, gave them an hour each on my, on my program, gave them the questions in advance. Who are you? Why are you running? What's your big idea? And why you not them? And I honestly think Bert had the weakest answer on why am I running? Which essentially was, well, I've been here for a while and want to keep going. So that, that's going to be a problem for him. He's going to have to improve.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. I've never been impressed with his, his skills, truly. So let's finish with the governor's race, starting with Steve. Who will the next governor of Georgia be replacing Brian Kemp?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Probably a Republican.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, but do you. So will it be Jackson or Trump endorsed Jones. Okay, Steve. I mean, Larry, we agree.

[Larry]

I think it'll be Jones.

[Mark Levin]

Okay, Eric.

[Eric Erickson]

Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if it's Jones.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. Okay. Everybody says Jones. I think Jones, too. Here's the headline from the Washington Post on the, on the Georgia Republican runoff for Senate 109, please. It was a, basically a three person race. And as expected, the two people to make the runoff were the governor's candidate, Governor Kemp's candidate, Mr. Dooley, and then, Eric, what's the other guy's name?

[Eric Erickson]

Mike Collins.

[Larry]

Collins, Mike.

[Mark Levin]

Mike Collins. Thank you. Mike Collins. So, Eric, I asked the same question. Who, who'd be the stronger general election candidate against Ossoff and who will it be? Who will win the runoff?

[Eric Erickson]

I think given the gap in the runoff, is probably going to be Mike Collins. Now, I've endorsed Eric duly. I actually think he would be the stronger candidate just because he doesn't have multiple pending ethics indictment or ethics investigations in the US House like Mike Collins does. Collins is a strong MAGA candidate, but, you know, the problem for both Jones and for Collins is that the closer you're tied to Donald Trump, the worse you do. Just ask Brian Kemp in 2018, when Stacey Abrams nearly was able to beat him. 2022, he was his own guy and he did much better. Georgia Republican base voters love Donald Trump. Georgia suburban Republicans don't.

[Mark Levin]

Eric, what will the issue in the runoff be between, between Dooley and Collins? Will it be electability? Will it be issues, personal stuff, the

[Eric Erickson]

electability, and it will be tied to the personal stuff. I mean, the Republicans have now lost multiple Senate races in Georgia. There's the desire to actually win. They think Ossoff is vulnerable if you get the right candidate. And frankly, most of the people who went with Dooley bought the governor's argument that we need a fresh face outsider, not, not somebody who's already in Washington to win. Problem for Dooley is he just hasn't been a great candidate on the campaign trail.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, Larry, who's going to win the runoff?

[Larry]

Well, I think it'll be Collins because if, if Eric's right and I trust him and defer to him on Georgia politics, certainly if it's going to be about electability, it's kind of hard to make the case when you've never run or won before. And just to say I've got more money, I don't think it's going to be enough. I think that Collins can make a stronger case. He can also make a stronger case that he'll be an ally for the president's agenda and he's going to focus quite a bit on illegal alien crime because of the Lake and Reilly bill. And that resonates in the state of Georgia, resonates everywhere.

[Mark Levin]

My assumption in almost every one of the targeted Senate races is that the Democratic candidate will raise tens of millions in small dollar contributions. Platner will. Even the two older Democratic candidates in Ohio and North Carolina are. We know Ossoff will. We know Talarico will. Will Collins be a good small dollar fundraiser? Can he keep up with Ossoff and fundraising? Not, not super PACs and not bundling. But Eric, can he be a good small dollar fundraiser?

[Eric Erickson]

I don't think so. There's, there's a more limited base for Mike Collins, in large part because he's a congressman for the middle area of Georgia. He's actually outside the metro Atlanta area more than a lot of the other candidates. I don't think he can. I think this is going to be a problem for Republicans across the country with a lot of their Senate candidates.

[Mark Levin]

Steve, I know you've already, you already made your view of Ossoff's talents clear and I'm sure you think he's going to win. What's your biggest worry about him right now in terms of reelection?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Normally, my biggest worry would be that Georgia Trends red, but I think again, we're in such a toxic environment for Republicans that he has the advantage because we're going to overperform everywhere, not just in Georgia.

[Mark Levin]

All right, so Steve's for. Steve says Ossoff's going to win. Eric, who's the next senator from Georgia?

[Eric Erickson]

I think Ossoff probably does win.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, Larry, it's oss to lose.

[Larry]

They're going to spend a lot of money there to defend that seat, and that's good for Republicans elsewhere. Collins is going to paint Ossoff as a trust fund baby, and I think it'll cause some damage, but he'll probably eke it out.

[Mark Levin]

Larry, what's a lyric from the show Hamilton? It has the word trust fund in it. Oh, God, it's the.

[Larry]

I can't remember it off the top of my head.

[Mark Levin]

I'm a trust fund baby. You can trust me.

[Larry]

There it is.

[Mark Levin]

Eric, can you stay and talk Texas or do you need to go?

[Eric Erickson]

Yeah, I can stay for a few more minutes. Yeah.

[Mark Levin]

All right. Okay. But before you go, just tell us who, who do you think? Is it clear now that who's going to win the runoff in Texas? Is it clear that Paxton's going to win?

[Eric Erickson]

The president's endorsement of Paxton probably helps Paxton, and I do actually think that Paxton can beat Talarico. Just the amount of money to get him across the finish line, which you'll get there, will deprive the GOP of money in Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Maine and Ohio.

[Mark Levin]

So I hear, Eric, I hear people say they're sort of banding about, well, this is the president's fault, so the president's going to have to spend the money in Texas and the rest of the party's going to leave that race for the president to fix. There's all these billionaires in Texas who are going to give money to support him. So when people say it goes from a hundred million dollar race to a billion dollar race, I just think that's made up like it's still a Republican against a Democrat in Texas.

[Eric Erickson]

Well, you know, the problem for the Democrats in Texas, and I mean, I really do not like Ken Paxton. I think he's a corrupt, not good guy. But you know, it's Texas and you're running against a vegan who orders meatless tacos and thinks God has no gender. And that's not going to go well with a lot of Texas voters who aren't even Republican. That's not going to go well with Hispanic voters either.

