← The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow Show
MS NOW's We The People 2026 Special Primary Coverage, 10pmET hour
00:43:32
Rachel Maddow and a panel of her MS NOW colleagues analyze primary election returns in New Jersey, South Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana and California.
Loading summary
Transcript63 lines
- [00:00]
Thumbtack Advertiser
I'm pretty confident talking into a mic. Hey, I'm doing it right now. But home projects? I second guess everything. Is that noise normal? Is that water damage? Who do I even call? That's where thumbtack comes in. Just upload a photo or voice note and it uses AI powered search to match you with the right top rated local pro. So instead of guessing you get clarity and can hire with confidence for your next tone project, try Thumbtack Hire the Right Pro Today
- [00:30]
DSW Advertiser
at dsw, we ask the important questions like what shoes are you going to wear? Whether you're prepping for wedding season, festival season, or just planning the ultimate vacay, the right shoes can make or break an rsvp. So own the moment. You've got big plans and we've got just the shoes at the perfect price of course. Get ready to get ready with Designer Shoe Warehouse. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today and let us surprise you home
- [00:58]
Rachel Maddow
for Joining us for our live coverage as results roll in from primary elections around the country. Six states are holding primaries today. Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, South Dakota, and of course, California. Here at the MSNOW mothership, it is me, minus my voice. Sorry. Oh, it's there, it's there. It's just a little scratchy. My friend Chris Hayes, Simone Sanders Townsend, Alicia Menendez and Michael Stacy. Great to have y' all here. Lawrence o' Donnell took one for the team. He is beaming his coverage to us tonight from the great city of Los Angeles, which is no hardship at all. Our friend Jen Psaki will be back with us later on this evening along with Stephanie Rule. And of course, we've got Ali Velshi at the Big board to talk us through the results as they come in. All through the night, we're going to be talking about those results themselves and what they will mean for the country when it comes to campaign control in Washington after November. When it comes to the balance of power across the country, I think it's worth keeping in mind that in times as radical as these, yes, Congress matters. Yes, the Senate matters. But yes, control of the states matters too. It matters as a check and a counterbalance and occasionally an opponent to what we have coming out of Washington and the Trump administration. Tonight, we are following a number of developing stories very much about how radical this moment is in our country. Right now. Just in the last hour, we, for example, have had important breaking news out of the United States Supreme Court. The Court's conservative majority has granted an emergency request from the state of Alabama to discriminate against black voters to allow the state of Alabama to use a Republican backed map that deliberately eliminates one of the state's two majority black districts. This will, in terms of electoral politics, this will almost certainly gain Republicans another House seat. It will further reduce black representation in Congress. This of course comes in the wake of the high court gutting the Voting Rights Act. Sonia Sotomayor penned a pretty intense dissent to this decision tonight. I'll just read a little bit of it to you. She says before the court are two paths. Down one lies an orderly election held under a tried and tested congressional map that protects black Alabamians right to vote and with which all voters, elections officials and candidates alike are familiar. Down the other lies a chaotic election held under a never before used congressional map that intentionally discriminates against black Alabamians that Alabama adopted in unashamed defiance of a prior court order directly affirmed by this court. And that will require officials. Listen to this. Will require officials to change the voter registrations of hundreds of thousands of voters in just days. At best, a task that Alabama previously represented would take months. The majority chooses the second path and disregards both democratic values and the rule of law. I respectfully dissent. Again, that news out of the Supreme Court just within the last hour. And that is not only, that is not the only breaking news that we are following tonight. Just in the past hour, the storied venerable journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley has tonight been fired by the newly revamped CBS News. Yesterday, Mr. Peli reportedly lambasted the new leadership at 60 Minutes and at CBS for effectively killing the long running news magazine after firing scores of staff members and its leadership and after accusations of meddling in the show's editorial process for that directly. As a result of that confrontation at a staff meeting, Mr. Peli appears to have been fired by the network for cause. Emma Snow has obtained the letter sent to Mr. Pelly this evening from the new newly appointed executive producer at 60 Minutes. He's just been installed there as part of the sort of bald faced, Hungarian style oligarchic takeover of that news organization. This newly appointed executive wrote to Scott Pelley and the imbalance in terms of journalistic experience there is remarkable given what the contents of the letter is. The contents of the letter are the letter says in part to Scott Pelley, quote, yesterday you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt. The letter from the newly appointed executive producer goes on to say that Mr. Peli was terminated for cause, effective immediately. This is an election special and we have so much election news to cover tonight.
- [06:15]
Chris Hayes
Right. That's why we're.
- [06:16]
Rachel Maddow
But I'm just going to call an audible here. Can we just talk about this for a second? Just, I just love to get your guys reaction to some of this news tonight.
