Bloomberg This Weekend – March 29, 2026

Episode Theme: Midterms in Focus after 'No Kings' Rallies, CPAC
Hosts: David Gura, Christina Ruffini, Lisa Mateo
Featured Guests: Jeff Mason (Bloomberg White House Correspondent), Emily Gregory (FL State Rep.), Ron Brownstein (Bloomberg Opinion), Abby Livingston (Puck News), Ashley Koening (Rutgers/Eagleton Center)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the shifting landscape of US politics ahead of the 2026 midterms. Through on-the-ground reporting from CPAC, an interview with the Democrat who flipped Trump’s home district, and a roundtable of political experts, the show explores the impacts of foreign policy (notably the Iran war), the effectiveness of “kitchen table” campaigning, rapidly changing voter sentiment, and the potent energy of anti-Trump protests. The show closes with a forward-looking feature on NASA's historic Artemis 2 lunar mission.

Key Segments

1. CPAC 2026: GOP Energy, The Iran War & Trump’s Shadow

[02:47–08:13]

• Guest: Jeff Mason, covering CPAC in Grapevine, Texas
• Key Themes:
  • The Iran war dominated CPAC conversations, overshadowing other Republican topics and raising concerns about broken campaign promises, especially regarding fuel prices and war fatigue.
  • Despite this, support for Trump remains high, with attendees displaying symbolic enthusiasm (e.g., MAGA hats, costumes) but also revealing anxiety about midterm impact.
  • Trump did not attend this year, which was noted but largely excused by the faithful.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “The support for President Trump is still extremely high... Even if they continue to say they support the president, they support the war, there are just question marks about it.” — Jeff Mason [03:44]
  • “There was plenty of energy... People from all over the country came. I didn't notice a dip in energy, but I certainly noticed some concern — that would include at the very top... about the impact of this war on the elections.” — Jeff Mason [05:28]
• Midterms Preview:
  • Mason and the hosts emphasize the high stakes: “This next election is so critical for President Trump... in terms of legislation, in terms of policy priorities, in terms of potential investigations.” — Jeff Mason [07:36]

2. Turning Mar-A-Lago Blue: A Democrat’s Path to Victory

[10:53–15:31]

• Guest: Emily Gregory, newly elected FL State Rep. for Mar-A-Lago’s district
• Key Themes:
  • Gregory is a political newcomer who credits her victory to focusing obsessively on local issues — housing, healthcare, education — and not national distractors or attacks on Trump.
  • Achieved bipartisan support by centering tangible local needs, demonstrating that partisan rhetoric is less persuasive than solution-oriented campaigning.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “I filed... just not happy with the representation we were getting out of Tallahassee. I thought, hey, if those dummies can figure it out, why not?” — Emily Gregory [11:23]
  • “We were laser-focused on housing, healthcare, and public education... I really listened in all the conversations we had knocking on doors.” — Emily Gregory [12:16]
  • “It looks like a large number of independents and a really significant number of Republicans also voted for me… most people I talked to... were talking about the same things.” — Emily Gregory [13:16]
• District Snapshot:
  • Diverse, coastal, rapid growth and infrastructure challenges make strong local representation crucial [14:32].

3. Roundtable: Extrapolating Trends & Voter Sentiment

[15:32–22:40] Panelists: Ron Brownstein, Abby Livingston, Ashley Koening

• Democratic Strategy:
  • Brownstein: “Midterms are predominantly a referendum on the incumbent president... But to get those last few points... you have to have an agenda to address their real material concerns.” [16:11]
  • Livingston and Koening highlight that cost of living, inflation, and affordability are dominating public opinion and polling (“71% disapprove of Trump’s inflation approach” [18:35]), and this poses serious risks for Republicans.
• Latino & Working-Class Voters:
  • Trump’s past gains among non-white/non-college voters are receding, as policies on immigration and war provoke backlash or disappointment among these crucial voter blocs.
  • Brownstein: “That I think was what moved a lot of [Latino and Black] voters toward him... he has now overplayed his hand on immigration and he is facing a backlash among Latino voters on that.” [19:17]
• Impact of Iran War:
  • Koening: “MAGAs are predominantly still in the corner... but there has been some slippage in the polls among Republicans when it comes to things like the war in Iran and prices skyrocketing at home.” [21:33]
  • Livingston: “Democrats have no political blame over this... they can have their hands clean of this if this does not go well.” [22:28]

