Verdict with Ted Cruz – Week in Review: "Who Elected Comrade Mamdani, How to Test Negative for Stupid & A Pilgrimage to Israel"

Date: November 8, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator John Kennedy

Episode Overview

This week's "Weekend Review" episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz revisits three major stories:

1. An in-depth breakdown of the New York City election results, exploring the rise of left-wing "Comrade" Mamdani and what it signals for the broader political landscape.
2. A special interview with Senator John Kennedy about his new book, his political journey, and colorful tales from the Senate.
3. Highlights from Ben Ferguson’s recent trip to Israel, reflecting on both spiritual and geopolitical experiences during the ongoing regional conflict.

The episode is a lively mix of political analysis, personal storytelling, and firsthand reporting from one of the world’s geopolitical hotspots.

1. New York City Election Results & the Rise of "Comrade" Mamdani

Start: [02:04]

Key Discussion Points

• Disaster for Republicans, Surge for the Left:
  Ted Cruz starts by calling the results "a quote, disaster," as turnout on the left—especially among younger and more progressive voters—hit record highs.

  • Quote (Ted Cruz, [02:21]): "Democrats are actually almost doubling down on this type of extremism in their party."

• Youth Voter Surge: Gender Gap
  Ben Ferguson highlights overwhelming support for Mamdani from young women:

  • 81% of young women (18-29) in NYC voted for Mamdani.
  • Gender gap is notable (17-26 points difference between young women and men).
  • Similar margins in New Jersey and Virginia:
    • NJ young women: 80% for Democrat Mikey Sherrill
    • VA young women: 78% for Democrat Abigail Spanberger
    • Young men’s support for Democrats lags by 20+ points.
  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [05:49]): "Young women. Let me give you some stats... 81% voted for Comrade Mamdani."

• Voter Residency Trends:
  Ben details how new arrivals are defining NYC’s future:

  • Less than 5 years in NYC: 83% voted for Mamdani.
  • 5–10 years: 76%
  • 10+ years but not born in NYC: 54%
  • Born in NYC: only 45% support for Mamdani.
  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [09:35]): “It is overwhelming... people who lived in New York less than five years, Mandani beat him 83% to 15%.”

• Educational Divide:
  Support for Mamdani is strongest among the highly educated:

  • Bachelor's or advanced degree: 57%
  • Associate’s degree or less: 39-45%
  • Those without high school diploma: 40%
  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [11:46]): “So who elected Comrade Mandani? It is the smarty pants, college educated, advanced degrees. It is the rich who elected Mandani, by the way? Working class... they’re like, we don’t want a socialist. These people are nuts.”

• Role of Big Donors:
  Highlights George Soros and his son’s public support for Mamdani despite anti-billionaire rhetoric.

  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [12:27]): “Alex Soros tweeted out a picture... ‘so proud to be a New Yorker’. The American dream continues. Congrats, Mayor. With a picture of the two of them together.”

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [02:04] – Opening framework and the “disaster” for the right
• [05:39] – Youth and gender voting gaps
• [09:11] – NYC residency trends and election impact
• [10:25] – Educationally driven voting breakdown
• [12:27] – Soros’ support and discussion of the millionaire backers

2. Senator John Kennedy on His New Book: “How to Test Negative for Stupid”

Start: [16:03]

Key Insights & Stories

• Kennedy’s Writing Process:
  He described dictating hours of stories on a Dictaphone at his kitchen table, “speaking plainly” to the “average American.”

  • Quote (John Kennedy, [16:26]): “I wanted to understand that. If you get mad, I can’t help it. I have the right to remain silent, but God did not give me the ability.”

• Political Humor and Colorful Tales:
  Kennedy, famous for his wit, compares Sen. Chuck Schumer’s polling to "clubbing baby seals and chlamydia."

  • Quote (John Kennedy, [17:54]): “[Schumer]’s polling right up there with clubbing baby seals.”
  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [17:52]): “But to be fair, he’s still above chlamydia.”

• Personal and Professional Journey:
  Kennedy recounts his path from a Depression-era family to law school, clerking, Oxford, and finally politics.

  • Famous law partner mix-up: John Kennedy & Jose Canseco (“John Kennedy and Jose Canseco here to see you.”)
  • On Louisiana politics: describes Governor Edwin Edwards as “as crooked as a dog’s hind legs.”
  • Tells about a notorious campaign bumper sticker: “Vote for the crook. It matters.” ([21:12])
  • Gov. Edwards’ infamous saying: “The only way I can lose this race in the last week is if I’m caught in bed with a live girl or a dead boy.” ([22:03])

• Lessons About the Senate:
  Kennedy’s “biggest transformation” has been learning the importance of killing bad ideas, not just advancing good ones.