- [06:23]
Chris Hayes
Chris, I'm going to swing at one of these two pitches which is the Supreme Court decision which I've really had a few moments today of being kind of brought up short and speechless. And I'm trying to describe. I mean one of the things with all these cases is the procedural ins and outs can get very complicated. It's like this map and then it got stopped in the lower court. But I think the best way to understand it is this is so cynical and depraved and insane. It's the court's equivalent of nominating Bill Bill Pulte to run the intelligence apparatus in that when you do that you're not pretending anymore when you say Bill Pulte is going to run the intelligence agencies U.S. you're like, you're, you've lost. You're no longer trying to be like, well no, this is a bald faced attempt to manipulate the levels of power for corrupt ends. And what the court has done tonight. And again I could spend a long time going through the procedural stances of this but fundamentally what happened was this map this court rejected in 2023, they said this is not permissible.
- [07:23]
Rachel Maddow
And why was it not permissible?
- [07:25]
Chris Hayes
Because it intentionally discriminates against black voters. And then they overturned their previous jurisprudence in the Calais with Louisiana's map. But they said they made a point of saying the majority, we are not overturning our decision in Milligan, which is the Alabama case that still stands. And then tonight after a lower court said whatever the Voting Rights act says, this is unconstitutional, it is constitutionally impermissible to discriminate against black people in this country, these United States with our Constitution. And the court said no, actually you can't. And it is, it's a truly shocking and I the response from lawyers, again, you keep hitting new lows. See prior Bill Pulte comments. Even people who are pretty hardened about this court find this particular decision tonight from this court like truly just to
- [08:17]
Rachel Maddow
be, just to be clear, I mean I don't want to interview you about this, Chris, but just to be clear, I feel like when we have these voting rights discussions, a lot of it we have to sort of nod to the fact that there are euphemisms that there are pretexts that there are explanations for these things that make these maps sort of not what they obviously are according to the way these things are being discussed in court. In this case, the United States Supreme Court said this map intentionally disenfranchises black Americans on the basis of the fact that they are black.
- [08:51]
Chris Hayes
Correct.
- [08:51]
Rachel Maddow
This is not like a partisan effort. This is not like an effort to make prettier districts. Like this is literally about making sure that black people can't exercise political power because they're black people. And that's their own finding. And on the basis of that finding, without being their own understanding of this court said, go ahead and do it.
- [09:10]
Chris Hayes
This court? Yeah, it's really, it's very difficult. And the only, the last thing I would just say is that, like, I do think it is election night. And it just highlights the stakes across the board because it will be the United States Senate that will or not confirm judges for the rest of Donald Trump's term in office, including Supreme Court justices should they choose to retire, having the Republicans secure a majority and finding a 28 year old version of Sam Alito that makes Sam Alito look like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. So, you know, all of that, everything that we see right now is on the table tonight in these elections.
- [09:41]
Rachel Maddow
Simone?
- [09:42]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Well, elections also. This matters. Is this ties to November, to our election night story as well tonight? Because state legislatures, not only are they the place in America where America's policy is made, but elections are administered by the states in this country, not the White House or the federal government, as the president would like to pretend, frankly. And so who is in the state legislature matters? What the state legislatures are willing to do or not to do, what they are willing to defend and not defend. What the attorney general of those states and the governors are willing to do. It matters. I've been saying this a lot. I will repeat it again. I believe we are in another post Reconstruction moment in America after Reconstruction collapsed in 1877, 1878. Because it didn't happen overnight. Okay, okay. Like it's not happening overnight right now. Right. The 14th and 15th Amendments, they were never repealed. Okay? They were still on the books. The Constitution was still on the books after Reconstruction, but the promise of democracy for millions of Americans were not. It took 88 years from the collapse of Reconstruction to the Civil the Voting Rights act of 1965 for even a semblance of those rights to be restored in this country. And so what is happening right now happened after Reconstruction? The courts aided and abetted in dismantling the promises of Reconstruction. There are a slew of supreme court cases post 1878 that basically said, oh, poll taxes, it's okay, because they say it's not about race. Oh, this is political. It's not about race. So on and so forth. Just like now, the map that they said was racist, that was about race in 2023, all of a sudden is just partisan. So we're going to let it go so we don't have another 88 years. And that is why tonight, the people going to the polls all across the country, that is why this November matters.
- [11:19]
Rachel Maddow
Yeah. I will also just say on the free press part of this, I made a crack there talking about the Scott Pelney News as being sort of Hungarian oligarchic style takeover in the media. And I mean that sort of as a joke, but also sort of deadly serious. I mean, there is nobody who is more acutely attuned to the value of a free press than those who are trying to take it away. And when the president baldly says, I am going to use the power of the state in order to get the media that I want, and he lines up oligarchic friends in order to do that for him, it's just, again, there's no pretense. There's no saying this is for any other reason. There's nothing else going on at CBS News other than what we can see is happening at CBS News. And I don't know where Scott Pelley will land, frankly. I hope he lands right here. I hope he stays on. I hope he's on TV tomorrow. And I hope that everybody in journalism and everybody who values a free press figures out ways to outmaneuver the people who are trying to take the free press from us. But it is a fully joined fight at this point. And there's no. I don't. I just don't think there's any, any. I think any pretense that anything else was happening here is over.
