Ken Rudin's Political Junkie

A look at Kevin McCarthy's victory to be Speaker of the House, which took 15 ballots -- the most since before the Civil War. We set up this month's election at the RNC to determine whether incumbent chair Ronna McDaniel can keep her job. A prominent New Hampshire Democrat is saddened by President Biden and the DNC's decision to replace his state as the nation's first presidential primary. And a look at the 2024 Senate race in California, where candidates are already running. The post Episode #398: Kevin Can’t Wait appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

A look at the decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) to leave her party and become an independent, and a look at other Senate party switches. Plus, Kevin McCarthy battles his right flank to become the next speaker of the House. The post Episode #397: Sinema Vérité appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

A look ahead to next week's Senate runoff in Georgia. Plus, thoughts about Trump's dinner with two anti-semites. The post Episode #396: 51 Or 50, And Fight appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Donald Trump is running but the Justice Department may not let him get far. Nancy Pelosi is stepping down, but she's not going far. And what to make of the 2022 midterms. The post Episode #395: Trump’s Problems, Pelosi’s Decision And A 2022 Wrap appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Debbie Walsh of the Center for American Women and Politics reviews the women who will be on the ballot on Nov. 8th ... not all of whom are supporters of abortion rights. And reporter Bill Salisbury remembers that day in 2002 when Sen. Paul Wellstone, 11 days out of his third-term re-election bid, perished in a plane crash in Minnesota. Plus, a review of the Fetterman-Oz Senate debate in Pennsylvania and the brutal attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband. The post Episode #394: Women Yes, Abortion Rights Maybe appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

A detailed look of the Pennsylvania Senate race by Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Inquirer. And Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Elections lays out the themes of the 2022 midterm elections. The post Episode #393: Keystone State May Be Key To Senate Majority appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Reports on two key races this year, the Senate contest in Georgia (where GOP candidate Herschel Walker finds himself in a growing list of controversies) and the gubernatorial race in Texas (where incumbent Republican Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke held their only debate this week. Plus, a conversation with retiring AP congressional reporter Alan Fram after nearly four decades on the job. The post O Father, Where Art Thou? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson talks about his close friend, Rep. Liz Cheney, and her chances in the August 16th primary for renomination. The post Episode #391: She Has Everything But The Voters appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

The political future of two well-known Republican women -- Liz Cheney and Sarah Palin -- will be determined by the voters next month. The post Episode #390: A Risk Of Failin’ For Cheney And Palin appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Some thoughts about what we saw and heard from the January 6th committee last Thursday, designed to find out who was responsible for the planning and execution of the assault on democracy. The post Episode #389: The Facts Are There. Is Anyone Listening? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Five states are holding primaries on May 17th, with Pennsylvania and North Carolina taking top bill. The post Episode #388: Is Trump The Wizard For Oz? And Whither Cawthorn? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

We explore the effect of Donald Trump's endorsements. A look at the upcoming Georgia primaries. And we remember the late Orrin Hatch, the longest serving Republican senator in history. The post Episode #387: Trump’s Endorsements, Many Of Them Real People appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Claims made by freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) may have gone too far for the House Republican leadership to support his re-election. We look at the key Senate races up in 2022. And a new book on politics and the media is asking serious questions about bias. The post Episode #386: Testing The Leadership’s Patience appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

A look at the career of the late Rep. Don Young (R-AK), the longest serving Republican in the history of Congress. And a review of a recent Ohio GOP Senate debate that almost turned physical. The post Episode #385: Alaska’s Not Jolly Not Green Giant appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

The Democratic Party is rewriting its calendar for the 2024 presidential race, and Iowa is expected to lose its position as the lead off contest. And Sen. Jim Inhofe's (R-OK) upcoming resignation will result in a special election -- but an assured Republican victory. The post Episode #384: America First! Iowa, Maybe Not. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

A review of Tuesday's primaries in Texas, featuring George P Bush's attempt to topple the state attorney general. Plus, a Presidents Week look at some classic movies and the presidents they portrayed. The post Episode #383: The End Of The Bush Era? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

The health of a New Mexico Democrat becomes critical in a Senate that is split 50-50. And Mike Pence, who spent four years as a compliant vice president, surprised many with his break from Donald Trump over the correct course of action on that fateful Jan. 6th day. The post Episode #382: Truth Or Consequences appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, under tremendous pressure from the left, announced his resignation this week, which allows President Biden to name a successor while the Democrats still control the Senate. The post Episode #381: Joe Gets His Court Pick, Maybe appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Does Joe Manchin's decision to vote no on President Biden's top priority end its chances? And we remember Bob Dole, the former Senate Majority Leader and 1996 presidential nominee, who died earlier this month at the age of 98. The post Episode #380: War Hero, Senate Giant — The Man From Russell, Kansas appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, author of a new book about centrism in politics, says both parties need to compromise if they expect anything to get done. And we review the career of Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT), who announced his retirement after nearly 48 years in office. The post Episode #379: In The Middle Of Nowhere appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.