Normally Podcast: Post-Election Reality Check: GOP Setbacks, Democratic Gains, and Nicki Minaj’s Surprising Stand

Summary

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The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (Normally Podcast): "Post-Election Reality Check: GOP Setbacks, Democratic Gains, and Nicki Minaj’s Surprising Stand"

Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Mary Katharine Ham & Carol Markowitz

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Overview

This episode, hosted by Mary Katharine Ham and Carol Markowitz, provides a candid, energetic post-election breakdown, focusing on Republican setbacks, Democratic gains, and political surprises—including Nicki Minaj’s unexpected advocacy on global Christian persecution. While primarily conservative in outlook, the tone balances humor and concern as the hosts analyze election data, campaign missteps, internal party struggles, and shifting cultural alliances.

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Election Night Analysis: GOP Setbacks and Surprising Margins

Key Points

• Republican Losses:

  • The hosts frame the night as disappointing but not shocking for Republicans.
  • Particularly dramatic: the decisive victory of Jay Jones (VA Attorney General), despite controversial statements and a checkered past.

• Changing Political Landscape:

  • Democrats achieved substantial victories in Virginia and New Jersey, with several races showing unexpectedly large margins.
  • The shift affected down-ballot races and eroded Republican dominance at the state level.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "I'm pretty good at. I've lived through a lot of election disappointments over the years. I will say that the same girl, same Jay Jones won. Smarts a little. Like it feels more personal."
  — Mary Katharine Ham [03:21]

• "In the last 10 years, Republicans will go from having a super majority to like closer to a Democratic super majority. And they're going to do a lot of shady things down in Richmond."
  — Mary Katharine Ham [04:31]

• "A lot of the GOP new voters are low propensity voters, and that's a problem... because they aren't the ones who come out for the school board elections and they don't come out for the state houses."
  — Carol Markowitz [05:35]

Minor GOP Successes

• Bright spots included Bruce Blakeman’s Nassau County executive reelection in NY, and Republican stability in certain Miami local offices.
• However, these wins are seen as small consolation compared to large-scale Democratic gains.

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Post-Election Lessons & Party Strategy

Data & Emotional Responses

• The hosts discuss the need for Republicans to take disappointing results seriously without panic, updating their priors and recalibrating strategy.
  • "You have to sort of like short circuit your emotional response and go, I am accepting this data. Data received, right?"
    — Mary Katharine Ham [07:38]

Message Recalibration

• Economic Focus Over Culture War:

  • Republicans, they argue, must shift focus away from abstract cultural conflicts toward concrete issues like groceries, jobs, and living costs.
  • Citing Emily Jaszynski: "People wanted a break from woke, but they did not want the corresponding mirror version of a culture war. They want you to talk to them about their groceries."
    — Mary Katharine Ham [08:23]

• Candidate Quality Matters:

  • Democrats made gains with fresher faces and candidates who campaign hard, while Republicans sometimes relied on "scandal-ridden Nepo baby entitlement guys."
  • "Your party should not nominate a scandal ridden Nepo baby entitlement guy to face a new interesting face of your party."
    — Mary Katharine Ham [11:21]

• Local Dynamics:

  • The uniqueness of New York City and the drawbacks of generic campaigns and disconnect from local voters are discussed, with criticism of Andrew Cuomo’s lackluster effort.

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Rising Political Figures & Intraparty Dynamics

Zoran Mamdani’s Victory and Its Significance

• Mamdani, a self-identified Democratic Socialist, is portrayed as a hard-campaigning, aggressive new face for the left, potentially rivaling AOC in profile.

• His victory speech emphasized ambitious progressive promises:

  • Freezing rent, fast/free/safe public buses, universal health care.

• Reaction to Mamdani:

  • Mixed feelings: surprise at the aggressive "foil to Trump" tone, skepticism over feasibility.

  • Notable quote (clip):
    "We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve and no concern too small for it to care about." — Mamdani [14:06–14:09]
    "No, please don't." — Carol Markowitz [14:09]

  • Observations about Mamdani’s use of socialist/communist rhetoric—as well as the open embrace from high-profile leftist backers like Alex Soros.