- [12:33]
Emma Snow
I take Cecilia Vega, who recently departed 60 Minutes, at her word when she says that her experience in that newsroom was one of censorship. I take her at her word when she says that in her stories they were trying to inject political bias. So I am with you 100% on the fact that there is nothing to litigate here. It is very clear what they are doing. The mandate for Bari Weiss is not excellent journalism or editorial discretion or to turn this into a new product. No, it's to grease the wheels for corporate overlords. And let's be honest, stars across the board when it comes to that objective. I do want to make sure to tie this in, though, to the Sotomayor dissent that you read, because I'm taken by her frame that this is a two roads diverged moment and that the court could have chosen not to go in the direction of chaos, but they distinctly chose chaos. Because in this moment, chaos is the point. And where I think that ties into the elections that we're all watching tonight is you have Democratic voters going out there and saying, I can't deal with the chaos anymore. Donald Trump campaigned on this idea that he was going to make America safe and secure and he was going to go to the chaos. It has been nothing but chaos. And so they are trying to figure out who is the fighter who can actually win in any of these number of races, who can restore one order that is being dismantled at every stage of our government.
- [13:55]
Michael Steele
So I'm going to channel my colleague Simone for a moment. In 1896, come on, Michael Steele. There was a little case called Plessy vs Ferguson in which the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was okay under our constitution, under the 14th amendment. Put a pen in that. Now you sort of draw the lines to all the periods in our history. The battles that took down, ultimately Reconstruction, the battles that raised up the civil rights era, and now the battles that are taking that down. And how are they taking it down? They're taking it down systematically. They're taking it down through media, they're taking it down through government, and they're taking it down through culture. What's the end game? The end game was not Obergefelld. It was not the abortion decision. It's the amendments of the Constitution. The First Amendment is a pain in this Supreme Court's butt and a whole lot of other folks out there. But you know which one really bites the hardest? The 14th Amendment. That's the end game. And they're setting the trap that they're laying down this court, laying down to at some point with the case that is being germinated right now somewhere in the south of this great country that's going to make its way through, in which they say to the American people, guess what? All the rights you thought you had on the 14th Amendment no longer carry. How does that tie into Scott Pelley? Because it ties back to the First Amendment. It ties back to the only industry, business interest in this country that is mentioned in the Constitution. And the moment you can deconstruct that and take that piece out by controlling the press and controlling the narratives. Guess what stories they're going to write when they take out the 14th Amendment and the people wind up losing across the board. And that's why nice like this, to Simone's point is important to all of the points made because the voters need to understand what's really happening here and what November, November's just not a midterm election. It is probably a terminal election.
- [16:31]
Rachel Maddow
This is, yeah, this is, I mean, everybody always says, you know, every election is like, oh, the most important. Like, like once you're in the, once you're in the throes of this sort of a revolution. We are in the throes of a revolution to change our form of government and to get rid of our Constitution. And when that is actively happening and progressing every day, the next Democratic shot you get might be the only one.
- [16:52]
Ali Velshi
Yeah, you got it.
- [16:53]
Rachel Maddow
You get. Our friend Lawrence o' Donnell is watching us from the air conditioned confines of a Los Angeles studio about which we are not at all jealous. Lawrence wanted you to weigh in here.
- [17:03]
Lawrence O'Donnell
Yeah. Rachel, it's impossible, of course, to be smarter about what the Supreme Court has done than what Justice Sonia Sotomayor has said in her dissent. And I'm glad you read a piece of it. It's 17 pages long. It's a 6:3 decision. Obviously, all of the justices appointed by Republican presidents were in the majority. All of the justices appointed by Democratic presidents in this three person majority. And here is how Justice Sotomayor ended her 17 page dissent. She said weeks ago, I war that vacating the district court's injunction in these cases would, quote, unleash chaos and confuse voters, end quote. Nevertheless, the court forged ahead. Now the court is squarely faced with the record of the turmoil it has caused and the harm it has wrought. Yet just as Alabama doubled down on racial discrimination, the court today doubles down on chaos. Because I choose to defend the rule of law and the right of all Alabamians to participate equally in democracy, I respectfully dissent. And to, to just get a word in here about Scott Pelly's dissent about what's happening at CBS News and 60 Minutes. It comes in what is the year that, that it is marking the 50th anniversary of the film network for which Paddy Chayefsky won the Oscar for best screenplay. And Paddy Chayefsky's screenplay about network news at the time was considered realistic up to a point. And then it felt like it really went over a line into a zone that could never happen. And now we have seen it all happen. And what Scott Pelley did in that room live on the spot, was write the real world movie script of network. His lines could not have been more perfect. They couldn't have landed any better. It's a scene, as you read it, as you hear some of the dialogue from that room that is just stunning. And he stood there and he stood against the billionaire takeover, not just of CBS News, but of more than half of show business now, which David Ellison is trying to do and is on his way to doing with Donald Trump's approval. And because the Ellison family is seeking Donald Trump's approval. That is why Scott Pelley had to be fired. Donald Trump fired Scott Pelley through the Ellison family because the Ellison family wants to run as much of show business as Donald Trump will allow them to run while violating antitrust laws in the process.
