Practically Political

What do the 2026 midterm election results mean for President Trump, Congress and the future of American politics? Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella are LIVE on Practically Political to break down the bigger implications of the midterms and what happens next for Washington and the country. The discussion looks at what history tells us about presidents who lose control of Congress, whethe...

With the 2026 midterm elections just days away, Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha joins Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella to discuss the races that could determine control of Congress. Chuck predicts Democrats will gain 15 House seats and could win 52 seats in the Senate, including a victory in Texas. The group debates whether record Latino voter turnout in Texas could help James Talari...

With less than two weeks until the midterm elections, Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate the Senate races that could determine control of Congress, the future of the Republican Party and President Trump's influence on the election. The discussion begins with the heated exchange between Susan Collins and Troy Jackson in Maine and whether it could affect the Senate race. They also e...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate the final three weeks before the midterm elections, with Senate races in Texas, Michigan, Maine and other states drawing attention. They debate whether candidate debates can still sway voters, the clash between Kristi Noem and country music star Kacey Musgraves, and whether Democrats are missing the mark with voters more concerned about grocery b...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella discuss the three-year anniversary of October 7, changing attitudes toward Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. They also discuss concerns about antisemitism and national security. The conversation then turns to the midterms, including the Texas Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton, whether Latino voters could shift back toward Democ...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate the remaining weeks ahead of the midterms, whether Republicans can still make a difference in Congress and why some candidates are distancing themselves from President Trump. They also discuss Trump’s role on the campaign trail and whether his presence helps or hurts Republicans. The conversation then turns to the battle for control of the Senate...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella debate America’s role in the world as wars continue in Iran and Ukraine and U.S. allies look to other countries, including China. They discuss NATO and whether the United States is giving up its international influence. The conversation then turns to AI and whether the federal government needs to step in with regulation. The trio also weighs the idea of...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis and Kurt Bardella break down the biggest moments from the last week, including the Republican midterm convention, which included President Trump’s promise of a $5,000 dividend and whether Americans will ever actually see the money. The conversation turns to Sen. John Fetterman after his surprise video appearance at the GOP convention sparked more speculation about his fu...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella take another look at President Trump’s Venezuela oil deal and the questions surrounding who will pay to rebuild the country’s oil infrastructure, whether U.S. oil companies will be willing to invest again and how long it could take Americans to see any benefit. The conversation then turns to the midterms as Trump pledges millions to help Republicans. C...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella are joined by Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha to break down the races shaping the midterms, including whether Texas is becoming more competitive and what James Talarico’s momentum could mean for Ken Paxton. They also look at the upcoming Republican midterm convention in Dallas and whether President Trump can get his voters to turn out when he isn’t o...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella debate whether President Trump’s new sanctions on Iran can work and whether he is willing to put pressure on China and Russia to truly isolate the Iranian regime. They also weigh Trump’s latest fight with Canada and what it means for America’s relationships with its allies. The conversation gets heated over Natalie Harp, her relationship with President...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down President Trump’s approach to South Korea, North Korea and America’s alliances, including what an increasingly unpredictable U.S. foreign policy could mean for the country’s role around the world.  They also debate the war in Iran, rising gas prices, and whether economic pressure could ultimately bring Iran back to the negotiating table. Plu...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella discuss Republican senators Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, and John Cornyn, whether they have sacrificed ethics for political survival, and why pushing back against President Trump remains so difficult within the Republican Party. The conversation then turns to President Trump's approach to Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices, and whether economic press...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, including Abdul El-Sayed's rise, what it could mean for the future of the Democratic Party, and whether the race offers an early preview of the 2026 midterm elections.  The conversation then turns to Dr. Anthony Fauci's Senate hearing, political lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether Republicans...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down President Trump's appearance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, debate whether the event has outlived its purpose, and discuss Trump's relationship with the media. The conversation then turns to the 2026 midterm elections, including which party has the advantage in the House and Senate, key races in Michigan, Maine, Iowa and New Hamp...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down President Trump's latest speech revisiting the 2020 election, debate whether Republicans benefit from continuing to focus on election claims, and discuss what it could mean heading into the 2026 midterm elections. The conversation then turns to the race for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat, including the breaking news that Darline Graham plans t...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down this week's political headlines, including the SAVE Act, voter ID, President Trump's reported $2.2 billion fortune, cryptocurrency, and the ongoing debate over Trump and Biden family finances and corruption claims. Later, the hosts are joined by Ryan Clancy, chief strategist for No Labels, for a conversation about why bipartisanship continue...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down the Supreme Court's latest decisions, including birthright citizenship, campaign finance, and presidential appointments. The conversation then turns to this week's primary races, where the trio discusses anti-establishment candidates, campaign messaging, the debate over socialism, and why both parties are facing pressure from voters looking...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella debate the latest details surrounding Trump’s Iran negotiations, including the proposed deal, the Strait of Hormuz, the $300 billion incentive package, and whether Iran is emerging from the conflict in a stronger position than before it began. The conversation then turns to the reflecting pool and what it says about political priorities, government spe...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down the latest controversy involving Gavin Newsom, debate whether Democrats have a clear frontrunner for 2028 and discuss the growing attention around potential candidates including Jon Ossoff and Mark Cuban. The conversation then turns to Trump's latest Iran negotiations, the proposed ceasefire and whether this “deal” will hold. They also discu...

Dave Spencer, Ashley Davis, and Kurt Bardella break down the latest California primary results, the ongoing debate over election counting, and what the results mean for Steve Hilton, Spencer Pratt, and the upcoming runoff races. The conversation then turns to FISA reauthorization, the debate surrounding Section 702, and President Trump's decision to appoint Bill Pulte as acting Director of Nationa...

The conversation then turns to America 250, including the plans for the UFC event at the White House, artists backing out of scheduled performances, and the political controversy surrounding the festivities. The group also discusses Ken Paxton’s decisive victory over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary, James Talarico’s potential in a statewide race, whether Democrats can make the race competi...

Dave Spencer and Kurt Bardella are joined by political strategist Mike Madrid for a special episode breaking down Latino voter shifts, the growing volatility in Texas and California politics, and why both parties are struggling to connect with frustrated voters heading into the midterms. In this episode, the group discusses whether Texas is becoming more competitive than Republicans want to admit,...

Dave Spencer and Kurt Bardella are joined by special co-host Carrie Sheffield to break down the growing backlash to Trump’s proposed $1.776 billion fund, the political fallout surrounding Ken Paxton’s rise inside the Republican Party, and the debate over what Democrats still are not learning from the 2024 election. Is anything in this inferred or not true or does it sound like AI: In this episode,...

Dave Spencer and co-hosts Kurt Bardella and Ashley Davis are joined by Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha to break down the latest redistricting battles, rising gas prices, shifting voter trends, and the growing frustration voters are feeling heading into the midterms.  In this episode, the group debates whether Texas redistricting could backfire for Republicans, how Latino voters are responding to...