LIVE: "YES FOR VIRGINIA" RALLY

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>> All right. Good evening, Virginia. Good evening to. the rest of the country, everybody. joining us from across the country. We. are just days away from one of the most. important votes of 2026. And tonight, tonight is about making sure that every. single person watching understands. exactly what's at stake here because the. reality is this This not politics as. usual. Across the country, Donald Trump. and MAGA Republicans are working to rig.

the system before votes voters even cast. their ballots in midterms, locking in. power, silencing voters, and avoiding. accountability. But, Virginia has a. chance right now to stop that by voting. yes on the April 21st redistricting. referendum. By the time that you're watching this, you will know that you have three full. days left to vote. Tomorrow, April 17th, Saturday, April 18th, and election day, April 21st. And the referendum here is. simple. It puts power where it belongs, with voters, and ensures that the. midterms are decided on a level playing.

field. And the best part, Virginians are. already stepping up. Early voting is. happening right now, and it's already. shattering records. But, we need to keep. that momentum going and help folks in. Virginia who are not traditionally. voting in April, used to voting in April, like ever, to. understand what's at stake and why they. should be voting yes. Tonight, you're. going to hear from national leaders, elected officials, and some of the most. powerful voices online, people who are. reaching millions of Americans every. day, and helping break this moment down. in real time. We're going to talk about.

what's happening, why it matters, and. most importantly, what you can do about. it. Um before we jump in, let me say this. clearly. If you're watching right now, here's exactly what you need to do. If. you're in Virginia, go to. iwillvote.com/va. right now to find your polling place and. make your plan to vote. Early voting is. happening tomorrow and Saturday, now. known as Super Saturday in Virginia, or. you can vote on election day, which is. April 21st. And if you're watching from. anywhere else, you can still make a huge. difference tonight. You'll see a QR code.

on your screen throughout this program. You can scan that QR code to volunteer, to make calls, to chip in what you can, and even help turn out voters across. Virginia in these last final days. So, let's get into it. I want to throw to. um uh. Abigail Spanberger, the governor of. Virginia. Before serving as Virginia's. governor, she represented Virginia in. Congress, where she built a reputation. as one of the most effective, bipartisan, and pragmatic voices on. national security, on economic. stability, and on protecting democratic.

institutions. Prior to that, she served as. a CIA case officer working some of. working on some of the most complex. global threats facing the US. And now, as governor, after winning by 15 points. in November, she is focused on lowering. costs, defending fundamental rights, and. ensuring that Virginia remains a place. where voters, not politicians, hold. power. Governor, thank you so much for. being here. I want to also note that I'm joined, not. just by Governor Spanberger, but also. Lee McGowan, who many of you know as. PoliticsGirl. Lee has built a massive.

following by breaking down complex. political issues into clear, direct, no-nonsense conversations that actually. make people want to engage, not tune. out. And she's reaching millions of. Americans every day with a simple goal: get people informed, fired up, and. involved. Thank you both for being here. I'm going to throw to you guys. Thank you so much, Brian. And honestly, we can just do so much better than this, I think. Don't you think Governor. Spanberger? I mean, thanks for coming. This is a really big deal what we're. doing. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Yeah, this is fabulous. I mean, listen, at the core, this referendum is about. stopping a Donald Trump power grab. This. is exactly what the MAGA Republicans are. trying to do. They're trying to kind of. start up stop the election before we've. even started. So, tell me how a yes vote. in Virginia will stop this. Well, Lee, you know, we we know that. this all began when President Trump said. that he was, quote, entitled to extra. seats in Congress. That's where we saw. Texas first launch into a redistricting. process to begin to try and stack seats.

within the halls of Congress. And so, now, as we have seen states take take. action, Virginia has the ability to do. something responsive. You know, importantly, in Virginia, we have a. three-step process towards a referendum. And so, our General Assembly, our. legislature, has already voted twice now. uh to move forward with uh redistricting. process. It is temporary until the next. uh post-census uh.

redistricting, and it is responsive, written in the languages that it's. responsive to what's happening in other. states. But, the third step of the. process is that the people of the. Commonwealth of Virginia need to vote. And so, a yes vote means that we are. taking that responsive step uh to what. we have seen others other states do in. response to a president saying he just. thinks he's entitled to congressional. seats. Yeah, because that's not at all how our. government is supposed to work. The. president's not entitled to anything. No.

elected representative is entitled to. anything. You're supposed to earn it. from the voters. And I think we need to. be clear with people that this isn't. something anyone wants to do. It's. something that needs to be done because. we know that MAGA Republicans are. already manipulating these congressional. maps. We're talking about Texas and. North Carolina. They're currently. attempting to do it in other states like. Missouri and Florida. But, going to. Virginia, it this kind of gives us a. chance to. fight back. Well, and and you're right in terms of. what we have to do versus uh you know,

what where we want to be, right? I think. all of us want to be in a place where we. do not see a president trying to grab. power. And in fact, in Virginia just a. few years ago, we passed a bipartisan. redistricting amendment, which is why. now to do this temporary redistricting, uh we actually need to do another. referendum. I vocally supported uh that. bipartisan redistricting commission, and. importantly, important to me and. important to many Virginians, is that.

this referendum, this temporary. redistricting, preserves that bipartisan. commission into the long term. And so, after the next census, that bipartisan. commission will come back online and do. our next redistricting. But it's important that Virginia be. responsive in this moment and that is. why. this referendum, this yes vote on. Tuesday is so important. Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's about. it's not just about being responsive, it's about being responsible to the.

voters. You know, a vote yes, if you're. voting yes in this referendum on the. 21st, it's yes to approve these new. congressional maps. But it's also yes. that they will go back to the way that. they were in 2030. And yes to stopping. any sort of overreach or Trump's. cheating. And yes to give voters and not. politicians the final word here, which. is really the goal. If if the you know, the heads of government can set up who. wins congressional votes so no one can. hold them accountable, then the voters. no longer have the say and I think.

that's what we're trying to avoid here. As I understand it, there's already more. than a million early votes that have. been cast in this referendum. So what. does that tell you about how people in. Virginia are responding to this moment? Well, in Virginia a couple years ago our. legislature passed expansive early vote. We have 45 days of early voting, which. gives voters the opportunity to cast. their ballots early. and and really ensure they have a plan. to get to the polls. A million. Virginians who have already voted is a.

consequential and important number. In. Virginia we don't register by party, so. we don't have the sort of usual. tabulations that other states might have. when they can say X number of registered. or X number of registered Republicans. have already voted. But what we do know. is that people in every corner of. Virginia are getting out, they are. voting. Certainly on the ground there is. a level of urgency and a level of. resolve that people have recognizing the. importance of this referendum. We have.