- [19:48]
Rachel Maddow
And, and guys like Trump the world over do this every single chance they can because it is in their interest to not only consolidate media in the hands of people who are going to be loyal to them, but also to massively enrich those people and create power centers in those people that control both a ton of money, a ton of resources, a ton of, you know, cornering the market of significant portions of American culture and media. So then those people will use their power that he has given them to keep him in power potentially indefinitely. I mean, that is the cycle that these guys tried to build. And it is a cycle that works like a conveyor belt for their own power and their own wealth until the American people step in and cut that conveyor belt off. And that is what election nights are for. And that is what we are here for tonight. So we have a ton of news already coming in from the primary elections tonight in six different states. In Iowa tonight, Democrat Josh Turek has just won the nomination for the United States Senate. Ali Velshi is going to join us from the big board with the numbers on that plus so much more. Jacob Soboroff is going to join us from downtown Los Angeles where voters are lined up at the polls. California's crucial and unpredictable governor's race driving turnout there. We got election news ahead from California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico. It's a big news night. It's going to be a big night for democracy, too. We'll be here with you for all of it. Stay with us.
- [21:36]
DSW Advertiser
This episode is brought to you by SoFi, the all in One finance app. The sooner you start investing, the more potential you have to build your money, even for beginners. Sofi makes it simple with an easy to use app to get you going. SoFi is offering up to $1,000 in stock when you open up and fund a SoFi self directed brokerage account. Terms apply. Learn more at sofi.com sxm Brokerage offered through SoFi Securities LLC member Finra SIPC. You know that thing where you get an amazing pair of shoes at a really great price and want to tell everyone about it?
- [22:13]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Yeah.
- [22:13]
DSW Advertiser
So do we. Here at Designer Shoe Warehouse we'll give you something to brag about, like the latest styles from brands you love or the trends everyone's obsessing over, or shoes that make you feel like, well, you. So go ahead, show off a little. Find shoes that get you and at prices that get your budget. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today. DSW let us surprise you parents.
- [22:37]
Mathnasium Advertiser
Have you heard your kids say I'm not a math kid? Well, with Mathnasium, every kid can be a math kid. They customize their math instruction so kids who are struggling are able to catch up and get ahead. And advanced kids are challenged to reach higher. Mathnasium makes math fun, so kids learn to love it. Parents say that Mathnasium has not only improved their kids grades, it's given them a new level of confidence in math and in school overall. Visit mathnasium.com to find a location near you.
- [23:10]
Rachel Maddow
So as we were saying, back to tonight's elections, polls closed just moments ago in Montana, where a US Senate seat and a US House seat are both open after Republican incumbent Senator Steve Daines and Republican incumbent Congressman Ryan Zinke both decided they weren't gonna run for reelection. There's been some unexpected sort of cross partisan drama in that Senate race. We're gonna get to that shortly, including potential national implications for that. In all of these states, there's drama and there's stakes in all of these elections. Obviously, the spotlight has been shining hottest on California. Polls close in under an hour in California. Nearly one in eight Americans call California home. So California elections are always a big deal in their own right. But the stakes of tonight's California elections are high, really for the whole country. Voters in California will decide tonight who the two candidates will be in November for California Governor. California's current governor Gavin Newsom has been an electoral juggernaut in that state, but he is term limited out. The question of who will replace him has been nutty. It has been like a soap opera crossed with a true crime thriller crossed with a particularly poorly planned reality show. There are literally 61 names on the ballot for California governor. Seriously. Tonight we're gonna find out which two of those 61 people will face off in November to become California's next governor. To lead the nation's most populous state, the fourth largest economy in the world, through the second half of Donald Trump's presidential term. We've already had in this race a Democratic front runner who dropped out in the midst of a lurid and shocking scandal. We have had a billionaire flooding the airwaves with a record breaking deluge of ads. He has spen over $200 million on himself in this race. There's a Republican candidate who inexplicably seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from last year's elections in the county where he is sheriff. And there is the stranger than fiction weird and much discussed possibility, the sort of nightmare scenario for Democrats that it could theoretically end up being two Republicans advancing to the runoff and in deep blue