What if the word "midterm" is literally costing Republicans elections?James Dixon thinks so. James is a podcaster, husband, Christian, and one of the most compelling voices on making politics LOCAL again — especially heading into 2026 in Michigan. And look… the state has been run into the ground. But here's the thing: James isn't doom-and-glooming it. He's tilting the playing field. In today's episode, we dig into:→ Why "midterm" is the language of losing (and what to call it instead)→ How to bring national issues INTO local races without losing the plot→ The "continue watching conservative" problem… and how to fix it→ Why your vote in a local race weighs MORE than your presidential vote→ The 10x Votes service that makes getting people to the polls actually simple→ James as a black conservative in the Republican Party — and why he sees zero contradictionI'll be honest with you, folks.I pushed back on James a little. I'm watching the demographic data. I'm watching the GOP coalition fracture. The MAHA moms are upset. The libertarians are upset about Iran. And history says the president's party gets smoked in these elections. James's answer? "That's true if we accept the current world at face value." …Fair point, James. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:49 - Meet James Dixon & Make Politics Local Again 1:45 - Why "Midterm" Is the Language of Losing 3:10 - Reframing the Argument (The Sales Parallel) 5:15 - Bridging National Issues to Local Races 7:25 - The Coattail Effect & GOP Coalition Fractures 10:13 - Tilting the Playing Field: Michigan's Hidden Advantage 12:55 - The Path of Least Resistance Problem 15:17 - Making It EASY: Permanent Absentee Ballots & 10x Votes 17:10 - Why Local Elections Matter MORE Than Presidential Ones 19:44 - Being Black & Conservative in the Republican Party 21:47 - Politics Is Downstream From Culture 23:31 - Politics Is For POWER (The Probate Judge Story) 26:33 - Final Thoughts: Brian's Demographic Concerns 29:33 - Final Thoughts: James's Case for Michigan Optimism 32:28 - Vote in Self-Defense 35:12 - James's Call to Action & Where to Find Him 35:46 - Brian's Wrap + Cardio Miracle Go find James Dixon:🎙️ James Dixon Podcast on Spotify & YouTube📝 jamesdixonpodcast.substack.com Support the show — and the sponsor that keeps this machine running:❤️ Cardio Miracle → cardiomiracle.com/tbns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices