Democrats in the US have taken complete control of Congress, winning majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives.  

The US midterm elections have seen seven Senate seats flip, along with 27 House seats.  

Strong Republican seats like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina went Democrat for the first time in decades. 

Democratic Strategist and former Chief of Staff to Senator Kristen Gillibrand, Joi Chaney told Mike Hosking they knew they we going to win, but the size of the win shocked people. 

She says exit polls show the economy was a big issue for voters, but so was the racism, bigotry, and ugliness from the Republican Party. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Democrats in the US have taken complete control of Congress, winning majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives. &nbsp;
The US midterm elections have seen seven Senate seats flip, along with 27 House seats. &nbsp;
Strong Republican seats like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina went Democrat for the first time in decades.&nbsp;
Democratic Strategist and former Chief of Staff to Senator Kristen Gillibrand, Joi Chaney told Mike Hosking they knew they we going to win, but the size of the win shocked people.&nbsp;
She says exit polls show the economy was a big issue for voters, but so was the racism, bigotry, and ugliness from the Republican Party.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Joi Chaney: Democratic Strategist on the Democrats taking control of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Midterms

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a375f30e-5581-422c-9400-b4f8014b7ee4/transcript

If you believed the heat in the debate, letting the police move people on was some sort of dystopian incursion by an overlord destined for revolt and rampage on our streets. 

The Labour Party still argues the Government made homelessness illegal, which of course they did not. 

At the very start of the scrap was the basic idea that too many people were having their day ruined by too many other people who seemed to think they could behave any way they wanted with no consequences. 

Lying in a shop doorway was okay because you were "homeless". Turns out virtually none of it was true. 

The law has arrived. The Police are enacting it and by all accounts, guess what? It is nothing like the scandal the apologists made it out to be. 

The Wellington City Mission, among others, is deeply appreciative of how the Police are handling matters. 

This is the gang patch debate all over again. It's the end of the world until it isn't. 

Turns out most of your troublemakers are just that: drug-addled, booze-addled, or both. But not homeless per se. 

And those who are homeless are being taken for help; food, shelter, support, and warmth, all of which are provided. 

There is an industry in this country of handwringers and NGOs, quite often the same people who place far too much emphasis on being apologists. 

Rights are not evenly distributed. Somewhere along the line a business' right to be open, operate, and welcome in a punter whose main purpose is to have a simple transaction is somehow put below the right of a troublemaker to cause havoc and upset. 

All the law that got so much attention and caused so much upset was trying to do was strike a balance. 

And once it arrived, as it did last week, and it got applied, which it has by the way in a fairly small, yet effective fashion, we find out all the gnashing of teeth and all the preview-style drama was never necessary. 

So much so that those who work with the vulnerable are appreciative of how it's all playing out. 

Imagine if we put the same energy into being productive and positive as we did into warning about impending doom? 

If you believed the heat in the debate, letting the police move people on was some sort of dystopian incursion by an overlord destined for revolt and rampage on our streets.&nbsp;
The Labour Party still argues the Government made homelessness illegal, which of course they did not.&nbsp;
At the very start of the scrap was the basic idea that too many people were having their day ruined by too many other people who seemed to think they could behave any way they wanted with no consequences.&nbsp;
Lying in a shop doorway was okay because you were "homeless". Turns out virtually none of it was true.&nbsp;
The law has arrived. The Police are enacting it and by all accounts, guess what? It is nothing like the scandal the apologists made it out to be.&nbsp;
The Wellington City Mission, among others, is deeply appreciative of how the Police are handling matters.&nbsp;
This is the gang patch debate all over again. It's the end of the world until it isn't.&nbsp;
Turns out most of your troublemakers are just that: drug-addled, booze-addled, or both. But not homeless per se.&nbsp;
And those who are homeless are being taken for help; food, shelter, support, and warmth, all of which are provided.&nbsp;
There is an industry in this country of handwringers and NGOs, quite often the same people who place far too much emphasis on being apologists.&nbsp;
Rights are not evenly distributed. Somewhere along the line a business' right to be open, operate, and welcome in a punter whose main purpose is to have a simple transaction is somehow put below the right of a troublemaker to cause havoc and upset.&nbsp;
All the law that got so much attention and caused so much upset was trying to do was strike a balance.&nbsp;
And once it arrived, as it did last week, and it got applied, which it has by the way in a fairly small, yet effective fashion, we find out all the gnashing of teeth and all the preview-style drama was never necessary.&nbsp;
So much so that those who work with the vulnerable are appreciative of how it's all playing out.&nbsp;
Imagine if we put the same energy into being productive and positive as we did into warning about impending doom?&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Move-on orders were a storm in a teacup