The Impact on NYC & National Politics

• Mamdani's ability to become a presidential threat is limited (Ugandan-born), but his success may nudge the Democratic Party leftward and provide Republicans with a clear ideological contrast.
• "Republicans do get to run against the idea of actual socialism. And he's out there on stage saying, I am a democratic socialist and I'm not apologizing for it, period."
  — Mary Katharine Ham [21:03]

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Demographic Shifts & Party Coalitions

Warning Signs for Republicans

• Latino/Young Voters:
  • Noted drop-off in support among heavily Latino counties that previously supported Trump, which reverted Democratic.
  • Young women in particular showing dramatically low support for Republicans, compounding turnout challenges.
  • "If you don't... start to work on a little bit of convincing and peeling off with that demographic, they will be in the same situation that Democrats are in with young dudes. Right?"
    — Mary Katharine Ham [22:46]

Intra-Right Controversies

• The ongoing presence of extremist figures (Nick Fuentes, etc.) in the party is damaging:

  • "This is an anti American faction of the Republican Party and I actually don't see them as part of the right. But if people keep making room for this guy, he tells you he wants to destroy your movement and if you're too dumb to just take it well."
    — Carol Markowitz [23:44]

• The importance of building broad, welcoming coalitions is emphasized.

  • "If you tell people you don't want them as part of your coalition, they will oblige you. That's how that works. And we're building coalitions. That's what you're supposed to be doing."
    — Mary Katharine Ham [25:40]

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Pop Culture Detour: Nicki Minaj’s Surprising Advocacy [29:27–33:16]

Key Segment: 29:27–33:16

• Nicki Minaj as Unlikely Advocate:

  • Hosts discuss how Nicki Minaj is one of the few celebrities loudly speaking up about Christian persecution in places like Nigeria.

• Minaj thanked President Trump on social media for addressing the issue and defended her advocacy against critics:

  • "Imagine hearing that Christians are being murdered and making it about your sexual orientation. I'll advocate for you the same way I'm advocating for murdered Christians in Nigeria... just remember that part, too. So she's not shutting up about it."
    — Mary Katharine Ham [31:07]

• The hosts commend Minaj for her willingness to take flak and for drawing attention to the issue:

  • "It's just the fact that she's the only one saying anything."
    — Carol Markowitz [31:36]

• They also discuss the importance of both hard and soft power, with praise for Trump both diplomatically and on domestic messaging.

  • "Using soft power and using people like Nicki Minaj to bring attention to this is powerful in a sense, in and of itself, even when we're not on the ground or what have you."
    — Mary Katharine Ham [32:12]

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Looking Forward: GOP Strategy & Political Outlook

• The episode closes with reflections on the urgency for the GOP to improve its appeal to voters—particularly women, Latinos, and normie/middle-class coalitions—and develop a positive, pragmatic message focused on quality-of-life issues rather than divisive tribalism.

• Fun, tongue-in-cheek suggestion that Nicki Minaj could deliver Trump's message in rap form.

  • "You could have Nicki deliver that message via rap. I quite like her music."
    — Carol Markowitz [33:16]

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Timestamps Guide to Key Segments

• GOP Setbacks & Election Results: 02:45–08:23
• Party Lessons, Message, Candidate Quality: 08:23–11:43
• Mamdani’s Victory & Speech: 12:35–15:21
• NYC Political Ramifications: 19:09–21:36
• Demographic Challenges, Coalitions: 21:54–25:51
• Nicki Minaj & Christian Persecution Segment: 29:27–33:16

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Tone & Final Thoughts

The hosts weave humor and sharp commentary throughout, challenging both parties to reexamine strategies, stay connected to ordinary voters, and focus less on culture wars and more on practical policies. Nicki Minaj’s unlikely role as an international advocate is both lauded and gently teased, serving as a reminder that political alliances—and cultural flashpoints—are increasingly unpredictable.

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Transcript

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Hey guys, we are back on normally the show with normal ishtakes for when the news gets weird. I Am Mary Kathryn Ham.

[Carol Markowitz]

And I'm Carol Markowitz. We are recording this the day after election Day, which didn't go that well for Republicans. But I was not at all surprised. Like this wasn't one of those, like, oh my God, what happened? This is crazy. The only one that I was a little bit surprised was how much Jay Jones, the attorney general candidate in Virginia who wished death on his political opponent and her children or his children, that he won by quite a bit. That was upsetting and disappointing, but still not totally surprising.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, like I'm pretty good at. I've lived through a lot of election disappointments over the years. I will say that the same girl, same Jay Jones won. Smarts a little. Like it feels more personal.

