Sep 30, 2026 · 1h 37m
Republicans face a difficult midterm map as Cruz pitches bipartisan reform
What Are Republican’s Chances in November? + Sen. Ted Cruz Joins the Fellas
The episode pairs a sober assessment of Republican electoral vulnerabilities with a firsthand account of how bipartisan legislation can still move through the Senate.
- 1Republicans confront a substantial generic-ballot deficit, though candidate quality, incumbency, turnout, and advertising could reshape individual races.
- 2The Senate, governor, and House outlooks turn on local candidates and state conditions rather than national polling alone.
- 3Ted Cruz presents college-sports regulation as a test of coalition building while defending Clarence Thomas as a political role model.
Don't miss
Ted Cruz explains how compromises and coalition-building helped advance the Protect College Sports Act.
The brief
The hosts begin with a warning against misleading polls and social-media narratives, then argue that Republicans face a serious national environment problem heading into the midterms.
Their race-by-race review spans Senate, governor, and House contests, emphasizing candidate quality, incumbency, state-specific issues, turnout assumptions, and Republicans’ television advertising advantage.
Late-breaking corruption reports involving Adam Gray and Troy Jackson become examples of alleged political patronage and the media scrutiny the hosts say such stories receive.
Ted Cruz joins to explain the Protect College Sports Act, including proposed rules for NIL, transfers, eligibility, gambling, agents, enforcement, and student-athlete status.
Cruz also discusses his biography of Clarence Thomas and the Texas Senate race, while the hosts frame his sports bill as evidence that coalition-building can produce legislation.