two more days of early voting and then. Tuesday is the final day to vote. That. is the day of the referendum. And I'm. expecting that we will see huge numbers. on election day as well. Yeah, I've been talking to all of the. people from my kitchen about this and. how they have to get all of their. friends in Virginia and their family in. Virginia and their loved ones in. Virginia all together go as a group to. the polls because it needs to be. everyone's voice that's heard. Because. at the end of the day it's the voters. that should have the power to say who. they want to have in Congress, to say.

what the majority should be in Congress. This is a way to sort of level the. playing field for a for a limited time. until we can kind of get this back in. order again. But I think that there's a. lot of misinformation out there, isn't. there? Like a lot of money being poured. into this race for the no vote to. confuse Virginia voters about what. they're voting for or what the yes vote. means. Uh you know, purposely misusing. your own words. So, what does a yes vote. actually do in plain English so that. people understand that and they're not. confused by say, you know, the $3.

million Peter Thiel is throwing into, you know, changing the vote. Well, you are exactly right. For those. who are not on the ground in Virginia, uh I'll just let you know that in fact. we have seen the campaign for no has. used uh my face uh on TV and in mailers. They have used President Obama's face on. TV and in mailers. Uh and they have spoken of my prior. support and continued support, to be. clear, for our bipartisan redistricting. amendment. They have talked about that.

taking quotes out of context. Uh but. I've been very clear I. have already voted, early voted yes on. this referendum because what it does is. it says at this moment in time Virginia. is taking the temporary, responsive, and. I'll use your word Lee, responsible step. of pushing back against what other. states have done in trying to stack the. deck for Donald Trump in those. congressional elections. And in a. temporary manner, we have put forth new.

maps so Virginia voters know the map. that they are voting for. That's. important for transparency. And these will be our congressional maps. until after the next census when the. typical. leveling of seats across the state. happen, redistricting happens. nationwide, then we will return back to. our bipartisan commission. So it is. responsive, it is temporary, and a yes. vote is our way to stand up and ensure.

that efforts in other states do not go. unmatched. Yeah, and I think that's the thing in. other states. I mean, it's time to take. our power back. When we did this in. California with Prop 50, I was talking. to Governor Newsom about this and I was. saying, you know what, this is a moment. to meet the Republicans where they are, not where we wish they were, to give our. democracy a fighting chance, and to sort. of fight fire with fire in a way that. says, "Hey, we need to make sure that. the voters are still heard in this. country at a time where the president. would very much like to take all of our. votes." And if it's people that are. billionaires coming in here and throwing.

money at this campaign for the no vote, it kind of tells you which way with if. you're a regular old person in America, you might want to vote. So thank you so. much because ultimately this is all. about fairness, it's about holding on to. our democracy, and it's about doing the. right thing. So I really appreciate what. Virginia's doing here and how brave you. guys are being. Thank you so much. I mean, that's. exactly it and. you know, Tuesday Tuesday's election. day. Everybody needs to get out and vote. in the referendum. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, make sure that they.

know. I think there's broad awareness. across the Commonwealth that we have. this referendum vote on Tuesday, but. make sure they they know that it's. responsive, that it's temporary, that it. preserves our bipartisan redistricting. commission into the future. And and make sure that despite all the. efforts to trick voters by by by saying. that. you know, misrepresenting and lying. about my position or President Obama's. position or anybody else's, make sure. they know the truth, make sure they know. to get out and vote on Tuesday. It's an. extraordinarily important referendum.

and it is great to see you, Lee. Thank. you for highlighting. >> you, too, Governor. Thank you. Lee, I'm going to keep you on camera. here and ask you, you know, as we see. this process playing out in Virginia, as. we saw this process play out in. California, do you view this as kind of. the next iteration of the Democratic. Party that is willing to fight in a way. that we haven't seen before? I mean, I. know that you and I are are very much of. the same ilk when it comes to like our. exhaustion with the Democratic Party.

that is for so long been the party of. strongly worded letters. Yeah, well, I mean, Brian, I say all the. time, like, look, you could be the best. boxer in the entire world, but if your. opponent starts kicking you in the head. and the ref doesn't call it, then you. either learn to take a kick to the head. and give one back or you lose. And I. think Democrats are sick to death of. losing because we see what's happening. to our country when we are. What what is What have you heard from. your audience in terms of moments like. these? Because I know that there has. been kind of a a a hunger for some.

actual action here and this is a really. positive outlet where it doesn't feel. like, you know, we're just kind of. posting or just yelling into the void. Like, this is something that can. actually have a major impact. And so, what have What has your audience said? My audience loves it. I mean, listen, here's the thing, everyone is hungry for. change. They are absolutely sick of. getting, you know, we're watching a war. that no one wanted us to have. You know, we're losing our healthcare, we're. losing our benefits while we're giving. rich people more tax cuts and, you know, funding this ridiculous,

uh, violent mob in our streets who shoot. our citizens and get away with it. I'm. really glad Governor Spanberger is doing. this. I was furious that more governors. didn't join Governor Newsom in doing the. same when Prop 50 was on the ballot. because, clearly, this isn't the time. for half measures or upholding norms or, as you said, strongly worded letters. Every leader who believes in American. experiment right now in democracy has to. be pulling out all the stops. I mean. Donald Trump is behaving like a man who. never plans to leave office. He's doing. things he promised he would never do. He's spending money like a drunk sailor.

He's giving his children government. contracts. He's burning bridges with our. allies. We're coming into an energy and. food shortage, right? This is not how. someone who expects to try and win a. midterm election behaves. So, he must. have something up his sleeve and we have. to make sure that if we're playing with. a cheater, we are playing to win. Right. I I completely agree. Last. question here and I have to ask you this. because I think I would be doing a major. disservice to the the entire audience if. I didn't. How do you hold it together. when you are sitting next to Scott. Jennings on CNN? And I mean like I.