[Mark Levin]

All right, Eric, before you go. And Larry, hold on. And Steve and I will talk about Texas more. Who's going to. Who's going to win that race? Who's going to be the Senate elected candidate.

[Eric Erickson]

I think that Paxton is going to be the senator. And I got to say, all the Republicans who complain about the state of the country and how we're going into the gutter, well, you've just helped make it so with the guy like that going to the Senate.

[Mark Levin]

And do you think that Cornyn will be a big problem for the president and the senate, which as Dr. Cassidy seems to be.

[Donald Trump]

Yes.

[Eric Erickson]

So all these Republicans like, well, the Senate is not doing anything for the president either. Hello, reconciliation. It's on tap right now. And judges as well. Good luck now getting all that through the, through the Senate as the way the president wants it.

[Mark Levin]

All right, Larry, I know you're chomping a bit. Yeah, go ahead.

[Larry]

I want to go back to Georgia real fast. Quickly, Eric, I heard something, some analysis say that Georgia is trending more red because of the election of the two Supreme Court justices, Bethel and Hawkins. Warren, can you shed some light on that and whether you think that's an indication of Georgia going a little more conservative?

[Eric Erickson]

You know, so what it was is surprisingly Democrat lawyers in the state. So Georgia actually has a nonpartisan Supreme Court. Nobody actually knows where these people stand. They say, oh, a Republican appointed them. They must be Republican. Actually, the governor's appointed a couple of Democrats to the state Supreme Court, but they're pretty conservative. And Democratic lawyers in the state were actually campaigning against Stacey Abrams and Barack Obama's partisanization weaponization of the Supreme Court. So it blew up in the Democrats face badly. I wouldn't read a lot into it, except the further down the ballot you go in Georgia, the more likely you are still to see people vote for conservative candidates, Republican candidates. Democrats in the urban areas never make it through. And by the way, it was the longest ballot we've had in Georgia in a very long time. So it took a while to get there. A lot of people didn't. The key takeaway I would have though is that Stacey Abrams is the gift that keeps on giving to the it was her idea to spend millions of dollars to try to do this. And yet again, she failed.

[Mark Levin]

Thank you and Steve, and thank you, Eric. Thank you for being here. Grateful to Eric, of course, a member of our morning meeting family, and love having him on. And Steve, to go to your point, because I don't disagree with you about the environment. We see it in every public and private poll about how great the environment is for your party. But nonetheless, this is a relatively obscure national story, but there were these two Supreme Court justice elections. The Democrats pushed for their two candidates. If we were looking at just a completely poisonous environment, you guys would have won one or both of those. Right. This suggests that it's not. The bottom has not fallen out of the Republicans. At least in Georgia or.

[Steve Elmendorf]

No, at least in Georgia. And I'd say not yet, but cracking.

[Mark Levin]

Right. All right, let's finish up on Texas. Here's a new ad from the super PAC supporting Ken Paxton, taking advantage of the president's endorsement yesterday in the Senate race. 122. Please.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Sorry.

[Mark Levin]

124. My apologies. 124. That was my fault. Or maybe it wasn't my fault.

[Matt Ebert]

President Trump endorsed Ken Paxton for Senate Warrior, who was always delivered for Texas.

[Donald Trump]

For Texas, an attorney general who has really led the way. Somebody who has been brave and strong. Ken Paxton. My complete and total endorsement.

[Eric Erickson]

We can trust Ken Paxton to secure

[Larry]

our border and defend, defend our gun rights.

[Matt Ebert]

Stand with President Trump.

[Mark Levin]

Vote Ken Paxton for Senate.

[Matt Ebert]

Lone Star Liberty PAC is responsible for the content of this ad.

[Mark Levin]

So Senate Republicans are furious at the president. They're really unhappy about this. The runoffs next week. Steve, if you were an advisor to Cornyn, assuming the polls show you behind, which I believe they do, would you, would you go nuclear on pax, on Paxton this week and try to win? Or would you just give up

[Steve Elmendorf]

or

[Mark Levin]

just, or just run out to run

[Steve Elmendorf]

it out, run out the clock? I, I mean, they've gone nuclear on what, what more could you do on pax?

[Mark Levin]

Well, you, you could just stay on the air with negative ads. I guess I'm just wondering if they're going to keep running negative ads this week.

[Steve Elmendorf]

I mean, he's not going to win. Like Paxton's going to win the primary. That's, that's crystal clear. And they're going to have to spend 100 to 200 million dollars to save a tendency.

[Mark Levin]

Right. Hold on there. I, I don't read the chat. I do glance at occasionally people saying in Georgia, well, why am I now saying that Jackson's not going to win? The answer is what is what is what Eric said in Georgia. Typically, if, if the, if the, if the person, if the margin is what it is, the person ahead is likely to win. And I thought, Jack, if Jackson had been ahead in this round, I would have said he's going to win. But the fact that he was behind, I think, as Steve sort of suggested with Cornyn, he's played his cards. I don't know that he's got more cards to play. Larry, there's this notion, I mean, I think caloric is going to raise a lot of money. So I think it's overstated. I think it's overstated the delta between what would have to be spent by Cornyn and what would be what will have to be spent by Paxton. I just think either one of them is going to have to spend several hundred million. I don't think the number is necessarily higher. Here's my, here's my question. Just be real, Just cut through all the climate matters. The climate in Texas is horrible right now. The Republicans, Talarico has some strengths. Whatever, just cut through it. What's the percent chance of Talarico winning this race if it's Paxton?

[Larry]

20%.

[Mark Levin]

20%, Steve?

[Larry]

I'll give him 20%.

[Steve Elmendorf]

40%.

[Mark Levin]

40%. All right, I'll go with 30 just because I want everyone to get along. I, I, I, I think it, I think it will depend on whether they can knock him out, if they can't knock him out, if he can keep control of his public image and he's not defined the way Eric wants him defined as a, as a, you know, anti religious vegan. I think, I think, I think it'll be 30 or 40%. I really want to see how much Paxton raises, even though, as I said, I don't think that's going to be everything in this race. All right, let's talk about Massie again. It's one House race. It's going to be a Republican seat anyway. Steve, what's the significance of Massie being beaten by the President's candidate going forward? What's the larger meaning, if any?

