Despite holding both the White House and Congress, the Republican Party is deeply divided heading into the 2026 midterms. MAGA, RINOs and Never Trumpers are all jockeying for control of the party or simply to find a place within it. Parties rely on their bases to get out the vote and carry a midterm election. But a fractured base can result in a lost race. The party has an undisputed leader, but where it goes from here is anyone's guess. 2026 will be an early indication.

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Back in May 2026, I did an episode called House of Cards: The Looming Housing Crisis. Well, we are in it now. Congress and Trump are both trying to address it. It's the number one issue of local municipalities across the country. People simply cannot afford to buy a home. And that's an issue. A big one.

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Zohran Mamdani seemingly came out of nowhere in 2025 to become Mayor of New York City. He's a self-described democratic socialist and his platform illustrates those views. Critics have labeled him a communist or a socialist and warned that NYC is going to become the next Cuba or Venezuela. But what, exactly, is democratic socialism, where has it worked, and why is it appealing? I'll explore those questions and why the success or failure of this most-viewed administration outside of Washington will possibly determine the fate of Democrats in 2026 and beyond.

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The second episode in the series focuses on the race for Thom Tillis's open Senate seat in North Carolina. The race features a popular former Democrat governor versus a likely relative unknown, at least amongst most voters. I am interested as it will likely be the most-funded Senate race and is a microcosm of where the parties stand nationally.

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The first in a series of topics I am most interested in heading into 2026. Immigration helped bring Trump back to the White House. But ICE and Border Patrol tactics have eroded that support and trust, with the most recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti fueling the downward trend. An issue that Republicans relied upon to win in 2024 may become an albatross in 2026.

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ICE and Border Patrol came to Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh this week in a widespread raid as part of an ongoing nationwide effort to roundup, detain and deport illegal immigrants. We were told that the "Hannibal Lectors" of the world were coming across our border and these raids were going to get them off of our streets. While most of us envisioned Buffalo Bill being captured and sent back, more and more it is the janitor working for the Buffalo Bills that seems to be caught up instead. Both here illegally. But both serve much different risks to society at large. The Trump Administration came back to power on a wave of immigration reform, specifically at the border. But are these raids how we handle those that are already here?

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The Democrats won. Bigly. It wasn't just that they won big races in blue states/cities like New Jersey, Virginia, California and NYC. It's by how much. But more telling is what happened in local races - both here in North Carolina and across the country. Republicans had a bit of a wake up call that redistricting may not fix. Will they listen in time for 2026?

Help nominate this podcast for Podcast of the Year in the WRAL Voters' Choice Awards 2025. Click the link here and nominate under the Professional and Entertainment category.

https://www.wral.com/news/local/wral-voters-choice-awards-2025/

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Politics and Faith - two topics families tend to avoid discussing around the holiday dinner table. So let's delve into them here. Election season is here in the midst of an ever-growing political divide. Both parties claiming to be on the side of What Would Jesus Do? Both sides claiming you can't be a Christian if you support the other. Churches being attacked with political violence. What does the Bible have to say about politics/government? How does faith shape our political views? And how should we treat those who disagree with our political beliefs? My pastor, Owen Barrow, joins the podcast to discuss and provide insight on what can be difficult personal battle - especially during election season.

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