[Carol Markowitz]

Personal, right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Many. Because you're like, oh, my neighbors are like cool with this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, they're cool with that. I also think he's just a crook in general in in addition to being a sociopath, he is a person who was arrested for and prosecute and excuse me, prosecute, arrested and convicted for reckless driving and then did not do his community service and in fact did his community service for himself, for his pack, which is crazy town anyway, and also inflated his career as a prosecutor.

[Carol Markowitz]

But all of that's no good.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So all that's no good. I mean my top lines are, look, I think certainly a very pleasing night for Democrats. To me, the margins are impressive and I think worrisome for Republicans because yes, New Jersey and Virginia were Harris plus 6ish states, a little under 6. I believe Cheryl's up over like 11 or 12 at this point. Obviously it'll be, it'll be finished counting at some point. By the way, I got up at like 3:30 so I'm just a little off again. And in Virginia, also a double digit win for Abigail Spanberger. I believe that's the first time for a double digit win like that for a Democrat since 2009. So that is substantial. It also led to down ballot problems for Republicans in the state of Virginia. So the. In the last 10 years, Republicans will go from having a super majority to like closer to a Democratic super majority. And they're going to do a lot of shady things down in Richmond. There's also indications that in places like for instance, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is the swingiest county of the swingiest state like the county you're looking for, a lot of those local elections went left and they were nationalized about immigration and economic concerns. So the GOP has a year to prove to people that it can do the economics and help them. Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

And get turnout to where it needs to be. As we've talked about on this show, a lot of the GOP new voters are low propensity voters, and that's a problem for the GOP because they aren't the ones who come out for the state for the school board elections and they don't come out for the state houses. And all of that is, of course, a problem. I will say there were some bright spots that nobody's mentioning because they, they're kind of small, but then so is the school board in Bucks County. It's kind of like we're only getting the negative news out of those smaller elections. But I'll tell you, in New York, the Nassau county executive, Bruce Blakeman, won reelection. That one was supposed to be tight, and it ended up not being that tight. In Miami beach, you know, I've mentioned on the show before that Miami has a lot of mayors. They don't have a lot of power, but they have. Miami beach mayor is kind of his own thing, and he does have quite a bit of power. And he cleaned up South Beach. Stephen Miner, he really did some amazing work down there. And that was supposed to be super tight. Got called fairly early that he had won it. So are these giant races? No, but those are two blue areas. Long island is getting redder and, you know, Covid kind of moved it redder. And the presidential election, they voted for Trump, but in general, it's a suburb of New York and it's not a deep red enclave. And Bruce Blakeman winning, that is great. Miami beach, you know, Republicans simply don't have that many city mayors. And so the fact that he has won reelection there, Steven Minor. That's great. In Miami, the city, it's going to be a runoff between the Democrat and Republican. That could have gone worse because the third place person is another Democrat. It could have been a runoff between a Democrat and a Democrat. It's a Republican mayor right now. Francis Suarez, again, this isn't a New York City mayorship. They have like four neighborhoods. It's not that huge a deal. But again, if we're talking about school boards in Bucks County, I don't see why we shouldn't be mentioning some of the smaller but good results from last night.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

No, this is fair. I think in, in any situation where a party has a bad election night, you have to, you have to sort of like short circuit your emotional response and go, I heard this from somebody at some point that said, just like I am accepting this data, like Data received, Right?

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes, yes.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

There's an update to my priors and we're thinking about it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And so I think especially the way that these off year elections are set up. Again, expectations were not high for Republicans, but I think some of these margins are concerning. It gives you a year to figure out what kind of pitch you want to be making. I thought Emily Jaszynski had a great way of putting it. She said, yeah, like these were reaches to begin with.

[Carol Markowitz]

We've said on the show. Yeah, yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But she said tonight is good evidence that some of what felt like the future during peak WOKE won't work without being tethered to Mamdani style affordability obsessions after the vibe shift. Well, that's about. Want to talk about girls sports? Great. Frame it as an elite fixation and tie it right back to your message about jobs, taxes, corporate power. In other words, like, yes, people wanted a break from woke, but they did not want the corresponding mirror version of a culture war. They want you to talk to them about their groceries and they want. If you point out the girls sports stuff as an indicator that these people are totally out of touch with your views and your concerns, that's what that is. So I thought that was a good way of putting it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, that's true. I also, I just think Mamdani, New York City is its own thing. It's not really comparable to a lot of places. And the truth is he was running against Andrew Cuomo, who was a horrific candidate. And you know, I have to say I, I feel like I have been saying it on this show, but in general, I have limited my fire before the election on Andrew Cuomo. I didn't want to be the, the New Yorker who left and is not letting the New Yorkers get there, make the decision. Right. So I didn't, for example, talk about how horrible his last ad was, which was like literally chatgpt generic. Like, I'm a politician. I want the things that you want. Vote for me. The politician. And it was like zero personality.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

He never seemed like he wanted it. He never worked hard enough. He never asked conservatives for their vote. He never endorsed any of the Republicans running under him. Maud Marin was, was a great example of that. She was running for district attorney. She could have used his endorsement.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Right.