[Steve Elmendorf]

The larger meaning is just a reiteration that Donald Trump controls the Republican Party. It has no relevance to whether what's going to happen in November in terms of the House?

[Mark Levin]

Larry?

[Larry]

Well, I mean, Donald Trump controls the Republican Party in that his key initiatives like lowering taxes, making permanent the tax cuts of 2017, all the things in the reconciliation package, securing the border, funding ice, were things that the Republican candidate, Thomas Massie, voted against. So, sure, I guess, based on the President's policies, if you oppose them, you're going to feel it from your voters. I think that the larger ramification is the lesson's been learned now that when Mr. Blair and the President's political operation focus on a race and they judiciously use the funds that they have at their disposal to, to target an opponent, they're going to win and they've won. They won in Indiana, they won in Louisiana, they won here. And I think that, that these are all scrimmages for the general election.

[Mark Levin]

All right, we're only 20 minutes into the show and I can say thanks to Eric, who's gone, and Steve and Larry, this is already the best conversation I've heard anywhere about what happened yesterday and what happens next. So thank you gentlemen, for that. The president now has, he's got the usual suspects, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski. And now he's got probably a Cornyn. And we saw yesterday Cassidy for the first time voted for the war's Powers act resolution. Will those two guys, Larry Cornyn and Dr. Cassidy, will they be consistent thorns in the president's side, do you think?

[Larry]

Cornyn? Less so than Cassidy, but yeah, probably.

[Mark Levin]

Probably so if you just do the math. Steve this makes sense. The president passing things a lot harder even, even, even things that only would require 50 votes. Right.

[Steve Elmendorf]

You have five to six Republican senators who could potentially be opponents on nominations and on whatever we have left to do, which is not much in the Congress.

[Mark Levin]

Right. Okay. Josh Shapiro did pretty well yesterday. The candidate he wanted in a House race won some of his other endorsements, paid off. On the other hand, and Steve is a big Shapiro fan. Steve, I just keep hearing more and more people discounting him. I'm surprised people are not, he's not in the conversation as much as a top tier candidate. I've moved him down in my rankings from third, from second to third. But I still think people are underestimating him simply because the field's so weak. What did we learn about his potency, if anything, yesterday as it pertains to a presidential run?

[Steve Elmendorf]

The most important thing for Josh Shapiro is going to be in November. He's going to get reelected governor of the most important state in the country presidentially by, by north of 60% of the vote. And that will answer a lot of people's questions about is this guy have the political talent to run for president?

[Mark Levin]

Larry, will he break 60 in November?

[Larry]

I think he might, yeah. And I think that that's going to be hard to ignore for the Democrats because they need to win Pennsylvania, but they needed to win Pennsylvania in 24 and Kamala Harris bypassed Josh Shapiro amazingly. And it was for all the wrong reasons. And I'm afraid that's what's going to keep Josh Shapiro back.

[Mark Levin]

All right, just want to show you a couple other things related to elections. POLITICO headline 110 the conventional wisdom, correct, is that as Politico headline says, Trump's grip on the party threatens his grasp of Congress. Rip those so called victories over the Last couple of weeks are just a mirage. They are cell phones. That one senior Senate Republican operative granted anonymity to speak candidly about frustration. So at the White House, quote, we're not actually beating Democrats and we're not actually advancing legislation. Instead, gas is up 45% due to our actions. The president's decision to go to war with Iran. He's focused on the ballroom. He's announced 1.8 billion restitution fund with zero details or congressional authority to do so. It is just crazy. People may scoff at this blind quote and say, oh, it's not made up or it's from an outlier. It is not. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the view of almost every Republican senior advisor. It's the view of many, many Republican senators. And it's also driven by polling data like this. Every poll we show you is the same and there's a reason for that. This is the reality. This is a new Reuters poll. 111. President's approval drops to 35% as Republican support softens. His approval rating amongst Republicans down to 79%. And look at these two numbers. This is extraordinary. From the same risk. Reuters Ipsos poll 112% saying your cost of living is off on the wrong track in January of 2025 is 50%. Now it's 74% percent strongly disapprove of Trump's handling of your cost of living again in January of 25. 44%. Now 73%. And here's the president yesterday talking about the economy sounding a wee bit out of touch to some ears. 113.

[Donald Trump]

Please stop them. They have nuclear on their mind and we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon. And we've done a hell of a job. And we're. I think we're going to be finished with that very quickly. And they won't have a nuclear weapon. And hopefully we're going to get it done in a very nice manner. Factory construction, as you heard today, also is up. Housing starts are up and consumer spending is up. All things. We have an economy. People aren't seeing it yet. When we inherited, when we started, we had the highest inflation in the history of our country.

[Mark Levin]

And we actually have Larry people all the time ask me and probably you, when does the war have to end to save gas prices to make the environment better for Republicans? I think that the events of yesterday. Members of Congress don't like the president beating one of their incumbents and endorsing against one of their incumbents. Members of Congress that, quote is representative of how they feel. How soon are we going to start to see more criticism of the president, more separation from the president? Mike Lawler is having the president to his district on Friday. So that's a countervailing piece of data. But how, how soon before we start to see panic that open openly manifested as opposed to that blind quote?

[Larry]

Well, Mike Lawler is not being primaried, so that makes it easier for him. Primary Republicans right now who are facing potentially an opponent that could get a Trump endorsement, they want one of two things to happen. They want the President's endorsement or they want the president to stay out of it.

[Mark Levin]

Well, but, but I would argue the Lawler not having a primary makes it more surprising that he's having the president in.

[Larry]

Well, no, I think that he's decided, as he told us yesterday, that there are good things and benefits for him to be able to say to his voters there are good things this guy has done and I will work with him. My opponent will not be able to work with him. I think that that, that works.