Go ahead. Just answer that question. Listen, here's the thing. There's always. someone on one of those shows that is. there for a reason that is different. than mine. My reason is always to inform. the American public, to make sure they. know what's best or what's true or. what's real in a you know, tsunami of. lies, which is what they're getting from. mainstream media at the at the most part. now. And I think the thing is is that if. we want the kind of country that I think. we all want, that I think the majority. of this country believes in whether you. would consider yourself a Republican or.

a Democrat or an independent or you've. never voted in your life, you probably. still want a country where your water is. safe to drink and your children have. good schools and you're not going off to. wars that are unnecessary and we don't. have a draft. Most of us would agree on. these things and we've forgotten that in. the corners that we live in. Uh and I think we need to get back to. what being a real, you know, American is. and what it stands for in the world and. what it stands for in this country. And. so, I think that when I sit across from. someone that is so clearly a. propagandist, all I think is that here's. my job is to represent the American.

people here and sometimes the. representing the American people is me. but it's just being exhausted and uh. showing that uh on screen. I think. everybody everybody you channel. >> "What?" You're like, "And that's how. most people feel." So, I think I'm just. reflecting the American experience. 100%. I mean, you channel you channel. that exhaustion quite well. And I was. like trying to look trying to think of. the word for it and I think that that. the exhaustion is a is is is quite apt. >> We've had it. Does he talk to you in the green room?

Do you talk off set at all? Scott and I are not pals unfortunately. There are some people who. who are right-wing pundits who I think. really can listen and can take a point. and are interested in having a. discussion. I do not believe he remains. one of them. If there is possibly a time. that he was a classic conservative and I. think that is no longer the time that we. live in. Okay. Well, thank you for the service. that you're doing and thanks for. chatting with with Governor Spanberger. here and we appreciate we appreciate you.

and your time. So Brian, I'm really. excited for this. This is a big deal. We. have to get excited about this. This is. what we need to get out the vote for. This is the kind of fighting back that. we've wanted to do for so long and every. time we get the opportunity just get in. the freaking ring people. Start kicking. Awesome. Awesome. All right. Well, with. that said, I'm going to throw to I. believe we have the ranking member of. the House Oversight Committee and. and the co-host of Pod Save America. So. so let's talk about what this this. moment is really about and that is.

accountability. What we're seeing across. the country right now is not random. This is all a coordinated effort by. Donald Trump and Maga Republicans to. tilt the system, to lock in power, to. avoid being held accountable before. voters even have their say and that's. exactly why voting yes in Virginia. matters so much right now. So again, we're joined by these two voices who. have been on the front lines of calling. this out and helping millions of people. understand this moment and what's at. stake. Congressman Robert Garcia. represents the. represents the state of California where.

I am right now, serves as the Democratic. leader on the House Oversight Committee. holding the Trump administration. accountable day in and day out. And Jon. Favreau, former Obama speechwriter and. co-founder of Crooked Media whose work. through Pod Save America and beyond has. helped define how this generation talks. about politics, democracy, and what's at. stake. Also, a huge, huge, huge. influence in terms of what I do on a. daily basis. So, I appreciate both of. you guys being here. Do we have Robert Garcia? I think we are still maybe waiting on.

the ranking member, but but Favs, while. I have you, what does it mean what does. it mean to you to see not just. California, but now Virginia actually. step up? I mean, you were you know, you've worked in government and you have. seen. you've seen how Democrats have operated. for quite a long time here. Now this is kind of you know, some. actual action behind just the words. Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty pretty proud of. everyone who has who has stepped up and. including everyone who's who's watching,

who stepped up on Prop 15 in California, and now doing it again for yes for. Virginia. And. it is it is good to see Democrats. everywhere treat this with the urgency. that's required. You know, this started with what. Republicans were trying to do to rig the. map in Texas, but they of course haven't stopped. there. They did it in North Carolina and. Missouri. They are trying to do it in. Florida right now. So, while we have. made. quite a few gains.

through doing this in California and. other places, you know, Virginia is. going to be critical. to make sure that we that we you know, don't have a rigged map in the house and. we can really win back the house and. have a comfortable majority. Talk about the importance of a moment. like this, especially in light of the. fact that you know, we have the 2030. census around the corner. Yes. Well, the other thing is if this is. if this ends up being knock on wood. with everyone's efforts a wave election.

In a wave election, you want to make sure that you win not. just the majorities in each house, but. as many seats as humanly possible. because then. uh when we get to 2028 and uh hopefully. we elect a Democratic president, then we. want that president to make sure they. have working majorities in the House and. in the Senate and that they have enough. seats to actually pass the agenda that. they talked about passing and so that. we're not dealing with what honestly. what Trump dealt with with Mike Johnson.

um and a very slim majority over the. last couple years. You want you want a. bigger majority and winning these seats. now in 2026 ends up being a down payment. on um on 2028. What do you hope to see. overall? Like if you could wave a magic. wand and and dictate what what the the. whole country looks like in terms of. redistricting, what would you like to. see? What what is a more permanent. solution than kind of these scattershot. moves that we're making right now? I mean, to be honest, like a more.

permanent solution is uh if we have if. Democrats get the majority again, you. know, the the John Lewis Voting Rights. Act would have done away with all. partisan gerrymandering and we would. have independent redistricting all. across the country and um that is the. dream that you have uh independent. nonpartisan gerrymandering. Uh you have. nonpartisan maps in every state across. the union and so that you don't have to. have this race to the bottom that we're. engaging right now that Republicans. started. Do you think that there's a world where. if for the first time that I can.

remember, Republicans are getting a. taste of their own medicine. um where you know, they might redraw the. map in Texas, but you know, who knows. whether they're going to I mean, even in. the primary elections, we saw higher. turnout in those redrawn districts um. among Democratic voters than even. Republican voters. Of course, you know, California responded and we have five. districts in California. Now we're in a. situation where we might see four new. districts in Virginia um and and other. states, you know, may very well join. Um. do Do think that we're finally in a.

world where because we fought fire with. fire, Republicans might actually be. amenable to the prospect of. nationwide redistricting reform, like no. partisan gerrymandering whatsoever? Uh possibly, but um honestly, it it. won't really matter if they are or not. if we have if we have a working majority. to pass the legislation. As as it was back in like '21, um. we were you know, it was it was Joe. Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema who didn't. want to get rid of the filibuster so we. couldn't pass it. But if we have a.

majority in the House and a majority in. the Senate and we have enough senators. who are willing to get rid of the. filibuster or reform the filibuster for. this and we have a Democratic president. that can sign it into law, we can have. we can not just unrig maps permanently, but we can put in place all kinds of. reforms that will make our democracy. more democratic, which should you know, help for generations to come. So you have been doing really excellent. coverage of 2026 on Pod Save America, on. all of the Crooked Media properties. I.

would ask as far as the Senate prospects. look right now. I mean that was. something that I think if you asked us. 10 months ago, there is not a world in. which we would in which we would feel. bullish about, you know, the Senate in. 2026. Maybe the House, but now how do. you feel about the Senate as we head. toward November? I feel a lot better. I do feel like that now we've gotten to. this weird spot where I do think. Democrats chances in the Senate are. underrated. And look, it's it's not easy because.