[Carol Markowitz]

He was a terrible candidate. So, like, we could take the lesson that New Yorkers wanted socialism and maybe they did, but it was fairly close and it was Andrew Cuomo that people had to turn to. When I look at, for example, my South Brooklyn, my Home kind of area of South Brookly. It went overwhelmingly for Andrew Cuomo. This is an area that voted for Donald Trump. Before these people understood what to do, they understood that they had to vote not for Curtis Lee with a Republican, but for Andrew Cuomo. I'm sure that was hard for some people, and yet they did it anyway. And I'm sure that a better candidate who wasn't phoning it in could have beat Mamdani.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. Our Rob Henderson, who famously coined the term luxury beliefs, he noted that the working class didn't go for Zoran. College grads did. College grad. Oh, yeah, college grad. Women in particular, who were a huge, huge part of that. No, I. I'm with you. One of. I think one of the warnings out of this, for anyone who's interested in like a sort of fringy, charmy, charming person not getting major nominations in their party should not nominate a scandal ridden Nepo baby entitlement guy to face.

[Carol Markowitz]

Seems like an easy call.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

New interesting face of your party. Like, I don't think that's gonna go well because I think people are in their sort of constant annoyance back and forth with either party. You know, they're looking for a new messenger. They like the outsider thing. And Mamdani, for all of his faults and all the things, I disagree with him. And frankly, he hasn't worked very hard at any other job he's ever had. He did hit the streets.

[Carol Markowitz]

He brought it. Yep. He did all the things. Yeah, he really did. He wanted it. He wanted it. And Andrew Cuomo did not. And about Curtis Leva, like, this was his second time running. I like Curtis Lewa. I always respected him. I always liked the work that he did with the Guardian Angels. He used to make my grandma feel Safe in the 1980s in Brooklyn when she would see him on the subway. I have, you know, a warmth for him. It's over with Curtis Lewa. Like Republicans in New York need to rebuild. They need to go back to that feeling that they had right after Eric Adams dropped out, where they were looking around and hoping to find, like, a Bloomberg businessman and to run that guy, start that process down. Because guess what? In four years, the election comes right around again.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Like, yes, it does. Yes, it does. Don't.

[Carol Markowitz]

Don't be like, oh, you know who we have? Curtis Lewa. Again, like, enough of that. Find a businessman and you run them.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Did you listen to Mamdani's victory speech?

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes, it was. You know, I felt like we called it.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I think we saw that one coming.

[Carol Markowitz]

I Was like Mary Katherine and I, a lot of things. People were surprised. You know, I know you're friendly with Van Jones. Van Jones was very surprised and disappointed in the speech. He said, I felt like it was a little bit of a character switch here, where the warm, open, embracing guy that's close to working people was not on stage tonight. And then there was some other voice on stage. If he listened to normally, he'd know we predicted this.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, it was coming. It was a very. Oh, he was feeling himself, Carol. Yep, he was feeling himself. And look, he. He earned this. It's a 22 minute long speech. We listen so you don't have to. It was very aggressive.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It was very much him stating explicitly that I am the foil to Trump. That's why I'm here. He also said something weird which didn't make sense to me, was like, what better to figure out how to defeat Trump than the city that created him? And I was like, really? That doesn't make sense.

[Ross Holiday Magic Announcer]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But it was very aggressive.

[Carol Markowitz]

He.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

He said at one point, I know you're listening, Trump. I know you're watching. I have four words for you.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. Turn the volume up.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Volume. And I was like, what? As battle cries go, like, not that.

[Carol Markowitz]

Badass, but I literally was like, turn. Yeah, it is four words. Okay, all right. It could have been. I turned the volume. You know, whatever. I don't know. We do have a clip, actually of Mamdani saying what is just a terrifying sentence.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

We will prove that there is no.