[Mark Levin]

But when, when, when, when does it have to happen? When things have to be better.

[Larry]

It's when. It's when primary season starts to fade away if they, if things don't get better. But I think this is all about the time, timing. You're right. Obviously, the gas prices are the issue right here. And this goes back to your rhetorical question. How can the stock market be doing well and earnings reports coming in doing well, but the gas price of oil is going up. And it's because most of the smart money knows that as hard as it is with high gas prices right now, this is temporary. You just heard the present. This is going to be over soon. That's what they're banking on. Because right now the cost of living numbers, it was all affected by the gas prices. It's all about gas prices. As soon as they break through that, they're confident that it's going to give them the room that they have to work with. If it doesn't, then, yeah, you're going to start hearing people complaining.

[Mark Levin]

Steve, there are a lot of cultural differences between the parties, but this one, in my experience is the same. If the president is not, if members of Congress don't feel the president's helping them, at some point in the midterm cycle, they start to break away. How do you read the sands in the hourglass for Republicans in Congress and the President now?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Well, I think that's the natural inclination. But the problem they have based on the Massie primary and others is they do need the base to turn out and vote for them. And if they take on Trump, less of the base will come out and vote for them. And he's giving them no room to distance himself from them in order to move away into the middle. So I think they're in a terrible, you know, position. Is there stuck.

[Larry]

If you look at the numbers, though, it's not like they divided the base up in Kentucky four. Is it four? I think it's Kentucky four.

[Mark Levin]

It's four. It's four.

[Larry]

They actually grew in. More people came out to vote against Thomas Massie yesterday in the primary. This is astounding. Stat. More Republicans came out to vote against Thomas Massey yesterday in the primary than the Entire electorate in 2012 voted in the general election. That Thomas Messi ended up winning in

[Steve Elmendorf]

the general election, though, where we're going to fight for the House, that is not going to be the case. What's going to be the case is we've seen in the, in the New York Times poll this week that there's much higher intensity on the Democratic side than on the Republican side. I think Republican intensity will continue to drop with unease about the war, which is not going to be over, and Democratic Democrats are going to crawl over glass to go vote in this election.

[Larry]

I hear you. We'll see. You know, I spoke with Speaker Johnson this morning on my show. If I could just throw that in there, please, Mark. And I asked him about this, I asked him about, will this be about the economy? Are there going to be other issues? And he's already sort of debuting some messaging here where he said, unlike Newt Gingrich's Contract for America, what we're offering voters is a contrast in America. And every time Democrats have a chance to nominate a candidate, they have a choice between normal and crazy, and they're picking crazy. Crazy. And he's. They're going to steer into cultural issues and issues that go well beyond just the economy, and we'll see if it works. Yeah.

[Mark Levin]

And try to keep it from being a referendum on Trump and make it a choice selection.

[Matt Ebert]

That's right.

[Mark Levin]

Let's talk about Iran. And obviously that is, you know, the biggest thing on the minds of, of congressional Republicans. Congressional Republicans have been saying to me and their advisors have been saying to me for about a month, the war has to end now. They said that a month ago. It has to end now. And of course, it's still going on. The stalemate continues and mixed signals about where we are today. So let me run through some things that are going on overnight. Tehran put out a statement. 115 Pretty bellicose now the President makes bellicose statements too. But look at what the Iranians said. More surprises to come if the conflict resumes. Here's the statement from the IRGC. Number 118 please. The Foreign Minister said that Iran has knowledge now from the previous conflict that they would use. And here's the IRGC statement. If the aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional and war that was promised will this time go beyond the borders of the region and you will be dealt crushing blows in places you do not expect and you will fall into the abyss of defeat and destruction, raising the spectrum perhaps of sleeper cells in America, perhaps in Europe. Here is the the the diplomatic track. I continue to be more I marvel at the prospect of allowing our Pakistan to continue to mediate here. But they but the Pakistanis are involved. 119 the Interior Minister is now apparently in or was in Iran. Pakistan Interior Minister has departed for Tehran to hold high level talks with officials there according to informed sources. His second trip in a week. So in theory that track continues even though there's no sign of progress. 1:17News 12 in Israel's reporting that Trump and Netanyahu had a long and lengthy and dramatic phone call last night amid many reports that the Israelis expect the war to continue. And this may be, I think, the most interesting thing in the current cycle as we try to understand if the president who yesterday extended the deadline, at least the stated deadline from a couple of days to give Iran a chance to present a more realistic offer to early next week before military action occurs. This is from Newt Gingrich, a huge supporter of the President, a huge supporter of the President's goals in Iran. And he sounds like Steve Elmendorf. I'll read it. It's long but here's Newt Gingrich's analysis. The Iran situation is filled with ambiguity. President Trump keeps finding reasons not to reopen the bombing campaign. The Iranians are using time to rebuild their anti aircraft defenses and replenish their drone and missile stockpiles. We should not have any doubts about the dictatorship using the truce period to repair damage and rebuild their forces. There's also no question the Russians are shipping weapons and supplies across the Caspian Sea to help Iran. Here's the part that I think Steve will agree with. There is a dominant and wrong view in Washington that the combination of economic and diplomatic pressure will force the Iranians to agree to abandon 47 years of history and sign a truce which strips them of everything for which they have been working. This is a deeply anti historic view. Why would you expect a dictatorship which survived 1 million casualties fighting Iraq to be intimidated by a few weeks of bombing? Why would you think a dictatorship which killed 42,000 of its own citizens earlier this year would worry about economic pressure and blockades? We keep applying values and principles which would affect us, but the Iranian dictatorship is not us. Newt Gingrich's view is that means there should be more bombing. Steve, I believe you agree with the analysis, but you think instead the President just has to withdraw. But talk about the significance of Gingrich saying all this.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Well, he's totally. He's absolutely right. I mean, as you know, my view is we never should have gotten out of the Obama deal and we never should have gone in, but we're in and Trump has no way out. The only way out is going to be more bombing. And frankly, I think the only way out would be ground troops, which neither of which is acceptable politically to a large part of his party, let alone the overall country. I mean, two thirds of the country is not for this, and that is consistent across every poll. And it's because he did nothing to try and build support before he did it, and he's done nothing to try and build support in Congress, and he's stuck.