California. Now, realistically, that seems almost impossible. But frankly, the phrase almost impossible is the caption under the photo of this time in American political history right now. So don't knock it. California will also play a major role in determining who controls Congress come January. Last year, California voters responded to gerrymandering in red state Texas by approving a new congressional map in California. That gives Democrats the edge in five five more seats. That has thrown a major monkey wrench in the careers of the incumbent Republicans who held those seats. We're gonna be watching those primaries and a bunch of other hotly contested ones across the state. California has 52 congressional seats. There's also the wild Los Angeles mayor's race where the incumbent mayor of the nation's second largest city is facing a challenge from a man who is famous for being a villain on a defunct reality TV show that most people have never watched. Pl another challenge from a Democratic socialist city councilor who has drawn comparisons to New York Mayor Zoran Mandani. So there's a lot happening just in California tonight, but California is only part of it. In Iowa, we already know the Democratic nominee for governor. He ran unopposed. He is Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand. Rob sand cleared the Democratic field. He has been running a bank hang up gubernatorial campaign. Democrats think that with him they've got a real shot to win back the Iowa governor's race. Rob sand will be the Democratic nominee for governor in Iowa. Iowa Democrats have been fired up about their chances in the state's open U.S. senate race as well, with two very strong candidates fighting it right down to the wire. We can report tonight that Iowa state representative and paralympic gold medalist Josh Turbo has won the Democratic nomination for that Iowa Senate race tonight. In the great state of New Jersey. There's lots of interesting primaries, but the one everybody's a little obsessed with is New Jersey 7. This is the swingiest district in the whole state. There technically is a Republican incumbent congressman there and he technically is running unopposed in his Republican primary tonight. But the man is also invisible. He has not been seen in months. Reporters are literally checking the hospitals in New Jersey looking for him, staking out his house. Nobody can find him. Tonight, Tom Kaine, unopposed, will hold the Republican nomination for his own seat. And now we have learned which Democrat will try to unseat that invisible man this fall. Her name is Rebecca Bennett. She's a former Navy helicopter pilot. She has won the Democratic primary to face off against Tom Kaine this fall in New Jersey. We're also watching results from New Mexico. Former Democratic congresswoman and U.S. interior Secretary Deb Haaland has clinched the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico. If she wins in November, I should tell you she will be the first female native, Native American governor in U.S. history. There's so much to get to. I could go on and on and on. Ali Velshi, let's get this going. We're watching for Turek's victory speech in Iowa any minute. We'll go to that as soon as it starts. But in the meantime, tell us what you got.
- [29:03]
Ali Velshi
He's a great talker and I want to go to Iowa and tell you a little bit about what's going on there. 60% of the vote in Josh Turek is going to be the nominee as we move forward. But as a result of that, the fact that Josh Turek is thought of as competitive as a potential winner of an open Senate seat, as an open gubernatorial seat seat and an open Senate seat there, first time since the 1960s that's happened. A more interesting thing has happened. And when that is, when you look at the Senate races, to watch the potential path for Democrats to take control of the Senate if that were to happen in November. We have just moved Iowa from likely Republican to lean Republican.
- [29:37]
Michael Steele
Oh, wow.
- [29:39]
Ali Velshi
It's a matter of degrees. But the point is there is now that much more of a path potentially for Democrats to take the Senate. Now there's a discussion here about whether Maine, which is a toss up, has become a little more competitive than it was a week ago for Republicans. But the bottom line is Iowa is now in that race for the reasons that we were just describing to you. You also just talked about Rob sand in the governor race, the governor's race in Iowa. He is uncontested in the GOP race against him. Randy Feenstra, who was thought to be the person who would win this with 61% of the vote, is running behind Zach Lahn. This is interesting because this is one of those states that has an unusual rule that if more than two people are running, one of them has to get 35% of the vote. As you can see, two candidates are very close to 35% of the vote. If they don't get 35% of the vote, it's not like a southern state where it goes to a runoff. They have a meeting of the Republican conference on June 13, and they pick a winner. So that becomes an interesting thing that we're watching. Bottom lines. Iowa is very much in play.
- [30:43]
Rachel Maddow
Let me jump in here. Let's go to Des Moines right now, where Josh Turek is just about to give his speech. Just speak.
- [30:51]
Josh Turek
I first want to congratulate Zach Walls on running a strong campaign.
- [30:55]
Rachel Maddow
He and I.