to capture a Senate majority, we're. going to need Democratic candidates to. win in states that Trump won by 10. points, right? You. It's. It's not just North Carolina and Maine. and holding Georgia and Michigan, but it's also. two of four. Yeah, we need in Ohio and Alaska. >> Ohio, Alaska and Texas. And if we can. pick off two of those states, that means. the Democrats will have won in states. that they haven't won statewide in a.

very long time, that Donald Trump has. won. And but I think that Donald Trump's. approval rating now is. is low enough nationally that if it is. also under 50 in those states, then the. Democratic like I think that the. Democratic candidate's probably going to. get, I don't know, upwards of 85, 90% of. the anti-Trump vote, probably higher in. those states. And so if Trump's below 50. in some of those state, which I think he. is, then there's a really good shot, especially since we have excellent.

candidates in all those states. And. obviously some of the primaries haven't. played themselves out yet, but we had. just have good candidates across the. board. So it's a real it's a real. possibility. What state what state is your. are you most bullish on of those that. you listed? Um it's a good question. >> like well, let me let me ask. specifically. Texas feels like it has. always been the the eternal prize for. Democrats. Like we we've heard that if. we're able to flip Texas, like that that. upends the entire map, especially, you.

know, you and I were speaking about the. prospect of the census in 2030 being. such an impending problem for Democrats. And it's true. I mean California will. lose seats. A lot of, you know, we will. have some Northeastern states that are. going to lose seats and they're going. into these. you know, these these southern states or. Southeastern states. Um. do you feel how do you feel about Texas, you know, given the the the money that. James Carville just raised, given the. polling that we have seen out of that. state, given the fact that we have seen,

you know, not a single Republican flip a. Democratic seat, but plenty of Democrats. flip Republican seats, just all those combined. I think that Democrats are always sort. of accused of like, you know, dreaming. too big with Texas. And there's like, oh, you so much money and you're really. going to compete in Texas. And my view. on it is like we have to win Texas at. one of these one of these elections, and. it might as well be this one. Because um. with the census changes in 2030, um we. are going to need.

not just for the Senate, but for the. Electoral College, we're going to need. to flip Texas at some point. And so, even though it's expensive, even though. it's difficult, even though it's an. uphill climb, like we also have to. remember, too, that in 2018, you know, Beto came within 2 and 1/2 points of. winning in in that environment, and. that's a midterm environment. Uh it was. a blue wave. And if I think I think you. could argue we have an even better. political environment this time around. I think Texas may have gotten harder. just because of some demographic. changes, and because I think Republican.

rule in that state has um made it even. tougher to vote and tougher to flip. But, I think James Talarico is an. outstanding candidate. I think that um. he has raised so much money, and I feel. like if we are going to put our. resources somewhere that's not just for. 2026, but for the long term, then Texas. is the place to go. You know, I've heard about all of these. really talented young candidates. And. the first thing that I feel like I hear. online is like, oh, this guy this guy. has what it takes to be president. someday. This woman has what it takes to. be president someday. You know, every.

time Jon Ossoff speaks, every time. Raphael Warnock speaks, every time James. Talarico speaks, is there some worry. that you have when you see these really. talented candidates in these super. difficult to win Senate races that. you're like. that there's some worry that like, okay, but we need them in the Senate. Like, it's great that this this person is so. talented that they could ascend to the. highest you know, to the highest levels. of office, but then that also kind of. leaves us in in a in a rough spot. because now you have those people. potentially vacating those very seats. that we would need.

High class problems, Brian. High class I. know. That's going to say. I think we know, like I just I think we. need a lot of talent, right? We need We. need We need an abundance agenda for. talented Democratic candidates. And we. need them in the Senate. We need them. running for president, right? Like I. think it Look, at the end of the day, like you want really, really good. candidates, especially to run for Senate. because the Senate is so critical, and I. think that we are uh in an uphill climb. on the Senate, not just for reasons of, you know, Republican machinations, but. just because of the demographics and.

because of the way that the states are. set up, right? And so, um and because of. polarization and education divide and. rural, urban, all that kind of stuff. And so, we um we do, of course, need. really, really good candidates for the. Senate, but the most important thing is. to have is to elect a Democratic. president in 20 28. And so, if we can. field a lot of talent uh that's running. for the Senate now, and that it one of. those people end up being becoming a. great presidential candidate, that's. wonderful, because the most important. thing is to have a leader who can. inspire the whole country, bring the. whole country together, and win an.

election, so that Democrats can actually. start governing and changing people's. lives. Have you seen in terms of, like, you know, you guys do a lot of great. work on the ground as well, and it'll be. for every election, you and and and. Tommy and Lovett and Dan are always out. there knocking on doors. From folks that. you've heard in this in this, you know, period in this last year and a half, have you gotten new viewers, new. listeners to Pod Save America who have. been disaffected MAGA voters. um that are recognizing that they've.

been sold a bill of goods and are and. are politically homeless, but. recognizing the message that's being put. out by. the Abigail Spanbergers and Mike. Sherrills of the world, the Mondaires. and Mondanis of the world, all these. people who are picking up um the mantle. that was let go by Donald Trump when he. lied about uh an affordability agenda, you know, and and seeing these Democrats. who are actually making good on Trump's. failed promises. We definitely get this anecdotally. I. mean, I'm always surprised because I'm. like, oh, we've been doing this now for. you know, almost 10 years, and so I I'm.

always surprised when someone's like, oh, I just started listening to your. podcast. I mean, cuz and you know, but there's a. lot of people who I think I think you. get people who said they need to. >> the people who it's like the people who. watched Lost and like like I just. started watching Lost. It's really good. Man, man, have you ever heard of Mad. Men? And it's not like because I'm like I'm. like, oh, you just like if if you didn't. care about politics before, what it shows me is that people are. there's still people who haven't cared. about politics before or who haven't. been engaged in politics before who are.

now getting engaged in politics. And for. some people, by the way, it's oh, I. listened to you guys before in like 2017. and 2018 and then I had to take a break. because everything was so horrible and I. went away from it and we definitely have. noticed in the last year, especially. since or or last year and a half or. however long it's been since Trump took. office again, a big uptick in people who. are like coming back and are like maybe. I had to take a break, but now I'm back. or or a lot of younger people, too, people who are just like high school, college, and you know, I want to pay. attention to politics and I want to and. I or I like I saw you guys on I saw I.

they found us on Tik Tok Tik Tok or. Snapchat or Wait, man, did you did you. just age age the hell out of yourself. right there? I was going to say like and. Snapchat at the same time, which is. exactly what happened. Um, but it is. very funny when I'm like, that's where. you found us? You saw us You saw us on. Tik Tok and not on the pod. But that is. how like you're just getting younger. younger people who are paying attention. to politics um because they're coming of. age. In terms of like reaching specific. people, um has that has that um informed. how you do your show? Like have you made.

a conscious decision to say like, hey, I. know that um. I know that there is a whole group of. disaffected young men, for example, who. who were who were in Trump's coalition. and have since left his coalition. Has. that informed a little bit of of your. programming at Crooked? Not I mean, not really in how we talk. about politics because my view is um. you just. we I always want to talk about politics. and what's at stake and what's happening. in the news in a way that I would talk. to just about anyone off the street who.