[Carol Markowitz]

Problem too large for government to solve and no concern too small for it to care about. No, please don't.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

No, he also sets the expectations super high. I mean, he, he said it. He said, I'm going to set the expectations high for this administration and we are going to meet them. And I believe the three big things at the end that he talked about were freeze the rent. So magically, there's going to be new housing even though we're freezing the rent.

[Carol Markowitz]

Amazing.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

There's going to be fast and free and safe buses. And I think the third one was just universal health care. I don't know how that one's going to happen. If you're dreaming, dream big. That's. That's like when the kid in middle school says he'll serve you, like, nothing but candy at lunch.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. He'll have the soda fountain in the cafeteria with the buses.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

By the way, I thought of, you know, the, you know, the thing where it's like, you can have cheap, fast or good. I know very well choose two. These buses are not going to be safe, fast, and free.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Rodney Williams]

Clean.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's not. Not going to be a good situation.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Not going to happen. But those are, you know, he. He makes it very easy to measure his progress because he gave the three promises and he said we're going to make it happen. So we'll check.

[Carol Markowitz]

Can't raise taxes. That's a state thing to pay for those free buses. So already check that one off the list because Kathy Hochul is not raising taxes before her own run against Elise Stefanik. Not happening. We're going to take a short break and come right back at looking ahead after these elections. Be right back.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, everyone. Ed Helms here.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And hi, I'm Kal Penn, and we're the hosts of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.

[Ed Helms]

This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the I Heart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new Audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role would I play?

[Carol Markowitz]

You know what? I can see you as Mr. Darcy. You got a little call in first.

[Ed Helms]

Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett. Here, listen to Earsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Rodney Williams]

Travel is one of the best ways to discover yourself through experiences, making rich memories, the heightened emotions and deep connections. And with EF Ultimate Break's biggest sale of the year, there is up to $1,000 of trips to Japan, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Egypt, Kenya, and beyond, which you can lock in for just $99. Build lasting friendships forever change how you see the world and just have the time of your life. Visit efultimatebreak.com I'm Rodney Williams.

[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealth break.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger.

[Travis Holloway]

And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles, and real wins.

[Rodney Williams]

We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business. We're bringing you their stories.

[Travis Holloway]

And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same.

[Rodney Williams]

So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place.

[Travis Holloway]

Listen to the Wealth Braid podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

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[Carol Markowitz]

We are back on normally where we're licking our wounds from the election last night and looking ahead. And one of the things that I just mentioned we're looking ahead to is there's going to be a governor's race in New York and all of these polls are showing it very tight or with Lisa Fenek actually leading Kathy Hochul. So the question will become, how much is Kathy Hochul going to bend to Zoran Mamdani? Is she going to let any of his policies that require state approval get through? The governor and the mayor of New York City famously hate each other always. Every single time. They don't like each other. And it doesn't matter if they're from the same party. Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio hated each other. George Pataky and Rudy Giuliani hated each other. It's like a whole thing. So it really will be interesting to see what happens with this.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. And it's also, you know, of course, many Republicans are rubbing their hands together to have Mamdani as the face of the party. And he, he has positioned himself as that. I do wonder A little bit. Do you think AOC is a little salty? Because he's going to be like the new thing. I don't know, because he's very, he's in her lane. I mean, he's is.

[Carol Markowitz]

But he can't go anywhere because he was born in Uganda, so, so he can't be president. He is no threat to her. And I mean, is he going to run against her for Chuck Schumer's seat? I kind of don't see it.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, a friend here, I'm speaking at several things this week, but someone made the point to me, just a little point of light, a brightness that, you know, the New York mayoralty is supposed to be this giant jumping off place for national stardom on several occasions and it has not come to fruition. Bloomberg being a good example. We all know who Bloomberg is, but he kept failing once he hit the national stage. That's happened several times over. It may indeed happen with this guy as well. But meanwhile, Republicans do get to run against the idea of actual socialism. And he's out there on stage saying, I am a democratic socialist and I'm not apologizing for it, period.

[Carol Markowitz]

And he uses communist lingo in his tweets and stuff.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Communists in his speech all the time.

[Carol Markowitz]

You know, from each according to their ability to, you know, everybody according to their means, whatever. Alex Soros, George Soros's son. Thrilled about the communist mayor.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Weird. I thought we didn't like billionaires. Do we like billionaires?