[Mark Levin]

Larry, do you agree with Newt's analysis?

[Larry]

To a certain extent I do, I do. And I think that this is a growing voice. Add our friend Erik Erickson to that chorus who says that the only way out of this is to keep bombing until the regime falls and they're crushed completely. That's probably true. But again, I think the President and his team want to exhaust every effort at their disposal before doing that. But, yeah, it's, it's probably so. But Steve, with all due respect, the idea that we should have built some sort of support with an international coalition and, and within Congress and all that stuff, it would have ruined the surprise attack that was so successful at the beginning. You can't surprise your enemy if you're spending a month building an international and a domestic.

[Steve Elmendorf]

How many months into this, the surprise attack doesn't seem to have worked?

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, hold on, guys. The President said, Andrew's talking. Let's listen to what he's saying.

[Donald Trump]

I think he'll win. I think probably he'll win very substantially.

[Mark Levin]

Talking about Paxton in the Texas race,

[Donald Trump]

a very defective candidate. A candidate that believes in six genders and he, he takes it to Jesus Christ and he's wearing a mask. Six months ago. Where's A guy. Anybody wearing a mask six months ago does. He doesn't get it. And he's a vegan. He's a vegan in Texas. And you can't get elected as a vegan in Texas.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Did you talk to Senate leadership on the Republican side about endorsing against an incumbent?

[Donald Trump]

I did.

[Mark Levin]

You know Evan Smith used to edit the Texas Monthly barbecue issue and he's a vegan.

[Larry]

Yeah. Did he ever run for Senate, Mark?

[Donald Trump]

Proven that, haven't I?

[Mark Levin]

Are you worried about. About the ballroom funding, Mr. President, there's

[Donald Trump]

speculation the ballrooms are being built. I'm building the ballroom. You saw it yesterday, right? Yeah. We're building a great ballroom. It's been needed. It's a very military complex. The roof is actually a drone port. The roof of the ballroom is a drone port.

[Mark Levin]

I love when he reveals all this stuff.

[Donald Trump]

We're building a. A really great ballroom, but it's. It's also a military. A strong military position for our people.

[Mark Levin]

Do you think better in the press briefing group, sir?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Do I think who Vance or Groovy

[Wendy]

Go did better in the press briefing?

[Donald Trump]

I think they both did great. What do you want me to say? Right. Do you like that? That's pretty good though, right? I think they both did good. I watched both of them.

[Mark Levin]

Of course he did.

[Donald Trump]

Very good men. Really.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Did you.

[Mark Levin]

A call with Prime Minister Netanyahu when

[Donald Trump]

her husband votes against me all the time. Can you imagine? I don't know what's with him.

[Mark Levin]

Who's that?

[Donald Trump]

What's with him? Her husband. She's married to a certain congressman. He votes again. He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that?

[Mark Levin]

I think that's Jackie.

[Donald Trump]

I don't know why he does.

[Mark Levin]

Mr. President, are you going to want. Do you have any plans? Is that who it is? Is that who he's talking about? Before you make your decision, are they married or engaged? Engaged.

[Wendy]

Do you have any plans to call

[Mark Levin]

President of Taiwan before you make a decision on the weapons package?

[Donald Trump]

Well, I'll speak to him. I speak to everybody. We have that situation very well in hand. We had a great meeting with President Xi. It was amazing, actually. It was amazing. Many of you were there. We'll work on that. The Taiwan problem.

[Steve Elmendorf]

What if you said to Prime Minister Netanyahu about Iran and how long to

[Mark Levin]

hold off on strike?

[Donald Trump]

That's fine. He'll do whatever I want him to do. Very good man. He'll do whatever I want him to do. And he's. He's a great guy. To me, he's a great guy. Don't forget he was a wartime prime minister and he's not treated right in Israel. In my opinion, I'm right now at 99% in Israel.

[Mark Levin]

I agree with Claire. The president looks.

[Larry]

Tucker's going to analyze this and point out the color of his tie.

[Donald Trump]

It matches the Israeli 99%. So that's good. But no, he's a wartime prime minister. I just don't think they treat him well. I think they have a president over there that treats him very poorly.

[Mark Levin]

Spencer Pride, question.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Mark Levin]

Is the president to anyone about replacing Lauren Boba. But after you. After she.

[Donald Trump]

If somebody comes along, I'd look. It's a little late in the race, but if somebody comes along, I'd look. Certainly.

[Larry]

That's it. I'm moving to Colorado.

[Mark Levin]

Do you see yourself in him at all? A former reality TV star?

[Donald Trump]

No, I'd like to see him do well. He's a character. I don't know. I don't know him. I assume he probably supports me. Does he support me?

[Mark Levin]

I think so.

[Donald Trump]

I think so. Yeah, I heard he does. I heard he's a big maga person.

[Mark Levin]

Oh, no. He's destroying. He's destroying Spencer Pratt's campaign. Too late. That'll be. That'll be in a. It'll be a Democratic ad by dawn. By dawn.

[Donald Trump]

Jesus Christ. Come down and count the votes. I would have won California because I do great with Hispanics. But it's a rigged vote. They said that. 38 million votes. Nobody knows where they're going. Of course, the Democrats do, I guess, but disproportionately. Democrats get many more votes. Some get eight votes. They get eight cards and Republicans have to call in. Where's my card? It's a rigged system. One of the most, not the worst. I'll give you a list. Maybe I'll do my list. But it's. California is one of the most dishonest states for rather.

[Mark Levin]

What's your message? The cadets today.

[Donald Trump]

Just enjoy your life.

[Mark Levin]

All right. All right. We'll dump out of this. Top three takeaways from what we just heard.

[Steve Elmendorf]

He continues to talk about the ballroom. I hope he keeps talking about the ballroom every day. And add in the arch and the golf course and all the other things he's doing in Washington. None of which voters care about and none of which do anything to help Republicans win the midterm election.