- [30:55]
Josh Turek
Yes, absolutely. He and I just spoke on the phone. Zach has been an exceptional representative for his district and a true public servant for the people of Iowa. I am grateful for this primary. It has made me a stronger candidate. To Zach's supporters, I know I was not your first choice, but I ask each and every one of you to join our campaign to push for change. Together, we are going to build an Iowa that move to, not away from. In my travels through the state, wherever I go, I hear the same things. Iowans are hurting. Families are struggling just to keep food on the table and a roof above their heads. Farmers are living in constant fear. Foreclosure. We are in a senseless Middle east war that is driving up gas prices here at home. Our rural communities are disappearing. Hospitals and schools are closing here. Our public schools are falling behind. Iowa is now nearly dead last for economic growth, personal income growth, OB GYNs, mental health providers. We have closed 250 more healthcare clinics than we've opened in the last 15 years. We have a cancer crisis, a water quality crisis. This is not the Iowa that I grew up in. This is not the state that we all love. But I am feeling hope here in Iowa for the first time in a very long time. And this is because Iowans know that we need change. The status quo is not working. We need a fighter for the people, not for the billionaires, large corporations and political donors. And this is our chance to change this state. My story is truly The American dream and no other country on earth could someone born into a working class family from Council Bluff, Iowa, who went to the Goodwill, shared clothes, had the wrong color lunch ticket, who was born with my disability of spina bifida due to my father's exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, who had 21 surgeries before the age of 12, be able to represent the United States and four Paralympic Games and bring home two gold medals and represent their community in the legislature. Only in America is that possible. And I am running for the United States Senate to protect that American dream for future generations. I got into politics just four years ago because while working in healthcare, I saw firsthand how the privatization of Medicaid was leading to a 1000% increase in denials and delays for people with conditions like muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. It was fundamentally wrong, and I decided to do something about it. So I ran in red western Iowa to represent my hometown in the Iowa legislature. I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless, for the Iowans who cannot afford a lobbyist. I won that first race by dragging my wheelchair upstairs every single day to talk to voters, regardless of party next to their name, neighbor by neighbor, Iowan by Iowan, I won them over. I won that first race by just six votes. So never doubt that your vote matters. It does. And it can be all of the difference. I won that race because there's more that unites us than divided us. They trusted. I knew what they were going through because I had lived it myself. I've had to fight my whole life, and this is what is needed in D.C. people who have gone through real struggle, who know what it's like to not have enough, who know what a gallon of gas cost, who have had to put groceries on a credit card. We have enough millionaires in D.C. looking out for billionaires. We need real people in Washington who have felt the consequences of a broken system. Because when you have gone through real struggle, you will have a different level of empathy and a different level of fight. And this is what we need in D.C. fighters for the people. And that is what I will be in the United States Senate. Not someone like Ashley Hansen, who has voted to take health care away from 110,000 Iowans just to give tax breaks to billionaires. She voted to make health care more expensive, so 119,000 Iowans saw their health care premiums double and even triple. She backed cuts to veterans health care. She voted four times in favor of the tariffs that have decimated our farmers. She supported raising the age for Social Security. She even sponsored a total abortion ban, even as 93% of Iowans say it goes too far. Ashley Hinton is a multimillionaire who has increased her wealth by up to 10 times since she got to Congress and refused to support support a ban on members of Congress and their families from owning and trading stock. She has taken over $3.6 million in corporate PAC money. She does not represent Iowa and does not represent our values. And tonight, Iowa, we have had enough. So my promise to you, you, I am going to the United States Senate to fight for a livable wage, to drive private equity out of housing and health care, to fight for affordable and accessible health care and prescription drugs for all Americans. Because I believe that health care is a human right. To make it so doctors decide care, not insurance companies. So people like my sister are never told again, sorry, you can't get a PET scan. You don't have enough cancer yet. To fight for women's reproductive freedom, to fight for our public schools, because I believe public money belongs in public schools. To address the cancer crisis that we're having in this state, the water quality crisis that we have in this state, because every single Iowan deserves drinkable water. And to have billionaires pay their fair share. To fight for campaign finance reform and transparency. To fight to get dark money out of politics. Because we can have oligarchy or we can have democracy, but we cannot have both. And enough is enough.
- [37:25]
Rachel Maddow
That is correct. He is the Democratic nominee for Senate in the great state of Iowa, giving his victory speech, having dispatched Zach Walls in what was a very hard fought, very hard fought primary.
