Nov 12, 2026 · 1h 26m
Republicans debate recovery after a sweeping midterm defeat
12: Where Do Republicans Go From Here?
The party’s response to defeat could determine whether Republicans rebuild around Trump, populism, traditional conservatism, or a new governing message before 2028.
- 1Republicans suffered losses broad enough to reopen fundamental questions about the party’s message, structure, and relationship with Donald Trump.
- 2The Mississippi Senate race shows how local candidates can outperform national expectations by keeping contests distinct from party politics.
- 3The 2028 draft exposes a Republican field spanning vice presidents, governors, media figures, populists, establishment conservatives, and outsiders.
Don't miss
The hosts conduct their first official 2028 Republican primary draft, building a field that stretches from J.D. Vance and Ron DeSantis to Tucker Carlson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The brief
Scott Colom’s likely upset of Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi becomes a case study in forecasting, race ratings, and the power of keeping a campaign local.
The hosts argue over what the Republican defeat means: a demand for more populism, a return to traditional conservatism, or simply better governance and a coherent message.
Trump remains central to the party’s recovery debate, but the hosts also consider economic improvement, Democratic overconfidence, and the possibility that he will not appear on the 2028 ballot.
The 2028 draft ranges from J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, and Brian Kemp to Tucker Carlson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Chris Christie.
The draft’s strangest tension is also its central question: can a party still shaped by Trump produce a candidate who represents competence, independence, or a different kind of populism?
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