[Mark Levin]

All right. Any. That's number one. You got two others or you just want to stand pat with that one?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Continues to talk about voting fraud in a way that, again, has no relevance to. What he's not talking about is affordability. What he's not talking about is what is he doing to bring down gas prices? What is he doing to bring down beef prices? What is he doing to make people's lives better? He talks constantly about himself and his vanity projects.

[Mark Levin]

Larry, one takeaway for you is the Spencer Pratt campaign just ended up. What else?

[Larry]

That was a rough one to hear. Also, with all due respect, he, unlike other politicians, he actually answers the questions that are asked of him. And he didn't say, here, come on, everybody. I want to talk about the ballroom and the art, and I want to talk about. It's like those are the questions that were asked of him. And he's so transparent and affable that he'll answer the questions. That's what the media wants to talk about, I guess. The. The.

[Steve Elmendorf]

You know, the ballroom. He called a press conference on the ballroom yesterday.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah.

[Larry]

Yes. Well, it's really a drone port. Let's face it. The Bibi will do whatever I tell him to do. Was quite a statement for him.

[Mark Levin]

I wonder. I wonder what kind of play that'll get in Israel. Yeah, BB Will do whatever I tell him to do.

[Larry]

That was good. That was a good one.

[Mark Levin]

That was a good. Just to close up on Iran and then a quick word from a sponsor and then to questions. Please raise your hand if you want to get in the conversation. So do you guys think the negotiating track is on life support? Dead. Where's the negotiating track?

[Steve Elmendorf]

Steve seems to be on life support. I just think they are. They. They are a lot less interested in talking than we seem to be.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. Larry, is there. Is there a meaningful negotiation?

[Larry]

I don't think so. And the fact that Iran is now talking like, you know, Baghdad Bob saying,

[Mark Levin]

we will crush you. We have.

[Larry]

We have secret knowledge now, the next time you try to strike us, they're preparing for a strike or trying to scare people away from the strike. And they were also, let's not forget, saying that they were going to sink one of our aircraft carriers last time around. So that tells me that they're preparing for the next military strike.

[Mark Levin]

All right, we'll keep monitoring the president. A quick word from the sponsor, then to your questions. We'll monitor the president. Shopify is a great platform if you're trying to get a business launch, whether it's a new podcast, a new business of any sort, anything you want to get the word out for and you want to monetize, try Shopify. It's used in 10% of all E commerce in the United States. It's done through Shopify. And right now they'll let you try it for a dollar a month free trial. A trial offer. $1 a month to start your Shopify account at shopify.com, shopify has everything you need to get launched. AI powered tools, 24. 7, customer support, analytics, inventory marketing. It's all easy to use and it's all right there in one platform, which you can try now, as I said, for a dollar a month global commerce platform that powers so much of American business. 10% of all E commerce. It's easy to create what you need to market and sell and build your customer base right now. Go to shopify.com use the promo code or sorry, shopify.com mark if you think it's time to change your what ifs

[Larry]

into

[Mark Levin]

big money, big money, go to shopify.com mark and give it a try right now. All right, time for your questions, your comments, your concerns as you come in. Please unmute. Tell folks who don't know where you are and what's on your mind. Nick, we start with you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being part of Two Way.

[Nick]

Hey, how's it going, guys?

[Larry]

Hey, Nick.

[Nick]

I wanted to just talk about the, the Massey thing. I think maybe some of the analysis was just missing what I think is going on, which is really the generational divide that's going on in the gop.

[Mark Levin]

Say more.

[Nick]

I mean, I, I just kind of view this as a millennial. Zoomers versus boomers. And of course, this is generalizing. This is not like. Yeah, this, I'm not every.

[Mark Levin]

Nick, where do you live? Understood. Where do you live, Nick?

[Nick]

I live in Colorado.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, and, and what about Massey appeals to younger people.

[Nick]

I mean, the issues that he speaks to. We understand that government spending is what's really driving all of our problems. I mean, you guys talked about gas prices, but interest rates are, I think, a bigger issue to us. And we know that's driven by government spending. People can't afford houses, so. Especially in Colorado.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah.

[Nick]

The real problem here, and it's just, I don't know, it's kind of sad to see a lot of people now dismissing, like the podcast or, you know, calling it podcast to Stan. Yeah, I mean, our younger generation is not listening to Mark Levin and Sean Hannity. And Trump understood this when he ran, when he was going on all of those podcasts.

[Mark Levin]

Yep. Nick, stand by. Steve, either question for Nick or comment about what he's talking about, please.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Well, I think, look, everybody needs to figure out ways to communicate more with. With more voters. I mean, that's just like the. That's why you have the show, Mark. And that's why there's lots of podcasts and lots of different ways and. And the good. The people who are going to be the future of politics, that people are going to figure out that they've got to get into every channel and go where people are.

[Mark Levin]

Larry.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Yeah.

[Larry]

And Nick, thank you for raising this, because as Mark would say, you speak for tens of millions, and I do hear this a lot. So I got a couple of. First of all, don't forget Generation X. It's not just zoomers and millennials versus Boomers.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah.

[Nick]

The Generation X is kind of split, I'd say.

[Larry]

You know, this is our moment.

[Mark Levin]

Yes.

[Larry]

This is my generation's moment. Yeah. Here's what's interesting about Thomas Massie. You're right. And by the way, I was all on board with him. You know, he used to walk around D.C. wearing the debt clock ticking away how much debt we have. He used to have a little digital version of it on his lapel that he would wear to events all the time. I remember talking to him about it. That disappeared. He didn't wear that. He didn't talk about the debt very much in this campaign. He talked about Israel more than he talked about the debt. To be honest with you, I recognize that he had an important message. And I'm concerned about government spending, too, and I'm concerned about the debt. My problem is that Mr. Massie lost the trust and the influence that he had over his fellow Republicans. He wasn't able to do anything about it. He wasn't able to make a dent in it. And so he basically became not just a rogue maverick Republican who opposed the president and the leadership now and again, he became an obstructionist. And if we're not going to solve the debt right now, which we're not, at the very least, you should be able to keep more of your tax dollars. You should be able to keep taxes down so the government can't keep taking it from you. That's how you'll be in a better position to pay off your personal debt and maybe buy a home. And he voted against all of those things that would have allowed you to keep your money. So my heart is with you, and my spirit is with you. But the fact is, Massie didn't really move the ball on the issues that you seem to care the most about. And the final thing on the influencers, if the influencers really have that influence in the podcast realm, then they need to actually start showing that influence by winning some of these dust ups. But they're not. They're not. So I don't know what to say at this point. Maybe Hannity and Levin still have more influence than the podcasters you're referring to.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, Nick, thank you.