I happen to meet. Um, and so like if you. if you if you see me in public and you. ask me about politics, I'll probably. talk about it like I talk about it on. the show. because I'm trying to practice what I. preach and I always preach that about. how Democratic politicians should be. talking more like that. So, I try to do. it as well. And so, you know, I do think we cover. those issues and we cover. some of the disaffected demographic. groups and where they're going and we. talk to pollsters and focus group folks. about. what they're thinking. But in terms of.

how we talk about politics, we try to do. it pretty similar no matter what we're. talking about. Or who we're talking. about. Well, look, I you know, I would highly. recommend for anybody who is watching. this right now, if you're not yet. subscribed to Pod Save America and and. any of the Crooked Media shows, it is a. huge influence on what I do. I would not. have started my channel without. listening to the work that you guys do. So, thanks thanks for all the work that. you're doing and thanks for taking a. little bit of time to hang with us. today. Thanks thanks for having me. Everyone vote yes. Early voting open two.

more days. If you're in Virginia, tell your. friends. If you're not in Virginia, tell. your friends who are in Virginia. So, go. for it. Some thanks, Favs. Okay, I want to I. want to move over to. to bring this conversation home because. accountability isn't just about. Washington. It's about what happens in. people's lives when the system stops. working for them. And we're joined by. two leaders who are seeing the real. world impact of this every single day. So, we have Congressman Bobby Scott who. is the Dean of Virginia's Congressional. Delegation, has spent decades fighting. to expand opportunity, strengthen public.

education, protect workers and families. across the Commonwealth. Also the. ranking member on the House Committee on. Education and and and workforce. Then we. have Congressman Suhas, I'm so sorry, I'm going to try not to butcher the last. name, Suber Suber. Subermaniam. I apologize. I know that's. that that that's a poor pronunciation. A. leader on economic growth, technology. and making sure government actually. works for working families. The first. ever South Asian American elected to. Congress from Virginia. So, thank you both. Do we have both of.

you? Awesome, we have both of you. Thank you. both for being here. Um Congressman, I apologize for for the. mispronunciation of your last name. Can. we get a proper pronunciation, please? I I didn't hear it, so it never. happened. It never happened. It's Subramanyam, like money. Suhas. Subramanyam. Awesome. Well, thank you so. much. I appreciate you both being here. Um so, I want to I want to jump in here. Um when accountability breaks down in. Washington, what does that mean for. people on the ground? Like, who feels it.

first? Uh well, the reality is the people feel it first. When Congress doesn't do its job, when. Congress attacks democracy, uh everyday people uh feel it. The. people who are on this call today feel. it. And the people in the White House. and in the administration feel it last. They feel it the least, and that's why. you see so many. uh people who um you know, say and do as. I say, not as I do, right? That's been. the motto of this administration. Uh we.

don't want mail-in balloting, but the. president can mail in his ballot, right? So, the people feel first, and that's. why we need to put the people first. And And uh Congressman Scott, do you do. you want to add to that just in terms of. the importance of accountability right. now? Sure. Um. you can you turn my camera on? Yeah, we can see you perfectly. Okay. Uh yeah, the the. when accountability, the first thing you. have to do is be able to ask questions.

Uh we can't get responses because we're. not in the majority. They don't bother. to answer. We don't have subpoena power. And because of the three votes they. stole in North Carolina in the last. election, they went from a 7-7. delegation to a 10-4 delegation and. stole our majority. If we had those. three seats back, we'd have 218, they'd. have 217. And people have asked, "What's. in this for blacks?" Well, they passed. the big ugly bill by those three votes. They took the health care, snap benefits. to give tax cuts to the wealthy. They.

passed the Save Act, the worst voter. suppression bill in recent history, with. those three votes. They They we did not. pass the War Powers Act to stop the war. because we didn't have those three. votes. And so, what we're doing is. leveling the playing field. Right now, they've redistricted and stolen five. votes in Texas, a couple here, a couple. there. They haven't finished. So, we're. just trying to level the playing field. So, if people care about the war, if. they care about ICE, if they care about.

accountability with health health care. and education and voting rights, we're. just asking people, don't guess, vote. yes. For you both, does this feel like a new. moment in Democratic politics? Um, you. know, I've I've spoken to to Jon. Favreau, a previous guest, about this. idea, or actually Lee, uh, PoliticsGirl, just prior to that, about this idea that. for for so long I have watched the. Democratic Party. for whom strongly worded letters was,

you know, the the the top of the. mountain, right? Um, does this feel like. a new moment where. there is actually going to be some sense. of fighting fire with fire? I'd like to. hear from both of you on that. If it isn't, it needs to be. Uh, this. needs to be the beginning, not the end, of us fighting back and making sure that. we act like this isn't normal times. We. can't be doing normal things as a. result. Uh, as a nor Would we normally. be pushing for a referendum like this. mid-decade? No, but President Trump. started this fight and we're going to.

end it, right? And we need to continue. to do that across the board, in. legislation, in Capitol Hill, uh, on the. streets, uh, making sure that people. know that the Republican Party, especially, knows that we will not roll. over when they break norms or break the. rules. Well, and Brian, this is this is simple. We're doing exactly what they're doing. They've gotten all mad about uh, what. we're doing. We're doing exactly what. they're doing. We're redistricting. midterm. They did took five seats in. Texas. They have the majority today.

because they took seats in North. Carolina in the last election. And all. we're doing is asking to level the. playing field. And I think we. going from. going to 10 to 1 in Virginia. will put a stop to it because they'll. know that if they try this again, they're going to get smacked worse than. they uh worse than they. started. And we're going to win this. election because people recognize that. we can't keep up we can't protect health. care, we can't protect education, we.