- [37:38]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Very much so. And look, this is a place and Michael Steele and I have had a spirited conversation about this throughout the week about Iowa. This is a place where Democrats think they can make inroads. Yes, in the Senate, but also in the governor's mansion when it comes to Rob sand, who is currently the only Democrat that has been consist elected statewide and reelected, frankly. So much so that in the state legislature they've tried to take his power away from being able to actually do his job, which is investigating waste, fraud and abuse. What is so interesting to me about Turk is first of all, Iowa was a place previously that was actually very competitive for Democrats. Harkin, the last Democratic senator, represented the state for about 30 years. The Harkin fish, the Harkensteak fryer, if anybody's ever been named after him. And so Turek does have some inroads. What he was talking about, specifically the cancer rates, billionaires. Right. That's language we've heard other places linking the corruption to people's economic livelihoods or non livelihoods, frankly, given what's going on. But in Iowa, cancer is truly on the rise. It's one of the only states where it is increasing. And there have been a number of reports that have come out recently that have talked about it's linked to agricultural factors, so the farm and pesticides. So the farmers are also a piece of this as well. So Iowa is a place to watch. I think that this is a place where Democrats actually can make some inroads this November.
- [38:57]
Chris Hayes
Outgoing Governor Kimberly Reynolds, lowest approval rating of any governor in the nation. And that's because I was 49th rank in economic growth over the last few years. Like they're having a very rough go of it there. The change versus status quo is a very strong argument for someone who's running to take on the party that has been running things.
- [39:13]
Rachel Maddow
Iowa farmers have a great case to make against Republicans at every level of government. With Donald Trump at the head of that party right now. It's going to be fascinating to watch how the Democratic Party sort of tries this on in Iowa. This is the best shot they've had at those two big races in a long time. All right. As more results come in from these half a dozen states that have been voting today. And tonight, we're going to keep the updates coming. Our countdown continues to the final poll closing of this very election night and very busy election night in California coming up at the top of the hour. We're going to get a live report from California right after this quick break. Stay with us.
- [39:51]
Mathnasium Advertiser
Parents, have you heard your kids say I'm not a math kid? Well, with Mathnasium, every kid can be a math kid. They customize their math instruction so kids who are struggling are able to catch up and get ahead. And advanced kids are challenged to reach higher. Mathnasium makes math fun, so kids learn to love it. Parents say that Mathnasium has not only improved their kids grades, it's given them a new level of confidence in math and in school overall. Visit Math to find a location near you.
- [40:20]
Rachel Maddow
Why have I asked my h vac guy I found on Angie.com to change my grandpa's trachea tube? I was so amazed at how he replaced our air ducts. I knew I could trust him to change Pop Pop's tube.
- [40:30]
Josh Turek
I think we should call a doctor,
- [40:31]
Jacob Soboroff
Angie, the one you trust to find the ones you trust. Find pros for all your home projects. @angie.com.
- [40:36]
DSW Advertiser
you know that thing where you get an amazing pair of shoes at a really great price and want to tell everyone about it? Yes.
- [40:43]
Thumbtack Advertiser
Yeah.
- [40:43]
DSW Advertiser
So do we here at Designer Shoe Warehouse. We'll give you something to brag about, like the latest styles from brands you love or the trends everyone's obsessing over or shoes that make you feel like, well, you. So go ahead, show off a little. Find shoes that get you the prices, that get your budget. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today. DSW. Let us surprise you.
- [41:08]
Rachel Maddow
All right. You've been waiting for. Now it's going to happen. Here it comes. Let's bring in Jacob Soboroff, the host of the forthcoming show Connect on Ms. Now, which premieres June 13. Jacob, naturally, is in a black T shirt at a polling location in Los Angeles. Jacob, it's great to see you. Where are you at? How's it going? Tell us what you're seeing.
- [41:31]
Jacob Soboroff
I'm blushing. In a polling place. Rachel, thank you very much. State law here in California. I'm going to have to do my golf announcer voice for just a second because state law in California is very nice to allow us into the polling place places. As is the county of Los Angeles, the largest election jurisdiction in the country. It is very busier, I have to tell you. And even though people can vote by mail and you put up that ballot earlier, I want to show you what it looks like to people like me who got one in the mail. 61 gubernatorial candidates. This is page number one, starting with Barack D. Obama. Shah, not the Barack Obama that you know. All the way to the other side, all the way down to Mohammed Arif, the final candidate on the ballot. Every one of us here who is registered to vote, the 20 or so million people in this state got one of those ballots. But many people are waiting till the very last second. As you can see through the windows here in downtown Los Angeles, grand street and Fifth Avenue, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. It is an extraordinary thing to see, but why don't we go outside and we can talk a little bit about why this is such a consequential election. I do want to check just how long you've been waiting. You've been waiting for about an hour so far.
- [42:31]
Michael Steele
30, 40 minutes.
- [42:32]
Jacob Soboroff
Not that bad. Okay, good. What's your name?
- [42:33]
Michael Steele
Alessio.
- [42:34]
Jacob Soboroff
Alessio. Jacob. Nice to meet you. You're almost there. Yeah. Okay. Good luck, everybody. So, Rachel. Yeah. These people have been waiting for quite some time. They have decided to show up and Vote in person on at the beginning of the summer here. Oh, lock door. Go ahead, please. I'm going to have to go through this summer in June, and this is such a consequential day here in Los Angeles and in California, Rachel, not just because we have the gubernatorial election here to replace Gavin Newsom, of course, and not just to watch this highly contested mayoral election with Karen Bass, who is facing, as you said, it is crazy to say, but Spencer Pratt, the former reality star Nithya Rahman, the progressive city council perspective here in Los Angeles. But remember, we were all on the air for Proposition 50 as I walked the line here to show you how far this goes when Gavin Newsom, in his own words, was fighting fire with fire in order to try to push back against some of the redistricting efforts that were tipping the scales in favor of Republicans all across the country. Now tonight with this consequential news from the Supreme Court out of Alabama with the First Amendment on the line with the firing of Scott Pelley from 60 Minutes. I mean, this is a great night to vote no matter what you care about in Los Angeles or in California. And I do think that some of the big issues here, not just that we have a nonpartisan top two vote getter primary system and we could see perhaps two Democrats emerge, Javier Becerra, of course, the former HHS secretary, congressman from this area, state legislator from this area, very well known, and also Tom Steyer. But this Steve Hilton guy who was endorsed FOX News contributor by the president of the United States. The scenario in which we may see two Republicans emerge doesn't seem very likely at this hour. And talking to people in Los Angeles certainly doesn't seem like that at all. Maybe I can. As I walk the line, I'm getting the no eye contact from certain people, which I know very well means they do not want to say hello. Can I just say hi to you? We're live on Ms. Now. What's your name?
- [44:22]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Ebony.
- [44:23]
Jacob Soboroff
Ebony Jacob. It's nice to meet you. They said 30 or 40 minutes to wait in line. What brings you out on the last possible day at the last possible minute, with 12 minutes until polls close to cast your ballot today.
- [44:35]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Ooh, I just want my voice heard. I actually waited till the last minute. I usually am well researched and now I'm like reading last minute on each piece. But actually the city sent me like a statistic that told me that I was like in the top percentage of voters.
- [44:51]
Jacob Soboroff
So you vote regularly?
- [44:52]
Simone Sanders Townsend
I vote regularly and I didn't want to mess that percentage up.
- [44:55]
Rachel Maddow
So I was like, okay, you're back.
- [44:56]
Jacob Soboroff
Sudney's back. The gubernatorial election here in California is to replace Gavin Newsom. He has been a top foil to the president, United States, on these very streets on issues like the ice raids that happened a year ago this summer. What are you hoping for in the next governor, California?
- [45:10]
Simone Sanders Townsend
Fournette Ooh, I don't know. I'm barely reading into it. I'm sorry.
- [45:15]
Jacob Soboroff
All right. So Ebony's just getting ready, which is actually, you got 30 minutes to do it. You got a mayoral race as well. Don't forget to reach. She's on the phone. She's probably phoning a friend. I'll let you do that. I mean, it's nice to meet you. Thank you very, very much. Every one of these people, Rachel, has a little bit of time until post Lopez in order to get inside. The thing that strikes me is that I talked to you, I talked to Chris Hazel, I know is sitting there with you a year ago right now, as Donald Trump's troops rolled into the city of Los Angele, these very streets, to conduct the largest mass deportation campaign in American history. But subsequent to that, tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, you covered it better than anyone else, have come out to these same streets to protest this administration. And in large part, the leaders of this city and this state have done so as well. And so that's why this is gonna be a definitive night for people here in California. We will see who the candidates that emerged to become potentially those five additional Democratic pickups in the House are in addition to the mayor, mayor and the governor here. It's going to be a very exciting night and we're going to be out here till the polls close at the very end.
- [46:17]
Rachel Maddow
Jacob, very, very well done. You walk backwards while speaking better than anybody in the business. And you are very good at persuading people to talk to you while you do it. We'll be back with you on the other side of this. Jacob, thank you so much. No eye contact, his live contact in downtown la. One thing to know. We're going to take a quick break here. When we come back, one of the things you should know about, about this very, very important election day in California is that California counts in a way that isn't all that intuitive. And it has important implications in terms of when we're going to know the important outlook, the important outcomes that we're waiting for tonight. Ali Fel, she's going to walk us through some of that as we get close to Polls closing in less than 10 minutes now in California. We'll take a quick break. We'll be right back.
- [47:04]
Jacob Soboroff
Stay with us.
- [47:17]
Zepbound Advertiser
Snoring, Gasping during sleep? Feeling fatigued? Ask your doctor about Zepbound Tirzepatide, the first and only FDA approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity to improve their OSA. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15mg injection. Zetbound contains tirzepatide and should not be used with other Tirzepatide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepbound is safe enough effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pins or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia Syndrome Type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia anesthesia if you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor, call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zepbound.lilly.com.