The Megyn Kelly Show: AM Update 10/31/2025

Episode Theme:
A fast-moving roundup of the high-stakes New Jersey governor’s race, dramatic updates on U.S. nuclear policy, President Trump’s headline-grabbing summit with President Xi Jinping, and the perennial debate over Daylight Saving Time. Megyn Kelly is joined by New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein and various political figures for sharp analysis and candid commentary.

1. New Jersey Governor’s Race Goes Down to the Wire

Main Points:

• The New Jersey governor’s race is a statistical toss-up between Republican Jack Ciatarelli and Democrat Mikey Sherrill.
  • Recent Emerson College poll: Sherrill 49%, Ciatarelli 48% (02:24)
  • Other polls show varying leads for Sherrill.
• Early voting trends are shifting:
  • Republicans are increasingly using vote-by-mail and early voting, narrowing long-standing Democratic advantages.
  • Democrats still have a large edge in mail-in ballots, nearly 3 to 1 over Republicans.

Insight from David Wildstein:
“I’m not really paying that much attention to polling because these numbers are all over the place… I’m just going with my gut feel, which is that this is a close race.” (03:15, C)

Key Issues:

• Plastic bag ban and offshore wind projects are flashpoints.
  • Ciatarelli vows to roll back the “hugely unpopular” bag ban and stop offshore wind developments:
    • “This might be the most grassroots, rank and file unpopular law of the last eight years. And Ciatarelli gets it.” (05:37, C)
  • On offshore wind, “We're getting rid of that.” (05:21, E)
• Affordability — energy costs and taxes remain top voter concerns.
  • Wildstein on perennial tax-cut promises: “This is my 14th New Jersey governor’s race… candidates have promised to cut property taxes… the state has been disappointed in each of the last 13 times. It just never happens.” (06:08, C)

2. Culture Wars: Education & Parental Rights

• Mikey Sherrill’s advocacy for LGBTQ-inclusive curricula sparks pushback.
  • “Parents have a right to opt out of a lot of things, but this is not an area where… they should be opting out.” (06:38, B paraphrasing Sherrill)
• Ciatarelli emphasizes parental control and the protection of girls’ sports:
  • “This mother of two daughters voted yes twice to allow biological boys to participate in girls sports. That’s an 80-20 issue.” (07:15, E)
  • He condemns policies “where school districts keep secrets from parents… immoral, indecent, wrong and dangerous.” (07:30, E)

Trump Factor:

• Sherrill’s campaign highlights Ciatarelli’s alleged lack of independence from Trump.
  • “For Sherrill, the problem is that Jack Ciatarelli knows that standing up for New Jersey would require standing up to Donald Trump.” (07:57, F)
  • “He just doesn’t have the backbone to do that.” (08:07, D)
• Wildstein questions if Trump is truly a decisive issue for NJ voters:
  • “She thinks that opposing Trump is gonna be in her best interest... Schiatarelli thinks it won’t.” (08:26, C)
• Wildstein on predicting the race:
  • “I have no idea. I think this could go either way. I think it’s a close race.” (09:11, C)

3. U.S. Resumes Nuclear Weapons Testing

Headline:

• President Trump announces the U.S. will resume nuclear testing—first time since 1992—citing Russian tests and growing stockpiles. (09:34, B)
  • Trump’s Truth Social: “The U.S. has more nuclear weapons than any other country. …I hated to do it, but had no choice because of other countries testing programs.” (09:34, B paraphrased)

Context:

• Russian President Putin had recently announced successful tests of strategic new nuclear weapons, stalling U.S.-Russia negotiations.
  • “There is nothing like this in the world in terms of the speed and depth…” —Putin, on the Poseidon drone (10:48, B paraphrased)

Trump’s On-the-Record Comments:

• “We don’t do testing. We’ve halted it years, many years ago. But with others doing testing, I think it's appropriate that we do also. I’d like to see a denuclearization… Russia’s second and China’s third. I think de-escalation would be… a tremendous thing.” (11:11, D)

4. Trump–Xi Jinping Summit: Trade Breakthroughs on the Table

Recap:

• President Trump returns from Asia after high-stakes negotiations with Chinese President Xi—no signed deal yet, but major strides reported.
  • “On the scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12.” (00:47, D & 13:13, D)
  • “We have a deal now every year we’ll renegotiate… all of the rare earth has been settled and that's for world… the roadblock is gone now.” (14:05, D)

Notable Decisions:

• Yearly renegotiated trade agreement—focus on rare earth minerals and semiconductors, touted as a global economic breakthrough.
• Steps to combat fentanyl trafficking:
  • “We agreed that he was going to work very hard to stop the flow… he’s going to work very hard on it [precursors]. And I think you’re going to see some real action taken.” (15:26, D)
• Tariffs on China reduced from 57% to 47% effective immediately (16:11, B).
• Xi Jinping’s metaphor:
  • “In the face of winds, waves, and challenges… you and I… should stay the right course and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China–US relations.” (16:14, B paraphrased)
• Trump set to visit China in April; Xi to visit U.S. thereafter.

5. Daylight Saving Time Debate Returns

Issue:

• U.S. prepares to “fall back” one hour; debate rages over making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent.
• Trump and some bipartisan legislators back “locking the clock.”
  • Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL): “The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year. It’s confusing, unnecessary, and completely outdated.” (17:49, F)
  • Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): “I sure do agree about this.” (17:56, E)
• Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) blocks the move:
  • “Permanent Daylight Savings Time would push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour… especially harmful for school children and working Americans.” (18:08, F)

Megyn’s Take:

• “As much as I love the extra hour of sleep on this one day, I think I’d rather have the light in the evenings when we’re fully awake and alert.” (18:55, B)

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I’m just going with my gut feel, which is that this is a close race.” —David Wildstein, 03:15
• “This might be the most grassroots, rank and file unpopular law of the last eight years.” —Wildstein, on the plastic bag ban, 05:37
• “This is my 14th New Jersey governor’s race, and this is the 14th time candidates have promised to cut property taxes… it just never happens.” —Wildstein, 06:08
• “I would say the meeting was a 12.” —President Trump, on summit with Xi Jinping, 13:13
• “Permanent Daylight Savings Time would push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour… especially harmful for school children and working Americans.” —Sen. Tom Cotton, 18:08

7. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |-----------------------------------------------|-------------| | New Jersey Gov Race & Polling Analysis | 02:24 | | Early Voting & Demographic Trends | 03:41 | | Environment & Energy Policy Hot Topics | 04:42 | | Plastic Bag Ban/Culture War Issues | 05:21 | | Parental Rights & Education | 06:38 | | Trump’s Influence/Surrogate Comments | 07:45 | | Final Predictions & Uncertainty | 09:08 | | US Resumes Nuclear Testing | 09:34 | | Trump Comments on Nuclear Policy | 11:11 | | Trump–Xi Jinping Summit Recap | 13:13 | | Trade, Tariffs, & Fentanyl Agreements | 14:05 | | Debate Over Daylight Saving Time | 17:44 |

Tone:
Megyn Kelly maintains a brisk, plainspoken, and often skeptical style, inviting forthright commentary and cutting through spin on politics and policy.

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