[Nick]

Yeah, I mean, I just to respond to that real quick, I think the influence is there. I mean, you can just look at the generational split on who they supported in that race in the polls, but

[Larry]

not on election day. Yeah.

[Nick]

I mean, we all know older people turn out to vote. I mean, that's just. Yeah, but yeah, I think the GOP is going to have to do something to re. Appeal to my generation if they want to win again in 2028.

[Larry]

I don't, I don't disagree with that.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, you do speak for tens of millions and grateful to you for coming on and look forward to having you back. Barney Franks passed away. Steve, what's his significance in history?

[Steve Elmendorf]

One of the most important members of Congress in the last decades. I mean, just his. He was a personal friend of mine. I just saw it. It's just, you know, I, I give Barney enormous credit at the end of his life that he was willing to spend time talking about important issues and, and trying to bring the party. It's interesting, one of the most progressive members of Congress ever arguing to bring the party more to the center. Because Barney ultimately about get not. He wasn't about making a point. He was about getting something done. And he understood if you wanted to get something done, you had to not just work with the other side, but you had to bring your own side closer to the middle to get something done. It's a huge, huge loss, really. A funny, interesting, nice, great guy.

[Mark Levin]

I will say I dealt with him a lot when I used to cover the Hill somewhat regularly, unambiguously. One of the five smartest members of Congress I ever met. Just a genius about politics and substance and, and how to get things done.

[Larry]

Yeah, getting things done, I think is the best way to put it. I have spoken to very, very socially conservative Republicans who served with him and said as much as we disagreed, when something had to get done, he would come to the table and figure out a way to get it done.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. I'll tell you, it's so funny, Steve, you'll tell me if you agree with this or not, but so few members of Congress actually understand how to use legislative strategy to get a bill passed, how the rules in The House work, how the worlds in the Senate work. Very few members of the House ever think about how to get something through the Senate. They just sort of don't think about it. Even if there's a bill they really care about, they don't strategize, okay, well how are we going to get through the Senate? Barney Frank was one of the few members of Congress I ever dealt with who was constantly gaming it out, both the House and the Senate, and leveraging the rules and building coalitions in a way that again, very few other members. Ted Kennedy was the same way. Very few other members actually understand the rules. Wendy, welcome in. Thank you for being here. Tell folks who don't know where you are what's on your mind for Larry and for Steve.

[Wendy]

I'm from the Minneapolis St. Paul metro area, a great state of Minnesota, in the news all the time. I have one comment and then a question for you guys. It's regarding Senate race. Last time I talked, Steve was on too and I had a question about it. But I think that Minnesota is in play. I know that for the Senate race. I know that you guys probably don't. But my daughter's politician, she's knocking doors. Five months ago all everybody talked about was ice, of course, and that is totally flipped. All everybody is talking about at the doors is fraud and taxes and people are very upset from both parties about those two issues. So that's my point about why I think Minnesota is in play for the Senate race. But my question to you specifically is Republican convention is in week or so. We have two candidates. I want your guys opinions on that are running neck and neck. One is Michelle Tafoya who is,

[Steve Elmendorf]

I

[Wendy]

would say moderate Republican. She is pro choice with limitations. So you know, the, the other Republicans are running hard against her on that particular issue. But the other candidate is a really bro. He's a ex Navy seal. Really bro. Y guy claims now to be MAGA but supported Nikki Haley. So my question to you guys is who do you think the Republicans would have a better chance to beat Flanagan who's doing campaign dance wearing a hijab or Nikki Craig who is trying to outlast Flanagan. Who do you think would be the best person for Republicans to run against? Either?

[Larry]

Okay.

[Nick]

All right.

[Mark Levin]

It may not be Flanagan, of course Democrats have a primary as well. Steve, how do you handicap the Minnesota Senate race?

[Steve Elmendorf]

I continue to believe the Democrats will win the Minnesota Senate race and I have known nothing about either of the Republican candidates. So.

[Mark Levin]

Okay, Larry does.

[Larry]

Larry, I think the best a Republican can hope for in Minnesota is either a Navy SEAL who supported Nikki Haley or someone like Michelle Tafoya who has some pro choice decision positions.

[Mark Levin]

So yeah. And celebrity.

[Larry]

And celebrity. I know Michelle Tafoya pretty well. We used to be on the same podcast network through Salem. I like her. I think she has the best chance. If it's Flanagan vs Tafoya, I agree with you. I think it's in play. I think she's the one who can actually seal the deal against Flanagan.

[Mark Levin]

Wendy? Thank you, Steve. One of the things the president also said was that he'd watch, unsurprisingly watched both Vance and Rubio doing their briefing turns and praise them both. A lot of the coverage of Vance's thing performance said, well, he was good, but not as good as Rubio. How do you, how do you think Vance comes out of yesterday? Did help help him, hurt him? No, no impact.

[Steve Elmendorf]

I, you know, look, this is not my world. I think Rubio did better, but I don't, you know, I don't, I don't know if appealing to me is is what, yeah, either one of them should be doing.

[Mark Levin]

Larry, how did Vance do yesterday for the future prospects of his?

[Larry]

I think he was good. He was more substantive. He doesn't have as much experience. I mean, Rubio has been at this for a long time. He's very affable. But I continue to be suspicious of how much the media and Democrats love Marco Rubio. That's a red flag for me.