can't fight we can't fight against the. war if they keep stealing seats. We. That's why this is so important that we. level the playing field. And I think. people recognize that they have an. opportunity to fight fire with fire. For both of you, have you heard from. your Republican colleagues about the. bill of goods that's been sold to their. audience? That their supporters, their. voters, I mean, the entire MAGA agenda. was predicated on this idea that there. was going to be a focus on America.

first, that people's health care would. be taken care of, that food assistance. would be taken care of, that costs would. be down. And we've seen the polar. opposite. We have seen health care get. gutted, we've seen food assistance get. cut, we've seen prices surge as the. direct result of this trade war. And. now, all of this funding that was. promised to Americans as part of this. America first agenda is being sent. overseas by the billions on a daily. basis to drop bombs in the Middle East. If you look at the cost of this war,

what we could have done with the money. They're asking for 200 billion dollars. in terms of education and health care, it the every year to. fund the enhanced tax credits under the. Affordable Care Act. That's costing. millions of people their insurance and. restoring the Medicaid cuts for a year. We could do We could restore all of the. health care cuts. We could fund daycare, the kinds of things that uh.

uh President Trump said we can't do cuz. we're fighting a war, like Medicaid or. Medicare or daycare, the little. individual things as he called them. No, we we have a choice that we can fight. this war of choice or we can address the. needs of the American people and I hope. they're not fooled because I You should. not be surprised with what he's doing. Thanks to. >> to Republicans on Capitol Hill and I'll. tell you that they're either in denial, they've forgotten the very things they.

said last year. I I I There's. Republicans who lectured me last year. about Joe Biden's interference in. foreign wars and uh they had a point at. times, but I'll tell you this that uh. now they're okay with foreign wars. Now. they're okay with intervention in the. Middle East, right? All of a sudden uh. they have uh that reasoning and uh the. I don't think a lot of their. constituents are buying it either, frankly. I I I saw a couple Republicans. at the No Kings Rally the other day. I. hear Republicans, uh people who voted.

against me are voting yes on this. referendum. Uh the tide is turning and. Virginia sent a message last November uh. when Abigail Spanberger was elected. resoundedly and now we're going to send. another message next week uh that we. mean business and the country's turning. Well, you know, the interesting part. about that is in the aftermath of. California's Prop 50 election, which is. along very very very much the same. lines, we saw quite a few Republicans. who had defected um even in this state. I mean, you know, it's.

We've seen a number of Republicans who. decided to vote in favor of that. referendum, you know, it in line with. what you're saying right now. And and uh. and so I think that this is a good a. good test case of what's happening where. all of these people who recognized the. con that they've been sold are looking. for you know to to take power away from. the party. that they had helped put in power and. instead put it in the hands of people. who are actually delivering for their. constituents. With that said I want to. I want to bring in one person here.

Suzanne Lambert wants to ask one quick. question and and we'll bring her in. Suzanne you you you here? Let's see. I think she is just joining right now. All right. Hey Suzanne. Hi, how are you? Good. All right, floor is yours.

Good to see y'all. I'm in Berlin right. now. So it's almost 2:00 a.m. But this. was so important. I couldn't miss it. So great to see you all. And my question. that I would love to ask y'all as a. Virginia resident obviously this is. really important to me. This is. important to everyone in our country, but I think especially Virginians are. trying to understand given what we've. seen Donald Trump do to. sow carnage and hysteria across the. United States. Why is redistricting in.

Virginia. particularly so important in this. moment? Well I'll start off by saying that if. you're going to hold them accountable if. you're going to slow them up we can't. allow the Republicans to add to their. vote total to a point where we. can't catch up with them. Some of the. experts are saying there's only 12. tossed up districts in the country. Maybe 20 maybe 30. If they're stealing.

five in Texas one here one there they've. got. Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida still. being considered. If they add those to. the mix, we'll never catch up. They. passed the big ugly bill by just a. handful of votes, the Voting Rights Act. suppression under the Save Act, they. passed that by just a little bit. The. War Powers Act we didn't pass. All of. that because they stole three votes in. the last election and now they're going. five here, two there, one there, one.

there, one there and and unless we level. the playing field, we will never be able. to rein in the Imperial presidency. because the Republicans won't even ask. questions. about what he's doing. Yeah, I agree and I'll just add, you. know, if we don't even the playing field. next week, that's the difference between getting. people affordable health care, getting. food assistance back to kids, getting school lunches back, all the.

things that we've lost, all of the. things the Republicans have done, all. the investigating that needs to be done. of President Trump and his. administration's corruption, it's all on. the line. I mean, this could be the. difference of three seats in November. and so this could be the election. So, if people have want to know what to do. about it, they ask me every day, "What. are you going to do about Trump's. chaos?" Well, from now until Tuesday, call your friends in Virginia. If you. are in Virginia, tell your neighbors. Go out there, join our team because this.

is everything going into November. Yeah, and what what have you heard from. Virginians as you've been talking to. them about it? They were confused at first, I'll be. honest. They didn't understand why we. needed to do this and then they saw lies. from Republicans about how Barack Obama. doesn't support this, how Abigail. Spanberger wants us to vote no. Well, that those were lies and so what we did. and what this campaign did was we.

cleared up those lies and now. Democrats and even Republicans who don't. want Trump controlling our Congress. anymore are coming out in full force and. they're telling people to vote yes. And. yes means a check on Donald Trump and. yes means that people will have power. and will have a Congress that listens to. them again. And you know how weak the opposition is. if they have to resort to lies. Most of. their money. in mailing is sent on lies. But Rocco. Barabara, Abigail Spanberger.

misrepresenting their their position and. that's why we're and and I've been. delighted to see that most people are. not confused. They're offended and can't. wait to get to the polls. So we just. tell them don't guess, vote yes. Yeah, I got one of those flyers myself. and it looked really nice in the bottom. of my trash can. So thank you both so. much for speaking with me about this and. everything that you're doing for. Virginia.

