Oct 29, 2026 · 48 min
Record spending reshapes a volatile midterm map
Trump Fumes as Obama Hits Campaign Trail in Most Expensive Midterms Ever
The episode connects tightening races, campaign strategy, election oversight, and congressional power to the possibility of a Democratic wave.
- 1Record spending and shifting polls put Senate and gubernatorial contests across several states in play.
- 2Obama’s Georgia appearances sharpen a debate over Democratic branding, turnout, and Republican messaging.
- 3The hosts weigh election-law disputes, executive defiance, CTE risks, and the resilience required after political failure.
Don't miss
Scott’s story about losing a school election to a similarly named candidate links the Alaska controversy to a candid discussion of failure and resilience.
The brief
Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov survey a record-spending midterm landscape, tracking early turnout, tightening polls, and pivotal contests from South Carolina to Michigan.
In Ohio and Georgia, they argue that culture-war messaging may be misfiring while Barack Obama’s campaign appearances reinforce Democrats’ broader brand and turnout strategy.
The Alaska ballot-stacking controversy turns an obscure campaign tactic into a debate over precedent, ranked-choice voting, and whether election rules can be manipulated.
The conversation widens to Benjamin Netanyahu’s inconclusive election, Jay-Z’s Super Bowl booking, and CTE risks across professional, college, and youth football.
A listener’s question about failure prompts Scott’s story of losing a school election to a similarly named candidate—and a broader case for surviving rejection.
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