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4322e530-43c4-4a48-904c-b4f8015cdb3b/transcript

One of the latest young country music stars is headed for our shores. 

25-year-old Max McNown has had a meteoric rise, having got his break only a couple of years ago. 

He left his home of Oregon at 21 to move to California, and at the time, becoming a musician was barely a pipe dream. 

"I wasn't planning on pursuing music at all," he told Hosking. 

"I always kind of wanted to be a singer ... but yeah, it was just kind of a dream in the back of my mind that I never thought I'd chase." 

But a friend encouraged him to give performing a try, and one thing led to another. 

Over the following years, he signed a record deal, released an EP and a couple of albums, and moved to Nashville – the home of country music. 

"The community, it feels like people really do want to lift each other up – especially in the songwriting and production company," he explained. 

"When I came here, it just felt like Nashville fit – I fit in Nashville." 

"It felt like people were super kind and welcoming, and it just felt like my place, and so it's kind of been off to the races ever since." 

And so four years after picking up the guitar, McNown has over a billion streams and a sold-out headline tour under his belt, and now, he's coming to New Zealand next year as part of 'The Slow Down, Down Under' tour.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

One of the latest young country music stars is headed for our shores.&nbsp;
25-year-old Max McNown has had a meteoric rise, having got his break only a couple of years ago.&nbsp;
He left his home of Oregon at 21 to move to California, and at the time, becoming a musician was barely a pipe dream.&nbsp;
"I wasn't planning on pursuing music at all," he told Hosking.&nbsp;
"I always kind of wanted to be a singer ... but yeah, it was just kind of a dream in the back of my mind that I never thought I'd chase."&nbsp;
But a friend encouraged him to give performing a try, and one thing led to another.&nbsp;
Over the following years, he signed a record deal, released an EP and a couple of albums, and moved to Nashville – the home of country music.&nbsp;
"The community, it feels like people really do want to lift each other up – especially in the songwriting and production company," he explained.&nbsp;
"When I came here, it just felt like Nashville fit – I fit in Nashville."&nbsp;
"It felt like people were super kind and welcoming, and it just felt like my place, and so it's kind of been off to the races ever since."&nbsp;
And so four years after picking up the guitar, McNown has over a billion streams and a sold-out headline tour under his belt, and now, he's coming to New Zealand next year as part of 'The Slow Down, Down Under' tour. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Max McNown: American Country Musician on his career growth, NZ tour

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7d44e3ba-da84-459c-8c11-b4f80156c3b1/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 5th of November, we look at the extraordinary midterms flip that has decimated the Republican majority in the House and Senate. 

For the last time before the election, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joined to give his final pitch. 

The latest talent coming out of Nashville, and originally Oregon, Max McNown details his country music rise to stardom. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 5th of November, we look at the extraordinary midterms flip that has decimated the Republican majority in the House and Senate.&nbsp;
For the last time before the election, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joined to give his final pitch.&nbsp;
The latest talent coming out of Nashville, and originally Oregon, Max McNown details his country music rise to stardom.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 05 November 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ad5d73af-ec8c-4b20-96d8-b4f8014cf5e9/transcript

Joi Chaney: Democratic Strategist on the Democrats taking control of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Midterms

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