[Carol Markowitz]

We like some billionaires. Mary Catherine. Yeah, it's funny because, you know, I, I thought we weren't allowed to be so open about our billionaire friendships. But Alex Zorro seems to get a pass.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Righteous. The righteous billionaires. Yeah, the ones, they will get a pass in the, in the new, in the revolution.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. They won't be against the wall.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

The revolution not led by the working class, but led by the Ivy League in New York City. I do think again, looking forward, there were indications we were looking for whether sort of young men or Latino voters would stick around with the Republican Party. And largely it looks like they either didn't turn out or did not vote for Republicans. Jake Sherman notes that two heavily Latino counties in New Jersey that Trump won in 2024 swung back to the left. Cheryl flipped PAC in Cumberland counties and improved Harris's margin in Hudson county by a double digit advantage. And then as you and I were tossing around earlier today, the young women numbers are just outlandish. And if you don't, if the party doesn't start to Work on a little bit of convincing and peeling off with that demographic, they will be in the same situation that Democrats are in with young dudes. Right?

[Carol Markowitz]

Absolutely.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Except, by the way, young women are more reliable voters.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. It's quite tough that we've picked up the voters who are not reliable. There's also the issue that, you know, again, we know, we talked about the Nick Fuentes and the Tucker Carlson Nick Fuentes after yesterday's election came out and was like that him and his whatever idiot gripers are thrilled about the election and that if the, you know, MAGA doesn't start to take them seriously, they're going to campaign against them in Virginia. Whatever he said in Iowa and New Hampshire. Listen, this is an anti American faction of the Republican Party and I actually don't see them as part of the right. But if people keep making room for this guy, he tells you he wants to destroy your movement and if you're too dumb to just take it well.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, well, in the analog on the left, like both sides have to deal with this type of gatekeeping or type of discussion within the party. And even though the Abigail Spanbergers and the Mikey Sheryls of the world put on their like pastel suits and look.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes, they did. The moderate hat.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, they look normy coded. The party is still dealing with this. There's a New York magazine spread that our friend Beckett Adams describes this way in a glossy spread published this week by New York magazine's Intelligencer. The publication gushed over the 25 youngish Democrats to watch. Among those listed as the most promising politicians of the next generation are a man who believes he's a woman, a mayor who threw a coloreds only Christmas party, a self proclaimed Gen Z influencer indicted for obstructing federal officers, an oyster man who until a few weeks ago sported a sizable Nazi tattoo on his chest, and an eco radical former congressional chief of staff known best for buying his position with campaign donations and pushing the green. Pushing the green New Deal. So, like, if that's what they continue to push, everybody can get too big for their britches and think that the vibe is telling them that they can do whatever they want. The vibe is not telling you that. And I think the vibe shift may have made Trump a little big for his britches on some of these issues. And this might lead to an adjustment.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. Dinesh d' Souzo pointed out that very South Asian precinct in Virginia which had swung from Trump plus 30 to Mickey Sheryl plus 76. And Dinesh points out A very loud group on the right said, indians go home. And so many of them did to the Democratic Party. We can't have these losers in our tent. And this, you know, I get a lot of like, oh, you just don't like them on Israel has zero to do with Israel. Again, Nick Fuentes today was specifically talking to Tucker Said, this is not about Israel. This is about Jewish power. And you're going to continue to lose people. The normies don't like this.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

If you tell people, if you tell people you don't want them as part of your coalition, they will oblige you. That's how that works. And we're building coalitions. That's what you're supposed to be doing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yep. We'll be right back on normally talking about the hottest female rapper, and we're not about talking about her rapping. So.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, everyone. Ed Helms here.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And hi, I'm Kal Penn, and we're the hosts of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.

[Ed Helms]

This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the iHeart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new Audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role would I play?

[Carol Markowitz]

You know what? I can see you as Mr. Darcy. You got a little call in Firth.

[Ed Helms]

Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett here. Listen to Earsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealth break.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you. You embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger.

[Travis Holloway]

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[Rodney Williams]

We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories.

[Travis Holloway]

And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same.

[Rodney Williams]

So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place.