Awesome. And thank you Suzanne for. staying up late with us. I hope that you. will drink drink something in our honor. out there. So. >> Oh, you know I've gotten that I've got. that locked and loaded. We're. good there. >> That I do know. All right. Thank you all. I appreciate I. appreciate you taking the time. I want. to introduce now Tevin Davis, a digital. communicator who has built a major. following by blending humor, sharp. political insight and cultural. commentary to connect with audiences. that traditional media often misses. We know that you've seen his Kamala.

videos. So Tevin, it's it's an honor to to be able to. introduce you here. Let's see. Do we have Tevin here? It's away. Awesome. Yeah, do it right. Am I on. here? Did I do it right? My God. >> We can see you, we can hear you. Thanks.

so much. That's it. Glad to be seen and not. viewed. My God today. Thank you, Lord. All right, Tevin. The floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Brian. It is wonderful to be here. Hi, everybody. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. I am deeply honored, first. of all, to be able to share space and to. be able to lend my voice to this. collective fight alongside so many. leaders and organizers and history. makers. who have dedicated their lives to moving. this country forward. It is truly, truly.

an honor. to be here in this moment with all of. you. And it can only be summed up by me. saying, "My God today." So, my name is. Tevin Davis. I'm an actor, political. content creator. Many of you may know me. for my impersonations of former former. Vice President Kamala Harris. And I was contestant on season 46 of. Survivor. And I wanted to say that right now, we. are all playing a game of Survivor. Not. in Fiji, but right here in America. Now, in the game of Survivor, it's not just. about who is the strongest or the. loudest. It is about who is the most.

strategic. Who can read the room and. anticipate what's coming next. The best. players don't react, they study. They. ask, "What is my opponent's next move? And why is it their next move?". So, when Donald Trump started this. redistricting fight, what was his best. move and why? When he called North. Carolina, when he called Florida, when. he called Texas, when he called. Missouri, why? Why are they trying to. redraw the maps all across the country? Because they are anticipating the will. of the people. They're anticipating. losing power because they know they are.

unpopular. I mean, the health care cuts, you have this war of choice in Iran, you. have ICE terrorizing our communities, gas is so high, you got to get on a. payment plan just to fill the tank up. And instead of changing their behavior, they change the maps. They started this, and Virginia is responding. Virginia has. recognized what is coming next after. this. and attempt to rig the system and. to tilt the playing field and and and to. silence voices before the voices can.

actually speak. And so instead of. waiting until it's too late, Virginia is. acting right now. But Virginia has. already shown what happens when we fight. back. We did it in November. We elected. our first female governor, Abigail. Spanberger, who I have started calling. Abigail Spanberger because every time I. turn around, she is signing a new bill. fighting for Virginians. I mean, sign, Madam Governor, sign. But we have. elected leaders like Ghazala Hashmi. We. sent a blue wave through Virginia that. didn't just stop here, but swept across. the country. That wasn't a fluke, it was. a rebuke. And I wanted to remind you all.

of how that felt, that hope, that joy, because I have the profound belief that. joy is resistance. That's why everything. I do is rooted in joy, in hope, in. optimism, because they are afraid of a. people who believe in the promise of. tomorrow more than the fear of. yesterday. So, so so so, right now, Virginia, this is your moment. Uh this is your. time to stand up and fight back. This is. your time to vote yes and remind this. regime once again that your voice is.

your power. Like I've said, we are all. playing Survivor now, and in that game, there are advantages and there are. immunity idols. We've got those two, they just look a little differently. Our. advantages are our kindness, our. clarity, and our connection. Our. immunity idols are our empathy and our. love. Those are the things that keep us. grounded and keep us uh protected and. allow us to take care of one another. Because the people are tired. There's so. much happening every single day you wake. up and turn on the news. Oh my goodness. And no one person can carry it all. Everybody can't do everything, but if.

everybody does something, then. everything gets done. As I've said over. and over and over again, it has to be. everything everywhere all at once. So, if you can donate and help Virginia get. across the finish line, please do it. If. you can volunteer, please do it. If you. can knock on doors and you can make. calls and talk to your neighbors and. offer somebody a ride or make someone. you know help someone make a plan and. find their polling location, please do. it because it is going to take all of. us. And Virginians, it's in your hands.

So when you say yes, understand what you. are saying. You are saying yes to your. voice, yes to your power, yes to. protecting the will of the people, and. at the very same time you are telling. Donald Trump and his allies loud and. clear, "Hell, no." Virginia, please, please, please vote yes. And now. it is also my immense, and I mean. immense, honor and privilege to. introduce.

someone that has inspired me, the first black attorney general of the. United States of America. I would like. to introduce the. Eric Holder. Sir, are you there? Somebody's calling my name. Yes. Can you hear me, Attorney General? I think I see him.

Look, I ain't got no power. I'm just. waiting. I think you're there. We just got to get. the. camera on. Listen, AG, hold on. I'mma give you a. nice See, I I want you to have a nice. big intro. So I'mma give you the intro. again. It is now my immense honor and. privilege to introduce the first black. attorney general of the United States of.

America. My God. Sir Eric Holder. How you doing, sir? All right. I'm doing just fine. Thank you, Tevin, for that really. nice introduction. How are you doing. tonight? Listen, I'm blessed. I woke up. this morning and that is all that I can. ask for. That's all that I can keep on. fighting and uh use my voice. It is an. honor to introduce you. It is an honor. to to, you know, be with you and to. share space with you, sir. And uh I. wanted to uh ask you something because, you know, you have uh.

been warning. about this for years and years and. years. And so, what I wanted to ask you. is simple. Are we watching in real time Donald. Trump and his allies try to rig the. system? Is that what we're seeing? Okay, Kevin. Kevin, I couldn't hear all. that you were asking me there. Um.

so, I'm going to just say thanks for. asking me that important question. There you go. There you go. Can you hear. me, AG? Can you hear me now? >> want to thank Brian. for hosting us. uh tonight. I also want to thank. everybody who's joining us. I know there. are. you know, there are many causes and. organizations that are asking for your. time. this year. Uh I appreciate you're. sharing yours with Virginians for Fair. Elections. And I promise you, this is. time. um well spent. This is This is really. critical work to preserve free and fair. midterm elections and to protect our.

democracy. Uh you know, I. for several years now that. the comfort within the Republican Party. holding on. to power. You know, the cost of bending. or breaking. rules of our democracy. And we see it. played out like, you know, almost daily. in the White House, um in in the Congress, and we see too. often in the United States Supreme. Court. You have to look no further. than the racist I want. to emphasize that. The racist and. dishonest campaign being run against. Virginia referendum and using images of. clansmen in white hoods and falsely.

suggesting that Barack Obama and. Governor Spanberger oppose this measure. No, that it's totally wrong and what. they're doing it is deeply. cynical. They're deliberately lying to encourage. people to vote no. or to depress the turnout. because they know that if our people. show up. we win. They're trying to cheat the American. people and especially black voters. in order to avoid. avoid accountability at the ballot. ballot box and it's not. only wrong, it's also un-American and.

that's why what. what we're doing is so terribly. important. Since last summer Republicans in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina have rammed. through new gerrymanders to give. themselves an unfair advantage in the. midterms. They did so because their highest. priority is serving in interest of. Donald Trump. In Florida, Governor DeSantis is. pushing the legislature right now to. redraw their already gerrymandered map. and they want to try to steal. up to five more seats. Now, unlike in.

those states. politicians are shutting the people out. of. the process, you. you, the people of Virginia, have the final say on what what your map. is going to look like. I believe we have a chance to retake our. House of Representatives. I believe. Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, and the rest of the crowd believe it, too. They are scared. They're scared. Otherwise, they would not have. driven us into this mess. They don't. think that they can win a fair. fair fight. We will only be successful if Virginians.

fight back. You have the power to level the playing. field and. restore fairness in the upcoming. congressional elections. And this I want. to em-. emphasize, this is a temporary measure. for an extraordinary moment. A temporary measure for an extraordinary. moment. It's your opportunity. to tell the White House and all of. Trump's enablers in the Republican Party. that you have. enough. Enough of the lying, enough of. the cheating, enough of the. incompetence, all of the things they're. trying to do. So so here's the deal.