[Mark Levin]

All right, I'm going to follow up with you on that, but we got to let Steve go because he's a little bit early. Steve, thank you for being here. Love having you on. Look forward to having you back. Grateful to you.

[Larry]

I'm sorry for your loss with Bernie. Frank.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah, Larry, I know whenever we talk about Rubio and Vance, you make the point that being in in with the media is not necessarily good if you're trying to appeal to Republicans win the nomination. I was struck by how much Vance sucked up to the media yesterday. So I'm wondering if that if that offended your sensibilities.

[Larry]

I wouldn't call it sucked up. I think he's just, you know, I think the challenge for whoever the Republican nominee in 28 is going to be is that Republican voters, I think the moods change in this country and I think that it's very similar to coming off of Reagan's eight years when George Herbert Walker Bush was the nominee where people wanted Reagan without necessarily Reagan. I think people are gonna want Trump in terms of the policies the effectiveness, the communication skills without the baggage that comes along with Donald Trump. And I know it's an artful comparison because what Donald Trump brings to the table that people find to be uncomfortable is not anything right. You know, well beyond what Ronald Reagan brought. But if you'll remember, you know, what was put a kinder, gentler nation, you know, the, the media was excited in D.C. that Bush was coming in because those Reagan years were behind us now.

[Steve Elmendorf]

Right.

[Larry]

I think that there's going to be a flavor for that.

[Mark Levin]

The, the ask our colleagues. Did anybody hear the president say anything else? I know he spoke not that much longer before we left, but did he say anything else? If they did, if he did, please let us know. But he's off to give his commencement address and then, and then back to

[Larry]

D.C. he's also doing the commencement address Friday at the Naval Academy too.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah.

[Larry]

Two this week.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. Larry, just back to Iran. Do you think the president is with all the war TomTom still beating for many people, do you think an attack this week should be ruled out and if there's an attack, it'll be weekend or next week. Or do you think we could see reignite igniting of hostilities this week?

[Larry]

I mean, it's a shot in the dark, but I think it's closer now than it was before. I would not be based on these latest missives about where the negotiations stand, I think by week's end you could see something.

[Mark Levin]

Yeah. All right. I'm going to head over to Sirius XM for the second hour of the morning meeting. Look forward to seeing folks over there. I'll leave things to Larry here, do his Spalding Gray monologue by himself. Tell, tell everybody what's coming up, including

[Larry]

going with Monster in a Box today, not swimming to Cambodia.

[Mark Levin]

Do you know the phone number for SiriusXM or I need to tell you that.

[Larry]

No, that's Kevin's shop.

[Mark Levin]

Okay, I'll tell everybody. You can call me SiriusXM. If you want to get in on the conversation, all you need to do is call me over there. 833-446-3496. Write it on a post it, put it on your computer. 833-446-3496. I'll see everybody over there. I'll see everybody at 5 o' clock tonight. And then of course, this program. Larry, thank you, man. Good to see you.

[Larry]

Thanks, Mark. Appreciate it. Fun show. That was actually and not to toot our own horn, but that analysis on yesterday's elections that you just heard and your contribution to it you don't get anywhere else. That's why I really do love being a part of this platform. I mean, you could have gotten my analysis on my radio show this morning or on my town hall show later today, but it would just be me. And, and there's something to be said for having both sides as well as a, a very well respected and informed journalist in the middle, giving you their political perspectives as well. So proud to be part of morning meeting. Glad you're all there. And no, I'm not going to bring any of you in. I'm just going to continue to talk to you all by myself. Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry when I take you out in my surrey. I like reciting Broadway show tunes as if they were soliloquies from a Shakespeare play now and again. Little insight into my life. Hey, coming up later today. Next up, yesterday's episode, Mark broke down Spencer Pratt's outsider mural campaign, why it resonates with voters. It's a very good reported monologue. You should check it out and what it says about growing frustration with urban leadership in America. This is a missing message that Republicans could seize upon. In fact, we're seeing it play out in Washington, D.C. right now as they've had decades of urban decay, fountains malfunctioning, graffiti everywhere, broken down monuments. And the Trump administration, through Doug Burgum, the secretary of interior, have actually made D.C. beautiful again, gotten all these fountains running. It's funny, they do all these local news reports, oh, look at this, Malcolm X Park is now beautiful to go to. And of course, you know, is a certain underserved neighborhood that the Democrats who run this city for decades have just neglected and watched fall into disrepair and crime and drug use and criminal vagrants. Republicans are the party of good, sane law and order governance and they should steer into that and actually try to save our major urban studies centers in this country. I love that. And you will love hearing Mark's monologue about that. Spencer Pratt and Los Angeles. Then the Daily Wire's Cabot Phillips joins Mark to discuss President Trump's latest polling challenges, rising concern inside Republican circles and why more young men feel disconnected from the American dream, which I think you saw from our community member Nick earlier. Also former Seal Team 6 operator Robert O'. Neill. He's the guy who put a bullet in Osama bin Laden's brain, explains who really controls the Strait of Hormuz and why he believes much of the media is getting the Iran kill conflict wrong. All right, later today at noon, We've got Citizen McCain live. She's back. Megan's back. She was a little under the weather on Monday, but she's better as she's going to host Attorney general of former attorney. That's very funny. My notes say Foreigner Attorney General, but no, it's former attorney general of Virginia, Jason Viares. Two Way Tonight will be live tonight at 5pm and there's a new show that starts this Thursday. It's called the Crime desk live at 1pm with the Daily Mail's US correspondent Kayla Brantley and Crime Desk editor Rachel Sharp. If you like your podcast and your content that focuses on crime, real life crime, true crime issues, well, this is the show for you, the Crime Desk, this Thursday, noon live. Be a part of it with our friends at Daily Mail. Be a part of that. Go to two Way tv and that's it for me. I'll be back live on my channel, on YouTube and rumble or wherever you watch your live streams with Town Hall Media. I'll be live at noon and I'll see you then. In the meantime, I'll see you tomorrow with Kevin. Back tomorrow with me tomorrow on the morning meeting tomorrow. Goodbye.