Ken Rudin's Political Junkie

<p><em><strong>Matthew Wilson</strong></em>, political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, sets up the fierce primaries, Democratic and Republican, for the Senate in Texas.  Incumbent Republican John Cornyn is facing a battle from his right from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and firebrand liberal Rep. Jasmine Crockett is challenging James Talarico for the Democrats.  No Democrat has won a Texas Senate race since 1988.</p> <p>And <em><strong>Rob Christens</strong><strong>en</strong></em>, a former political journalist with the Raleigh <em>News &amp; Observer</em>, remembers Jim Hunt, the former four-term governor and a giant in North Carolina politics, who died last week.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>PLUS</strong></span>:  The Epstein Files are released (not), Elise Stefanik plans to stay and fight (not), and Trump gives his respects to Rob Reiner (not).</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Music in this Episode: </strong></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dynMUeKLCOA">Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo">U Can&#8217;t Touch This by M.C. Hammer</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8LFXEfbxdw">A Well Respected Man by The Kinks</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com/episode-427-jasmine-crockett-arriving-jim-hunt-departed/">Episode #427: Jasmine Crockett, Arriving; Jim Hunt, Departed.</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com">Ken Rudin&#039;s Political Junkie</a>.</p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Congressional analyst </span><b><i>Jack Pitney</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> assesses the meaning of Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s upcoming resignation from Congress, and weighs whether the Georgia Republican still has a future in politics, given her seeming banishment by President Trump.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And we remember </span><b><i>Mark Mellman</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the Democratic pollster who died last month, by replaying an interview we had with him in November of 2016, when Hillary Clinton and Trump were vying for the presidency.</span></p> <p><b>PLUS</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">:  A selection of favorite Trump responses to reporters&#8217; questions at press conferences.</span></p> <p><b>Music in this episode:</b></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmLPIcMYGSY&amp;list=RDtmLPIcMYGSY&amp;start_radio=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where Is The Love by Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway</span></a></p> <p><a href="httpsv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZkxYamLUs&amp;list=RDdWZkxYamLUs&amp;start_radio=1">You and I by Rick James</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com/episode-426-marjorie-tinker-taylor-qanon-traitor-patriot/">Episode #426: Marjorie Tinker Taylor Q&#8217;Anon Traitor Patriot</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com">Ken Rudin&#039;s Political Junkie</a>.</p>

<p>Maine Public Radio&#8217;s <em><strong>Steve Mistler</strong></em> focuses on what may be the Democrats&#8217; best chance at a Senate pickup in 2026, the seat of five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins.  Establishment Democrats in Washington have come up with who they feel would be the strongest opponent, popular Gov. Janet Mills; earlier this year she made a name for herself by standing up to President Trump at a governors&#8217; conference.  But she is 77 years old, and progressives back home are instead rallying behind Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and former Marine who has raised more than $4 million.  However, controversial old social media posts of Platner&#8217;s have been uncovered, threatening his chances.</p> <p>And there are two gubernatorial races taking place next week, in New Jersey and Virginia, states where both incumbents are term limited.  <em><strong>Bob Holsworth</strong></em> of Decide Smart says that Democrats in Virginia are likely to take back the governorship with Abigail Spanberger.  But media coverage is now focused on a series of ugly emails that came from the Dem candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, whose own lead has evaporated.  And in New Jersey, NJ Advance Media&#8217;s <em><strong>Brent Johnson</strong></em> reports that Democrat Mikie Sherrill&#8217;s lead has narrowed and that the Republican, Jack Ciattarelli, making his third bid for the job, is within striking distance.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Music in this Episode:</strong></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzRMneypG04&amp;list=RDbzRMneypG04&amp;start_radio=1">Fix You by Coldplay</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IqI2bf9CCQ&amp;list=RD_IqI2bf9CCQ&amp;start_radio=1">Tattoo by Doreen</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xngmQ11pqkE&amp;list=RDxngmQ11pqkE&amp;start_radio=1">She&#8217;s a Sensation by the Ramones</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnUKaDoDRJY&amp;list=RDWnUKaDoDRJY&amp;start_radio=1">Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com/episode-425-day-of-the-woman-election-2025/">Episode #425: Day Of The Woman? Election 2025</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com">Ken Rudin&#039;s Political Junkie</a>.</p>

<p>Journalist and historian <em><strong>Chris Whipple</strong></em>, author of the new book &#8220;<em>Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History</em>,&#8221; talks about how the Democratic Party, the Biden campaign and the candidate himself decided to ignore the reality of Biden&#8217;s mental acuity and insist on running against Trump until it was too late &#8212; and handing the White House to the Republican in the process.</p> <p>PLUS:  The latest on Godzilla vs. King Kong.  And if you think only Biden had the cognitive problems, you&#8217;re not paying attention.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Music in this episode:</strong></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZWKR2zJESk">I Started a Joke by the Bee Gees</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rmPckNvD3E">I&#8217;m Alright by Kenny Loggins</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com/episode-424-the-tragedy-of-joe-biden/">Episode #424: The Tragedy Of Joe Biden</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com">Ken Rudin&#039;s Political Junkie</a>.</p>

<p><em>Chicago Tribune</em> political correspondent <em><strong>Rick Pearson</strong></em> sums up the career of Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who is retiring after five terms in the Senate.</p> <p>PLUS:  George Santos can continue to lie, only this time in prison &#8230; Remembering Donald Trump&#8217;s tirades against Barack Obama for his executive orders and golf playing &#8230; A farewell to our old friend Alan Simpson &#8230; and looking back at the final days of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, now 50 years after the evacuation.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Music in this Episode:</strong></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS_eHdqcrM8">Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2IuJPh6h_A">Time Is Running Out by Muse</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5GvrsSlM_E">Don&#8217;t You (Forget About Me) by Billy Idol</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ECuo-XEXk">Friends by The Beach Boys</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6gcxNFc1I0">We Gotta Get Outta This Place by The Animals</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com/episode-423-dick-durbins-44-years-of-service/">Episode #423: Dick Durbin&#8217;s 44 Years Of Service</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.krpoliticaljunkie.com">Ken Rudin&#039;s Political Junkie</a>.</p>