  • Discusses frustrations with the slow pace in the Senate and disagreements with Mitch McConnell.

Notable Quotes

• [16:26] John Kennedy: “I have the right to remain silent, but God did not give me the ability.”
• [22:03] John Kennedy (on Gov. Edwards): “...the only way I can lose this race in the last week is if I’m caught in bed with a live girl or a dead boy.”
• [23:19] John Kennedy: “The Senator’s job is not just to advance good ideas, it’s to kill bad ideas. Sometimes killing the bad ideas is more important than advancing the good ideas.”

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [16:26] – Kennedy’s book process, approach, and humor
• [18:42] – Kennedy’s education and entry into law and politics
• [21:12] – Notorious bumper sticker and campaign quips
• [23:19] – Senate lessons, policy, and political strategy

3. Pilgrimage to Israel: Faith, War, and Firsthand Accounts

Start: [31:19]

Key Stories & Takeaways

• First Impressions & Spiritual Impact:
  Ben Ferguson recounts the profound feeling of walking historic streets “where Jesus most certainly walked” and describes Israel as a breathtaking confluence of history and faith.

  • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [31:30]): “It is amazing... It takes your breath away that Jesus Christ almost certainly stood on this particular piece of stone...”

• On-the-Ground Experience of the Conflict:

  • Ben is part of a religious leadership gathering and invited to tour border regions impacted by the ongoing war.
  • Visited sites near both Gaza (Hamas) and Lebanon/Syria (Hezbollah).
  • Met with bereaved families, including relatives of 12 children killed in a soccer-field rocket attack.
    • Quote (Ted Cruz, [34:21]): “I was asked to come in to meet with the families... some of the families whose children... were killed while playing soccer. It made international news. We covered it on this show.”

• Stories of Loss and Resilience:

  • Family members gave Ben a symbolic soccer ball, covered with stickers, as a token of remembrance.
  • Firsthand account of destroyed homes on the northern border; description of Hezbollah targeting evacuated Israeli villages.
    • Quote (Ted Cruz, [43:23]): “Just pure sport and hatred. Like, we’re going to blow up your neighborhood because you are Jewish... we want you to come back to destruction and ruins.”
  • Recounts Mossad’s "pager attack" operation against Hezbollah terrorists, blending awe and dark humor.
    • Quote (Ben Ferguson, [38:50]): “If you wrote the pager attack as a script to a movie, nobody in Hollywood would buy it...”

• Meeting Hostage Survivors:
  Ted describes meeting the mother of a released hostage who had been separated from his girlfriend and held underground for two years—touching on the psychological warfare waged by Hamas and Hezbollah.

• Faith Reflections:
  Both hosts reflect on the spiritual gravity of the Holy Land and how tragedy deepens religious conviction.

  • Quote (Ted Cruz, [47:14]): “The level of feeling, I would say the Holy Spirit in these places is something I’ve never felt before.”

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [31:19] – Introduction to Israel segment, reflections on faith and history
• [32:52] – First arrival, reason for visit, conference details
• [34:21] – Meeting families of rocket attack victims
• [36:03]–[41:34] – Tactical and personal stories from the north and recounting historic Israeli intelligence operations
• [43:42] – Reflection on broader experiences and spiritual takeaways

Notable Quotes – Bite-Sized Highlights

• Ted Cruz ([02:21]): “Democrats are actually almost doubling down on this type of extremism in their party.”
• Ben Ferguson ([05:49]): "Young women... 81% voted for Comrade Mamdani."
• John Kennedy ([16:26]): “I have the right to remain silent, but God did not give me the ability.”
• John Kennedy ([22:03]): “[Edwin Edwards] The only way I can lose... is if I’m caught in bed with a live girl or a dead boy.”
• Ted Cruz ([47:14]): “The level of feeling, I would say the Holy Spirit in these places is something I’ve never felt before.”

Conclusion

This episode is a blend of sharp political analysis, deeply personal backstories, and moving accounts from the frontlines of the Israeli conflict. Cruz and Ferguson tackle both the numbers and narratives behind a major political upset, reveal candid insights about life in the Senate through Senator Kennedy’s humor, and reflect on the solemn realities and spiritual impact of witnessing Israel at war. For listeners wanting to understand this week’s headlines, party dynamics, and the human cost of conflict, this episode delivers a multi-faceted and compelling discussion.