4. Congress, Shutdowns, and Rising Anti-Incumbent Protest

[25:14–32:55]

• Dysfunction in Washington:
  • Gridlock over DHS funding and visible consequences (e.g., spring break travel disruptions) feeding dissatisfaction among voters; Congressional approval at record lows.
  • Koening: “We see that trust, satisfaction with Congress — these are all at all-time lows. This is not a legislative body that Americans are proud or approving of.” [26:33]
• How Dysfunction Fuels Outsiders:
  • Brownstein: “Virtually every election of the 21st century has been a change election... And it is an ominous trend for Republicans that Trump is really at his lowest point of his second term this close to the election.” [27:40]
  • Redistricting and retirements could shake up the midterm map (“staggering,” says Livingston [29:38]).
• ‘No Kings’ Rallies: Power of Protest:
  • Brownstein: The ‘No Kings’ rallies, possibly the largest single day of protest in US history, signal intensified anti-Trump turnout potential. “Strong disapprovers are more likely to turn out... around 95% who say they strongly disapprove of a president vote against his party.” [30:24]
• Democratic Enthusiasm vs. Skepticism:
  • Koening points to strong special election wins and new voices, but also notes ongoing skepticism among Democrats pressing for action, not just opposition. [32:00]
  • “We also see that 13% of Trump supporters from 2024 regret their vote. So... a lot at play here that could go either way.” [32:55]

5. Special Feature: Artemis 2 and the Return to the Moon

[35:44–42:12]

• Guest: Ed Ludlow, Bloomberg Tech
• Mission Significance:
  • Artemis 2 is the US’s first crewed lunar mission in nearly 50 years, a vital step in America’s ambitions to return humans to the moon by 2028 amidst geopolitical competition with China.
  • Diverse, highly experienced crew: includes the first Black astronaut and first Canadian to go to lunar distance, as well as record-holding female astronaut Christina [37:13].
• Political, Industrial, and International Stakes:
  • Long delays and cost overruns with heritage contractors (Boeing, Lockheed), but future Artemis missions may pivot to SpaceX or Blue Origin technology.
  • “On paper is to get human boots, American boots, on the moon's surface in 2028 with the geopolitics of knowing China has the same ambition and they're saying 2030.” — Ed Ludlow [39:58]
  • “NASA is committed to those two as principal contractors through Artemis 5... but now a proposal where those newer names will probably step in and do what those others have struggled to do.” [41:20]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the shifting Republican coalition and protests:
  “If the organizers say 8 million people showed up yesterday, obviously we have to wait for independent sources to confirm that. But... it is a measure of the intensity of the opposition that President Trump faces... Strong disapprovers are more likely to turn out.” — Ron Brownstein [30:24]

• On Democratic opportunity:
  “Maybe that is the strategy. That's the playbook moving forward. In the midterms. Right now, Democrats have about, in the generic ballot, 3 to 5% on Republicans and that should increase if we keep going on the same path.” — Ashley Koening [32:00]

• Kitchen Table Issues Triumph:
  “I don't think railing against something is as successful as defining what you're for.” — Emily Gregory [13:16]

Timestamps for Key Sections

• CPAC & Iran War: [02:47–08:13]
• Emily Gregory Interview: [10:53–15:31]
• Expert Roundtable (Midterms, Polling, Latino vote, Iran War): [15:32–22:40]
• Congress/Dysfunction/No Kings Protests: [25:14–32:55]
• Artemis 2 Moon Mission: [35:44–42:12]

Summary

This episode captures the anxiety and dynamism defining the 2026 midterm cycle: CPAC reveals conservative uncertainty over the Iran war; a Democrat’s kitchen-table, bipartisan campaign flips the home district of Donald Trump; polling and protests show voters demanding results, not rhetoric; and the political ground continues to shift under both parties, with Congress’s dysfunction and protest culture pushing new faces and strategies to the fore. The news closes with a look at a new American moonshot — both in space and, metaphorically, in politics.

For listeners who missed this episode:
If you want a pulse check on how midterms will play out — on the ground, in polls, and in the minds of voters — this episode is for you. And if you’re a space buff, don’t miss the Artemis 2 preview!