Mike Murphy spent 40 years as a Republican strategist, running campaigns for John McCain, Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Days before the 2026 midterms, he joins the show to explain what will happen and why Trump should be scared.  Murphy breaks down the midterm predictions everyone is watching: whether Democrats can take the House and the Senate, why Kansas, Alaska, Texas and Michigan could surprise people, and what will happen with the DOJ in Alaska. 

Plus some insider intel on Trump's first term and why Democrats should skip impeachment and go after corruption instead.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:18 Blue wave or blue tsunami?
01:40 Why the Senate is the tsunami test
04:06 The perfect storm: Trump’s lost economic ace
06:57 Candidate luck: Kansas, Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Texas
08:57 Trump 2.0 has no grownups
12:41 The DOJ, Alaska, and certification
17:35 How Trump won the 2016 primary
24:00 Should Democrats impeach?
27:26 Trump as a lame duck
30:38 Global populism and 2028
37:14 Who actually runs the parties?
41:30 Super PACs and “stupid money”
44:56 The DSA and the LA mayor’s race
48:38 Inequality and the billionaire tax
54:34 The data center war
56:34 EVs, China, and America’s auto future
1:08:00 Why America keeps swinging back and forth
1:11:20 The One Book To Pickup Now

Mike Murphy spent 40 years as a Republican strategist, running campaigns for John McCain, Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Days before the 2026 midterms, he joins the show to explain what will happen and why Trump should be scared. &nbsp;Murphy breaks down the midterm predictions everyone is watching: whether Democrats can take the House and the Senate, why Kansas, Alaska, Texas and Michigan could surprise people, and what will happen with the DOJ in Alaska. Plus some insider intel on Trump's first term and why Democrats should skip impeachment and go after corruption instead.
CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:18 Blue wave or blue tsunami? 01:40 Why the Senate is the tsunami test 04:06 The perfect storm: Trump&rsquo;s lost economic ace 06:57 Candidate luck: Kansas, Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Texas 08:57 Trump 2.0 has no grownups 12:41 The DOJ, Alaska, and certification 17:35 How Trump won the 2016 primary 24:00 Should Democrats impeach? 27:26 Trump as a lame duck 30:38 Global populism and 2028 37:14 Who actually runs the parties? 41:30 Super PACs and &ldquo;stupid money&rdquo; 44:56 The DSA and the LA mayor&rsquo;s race 48:38 Inequality and the billionaire tax 54:34 The data center war 56:34 EVs, China, and America&rsquo;s auto future 1:08:00 Why America keeps swinging back and forth 1:11:20 The One Book To Pickup Now

I’m Gavin Newsom.

And, it’s time to have a conversation. It’s time to have honest discussions with people that agree AND disagree with us.

It's time to answer the hard questions and be open to criticism, and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one other.

I will be doing just that on my new podcast – inviting people on who I deeply disagree with to talk about the most pressing issues of the day and inviting listeners from around the country to join the conversation.

THIS is Gavin Newsom.

I&rsquo;m Gavin Newsom.
And, it&rsquo;s time to have a conversation. It&rsquo;s time to have honest discussions with people that agree AND disagree with us.
It's time to answer the hard questions and be open to criticism, and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one other.
I will be doing just that on my new podcast &ndash; inviting people on who I deeply disagree with to talk about the most pressing issues of the day and inviting listeners from around the country to join the conversation.
THIS is Gavin Newsom.

This is Gavin Newsom

And, This Is An Insider's Guide To The Midterms with Strategist Mike Murphy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fdf0b2b4-d8f4-47fc-a892-b4f5006309f5/transcript