On this news-packed episode, Mark Halperin kicks off the show with his new reported monologue breaking down the economic decline and collapsing institutional trust fueling America’s unrest — and how the rise of AI is reshaping politics, society, and individual agency. This one is going to be a cliffhanger.

Then, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer joins fresh off the successful vote to reopen the government, offering the behind-the-scenes story of how it all went down — and why, even in a shutdown where no one truly wins, Democrats, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and congressional Democrats managed to lose this one. Emmer also explains the political calculus behind next week’s House vote to force release of the Epstein files.

Next, Mark is joined by Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of National Review, and Yemisi Egbewole, former Biden administration official, to run through the top stories — from why Democrats are outraged with moderates despite big election wins and the end of the 43-day shutdown, to how the 2028 race is heating up as J.D. Vance faces new scrutiny and immigration policy splinters both parties — and more.

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On this very newsy edition of Next Up, Megyn Kelly joins the show to break down the fallout from the government shutdown — the deal that enraged Democrats, why Chuck Schumer could be pushed out by his own party, and why the GOP’s 2028 bench may be stronger than the Democrats’.

Plus, Mark delivers not one, but two new reports on today’s show. First, he examines the populist revolts reshaping both parties — and the attempt by establishment power in Washington to hang on. From Trump’s continued dominance and Schumer’s mounting weakness to the Democratic civil war sparked by the shutdown deal, Mark explains how anger, distrust, and disillusionment have become the new currency of American politics.

Later, he turns to one of the most urgent issues facing the country: how America lost its young men — and what the rise of figures like Nick Fuentes reveals about a generation alienated from faith, work, and purpose — and the leaders who failed to reach them.

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Mark Halperin kicks off Thursday’s episode with his reported monologue with new buzzy information on the fallout from the 2025 elections — and how the results are already reshaping both parties’ strategies for the midterms and 2028. He reveals how Democrats won back key Trump voters and how figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Gavin Newsom, Wes Moore, and Josh Shapiro are using those wins to build momentum. Mark also breaks down the high-stakes Trump–Mamdani showdown — and what it signals about the shifting balance of power nationwide.

Then, political power players Doug Sosnik, former advisor to President Clinton, and Republican strategist Kristin Davison join Mark for an inside look at the Democrats’ 2025 winning playbook — and why it’s forcing the GOP to rethink its midterm strategy. Plus, they share their list of names to watch as Democrats sharpen their plan to reclaim power and narrow the field of 2028 frontrunners to the ones who are most capable of taking on the MAGA machine.

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