[Travis Holloway]

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[Carol Markowitz]

We are back on normally where Nicki Minaj. Nicki Minaj is the only outspoken voice in Hollywood about Christians being killed in various places in Africa. Yep, it's actually amazing. She, you know, I, I remember she took a stand against the COVID vaccine, which was risky at the time. She did, however, have some crazy reason for being against it. That wasn't like, it was like something about like men's testicles, like shriveling up or something. Whatever, whatever it was, that wasn't like she might have had the right, you know, take, but she kind of had the wrong details anyway. Donald Trump tweeted Christianity is facing an existential threat. And Nigeria, thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I'm hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern. But that is the least of it. When Christians or any such group is slaughtered like it's happening in Nigeria. 3100 versus 4476 worldwide. Something must be done. I'm asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole to immediately look into this matter and report back to me. We stand ready, willing and able to save our great Christian population around the world. And, you know, it's great. So what did Nicki say?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So Nicki Minaj tweets the President and his and his team. Thanks to the President and his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let's remember to lift them up in prayer. And she went on to continue to defend herself because, of course, people are like, how dare you?

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

She responds to people over and over again saying things like, imagine hearing that Christians are being murdered and making about your sexual orientation. I'll advocate for you the same way I'm advocating for murdered Christians in Nigeria. Nigeria. I always have. Just remember that diligently, compassionately. Just remember that part, too. So she's not shutting up about it.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's crazy.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And I believe she was invited to the White House or. No, she was invited up to the UN by Mike Waltz. And she said, yeah, that sounds nice. I'd like to be there.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. Just the fact that she's the only one saying anything or, you know, there's a couple of other. Like Patricia Heaton obviously is so amazing on basically everything, but, you know, there just isn't that many people in Hollywood saying a word about these murdered Christians. I would say that people on the right are quiet about it in a way that I think is abhorrent, and it's important that Donald Trump does something about it. I know we're not supposed to flex American muscle everywhere around the world or we're called neocons, but I think actually protecting Christians in Nigeria is a very good use of American power.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, and also using soft power and using people like Nicki Minaj to bring attention to this is powerful in a sense, in and of itself, even when we're not on the ground or what have you. So I would love to see her at the U.N. yes, please. All the. All the misogynist kingdoms are going to have to be like, oh, Nikki, censor sensor that cover her arms. I would enjoy it very much. Also, just like every. Everything about this era makes for the strangest bedfellows. And here we have another one. I would just say as a wrap up on the election stuff, that this is. These sort of foreign policy and pressure issues have been so successful for Trump, and he continues to bring home, in particular the remains of Israeli American citizens who were still in Gaza and they're on their way home and being honored finally. And so that all that is good. And also he's got to make the pitch domestically that he's doing all the things to make your.

[Rodney Williams]

I agree.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Quality of life better. And he's got to get on that.

[Carol Markowitz]

You could have Nikki deliver that message via rap. I quite like her music.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, let's do it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Thanks for joining us on Normally Normally airs Tuesdays and Thursdays and you can subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts. Get in touch with us@ normallythepodmail.com thanks for listening. And when things get weird, act normally.

[Rodney Williams]

Travel is one of the best ways to discover yourself through experiences, making rich memories, the heightened emotions and deep connections. And with EF Ultimate Break's biggest sale of the year, there is up to $1,000 off trips to Japan, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Egypt, Kenya and beyond, which you can lock in for just $99. Build lasting friendships forever change how you see the world and just have the time of your life. Visit efultimatebreak.com in the Shadows and flames.

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Primals will fall and from the blood.

[Carol Markowitz]

And ash new gods will rise.

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Poppy was never meant to awaken and consequences are devastating. Stirring ancient powers from their slumber, transforming Castile and Kirin in ways that fates couldn't foresee. The Great conspirator has returned to stop.

[Carol Markowitz]

The primal of death. The gods have awakened harboring blood soaked.

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Secrets and every choice can undo everything.

[Carol Markowitz]

The Primal of Blood in Bone.

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[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams.

[Travis Holloway]

And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak Podcast, a real conversation about finance.

[Rodney Williams]

Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.

[Carol Markowitz]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.

[Travis Holloway]

To revisit that and we're not stopping at success stories.

[Rodney Williams]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same.

[Travis Holloway]

Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[Lowe's Black Friday Announcer]

Want black Friday prices without the crowds? Lowe's gets it. Shop their early Black Friday deals and beat the rush. $99 is all you need to grab a select 7 foot pre lit artificial Christmas tree for the holidays. And don't sweat what gives to get dad. They have up to 40% off select tools and accessories going on now. That's how Lowes celebrates Black Friday. Early selection varies by location while supplies last.

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[Carol Markowitz]

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