What happens in Virginia will change the. course of the country. No pressure. Pressure builds. It will change the. course of the country. going to heal and ultimately strengthen. our democracy. We cannot allow this. president two more years of unchecked. power. and zero accountability. Think about that. Two more years. Now, look, there are no miracles. There. are no saviors. It's on us. It's on us, the people, to chart a. better path forward. And early voting. is available for two more days,

tomorrow, Saturday, April 17th and 18th, and. election day, next Tuesday, May 21st. If you don't know where to vote, go to. IWillVote.com/VA. for polling locations. I will. vote.com/VA. for polling. locations. Just. We have just a few more days left to. go in this election. So, I hope you will. all do everything that you can between. now and election. day on April 21st to ensure that. Virginia votes yes. So, go knock on doors. Um, bring someone.

with you. Share with your network. Make it a. moment. Make sure. that you and your friends and families. have a plan to vote. You know, I even say it's people you don't like. Convince them to go and vote. Everybody. you can talk to, everybody you can. impress. with the fact that democracy is. democracy is at stake, that we don't want two more years of. unchecked Donald Trump. That's. what this is is all about. I'm confident. that we.

will get out there and do that which we. can. We'll win this thing. That I guess I'll hand it back to Brian. Awesome. Well, I want to thank you both. Thank you so much for for both of you. being here, Attorney General Holder and. Tevin. Thank you guys. Couldn't couldn't. couldn't couldn't have done a better. job, so I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. It's a pleasure. Thank you. Fight back, Virginia. Awesome. Well, joining us now is going. to be Senator Mark Warner. Senator. Senator Warner has served Virginia for. decades first as governor where he.

helped turn around the state's economy. and now is Virginia's senior US Senator. where he serves as the chair of this of. the Senate Intel Committee. He's been at. the center of protecting national. security and safeguarding American. democracy from both foreign and domestic. threats. Senator, it's great to have. you. Um I'm also glad to be joined by. Adam Mockler, one of the fastest growing. Gen Z political voices in the entire. country and a friend of mine. reaching millions through direct on the. ground reporting and commentary that. connects especially with young voters.

who are shaping the future of this. country. So, um Adam and and Senator, we. have you both here. I'll leave it I'll. leave it up to you guys. Thanks so much. Thank you so much, Brian. Thank you to. all the great hosts of this event. I. don't think there's anybody better to. explain the on the ground stakes of. what's happening in Virginia than. Virginia Senator Mark Warner. Thank you. so much for the time, Senator. Let's. just start off really broad. Can you lay. out the stakes. this upcoming midterms for why Democrats. need to regain power, why we need to.

make sure that Donald Trump doesn't use. tricks to steal it, and why we need to. defeat their redistricting attempts. What are the broad stakes here? Well, broadly, Adam, um. we have an administration that has gone. totally rogue. We are 48 days into a war with Iran. where we have not accomplished any of. what Trump wanted. The regime is worse. We have no ability to get the enriched. uranium. They still have ballistic. missiles. They've closed the Strait of.

Hormuz. And you know, and Americans are. paying the price for that, not just at. the gas pump, but on everything they. buy. And the reason this came about. uh in in many ways is not just you know, Trump's current decisions, but the fact. that in 2022. Donald Trump stole three seats in North. Carolina without a lot of attention, which was the margin. that actually could have made Hakeem our.

speaker right now as opposed to coming. next year, but also in terms of the. awful bill that's cut health care in in. my state, we have rural hospitals up to. 10 closing, and we have literally 80,000 Virginians. who've lost food assistance. We have. hundreds of thousands who are going to. lose Medicaid, and that was all because. the Republican Party under Donald Trump. cheated. in North Carolina. They have then. cheated again in Texas. We in Virginia.

have always supported bipartisan. redistricting, but not when the other. side pummels us. with unfair practices. So, we in. Virginia. have a the chance to level the playing. field. to make sure we vote by Tuesday the. 21st. We have a chance to gain a number. of seats, and shout-out. to the leaders of the Virginia. legislature like Louise Lucas and our. great speaker Don Scott. And all this.

will say and I say to my Virginia. friends who. um are saying like, "Well, we're. changing rules." Yes, we're changing. rules only because. the other side frankly cheated. And in. Virginia, unlike North Carolina or. Texas, we are giving the voters the. final say. So, we level the playing field. Not only can we potentially Not only can. we make sure we make Hakeem uh Jeffries. the speaker, we can level on health. care, but the rogue president on.

national security issues, as the former. chair and hopefully future chair of the. Intelligence Committee, our country's. reputation and our how we are viewed. around the world is fraying at every. effort, and you know, in many ways, I. don't want to overhype, but this. election on Tuesday in terms of. regaining the opportunity to level the. playing field in Virginia, is as. important as anything that's going on. this whole year. Very well said, and Governor Spanberger. has been doing an amazing job passing.

legislation in Virginia and pushing. forward an affirmative message. I guess. we've learned over the past few years. that MAGA was just a sophisticated. marketing scheme for the same old. Republican policies, right? Cut taxes. for the rich, cut benefits for the most. vulnerable, then go to war with a. country that starts with IRA while. ballooning our debt every single year. Over and over, Republicans do the same. thing. But, Democrats are finally. regaining their foothold, especially in. your state of Virginia. It feels like. Governor Spanberger is doing a great. job. Can I ask you, what do you think. Democrats should be standing for on the.

national stage? It's very easy to be. against Trump all the time. What should. we be standing for affirmatively? Well, what I believe we should be standing for. uh is number one, universal health care. We will never bring down health care. cost until we get to universal health. care. And unfortunately, we've now seen. a retreat on those efforts um because of. the awful bill, again, the margin being. the seat stolen by redistricting in. North Carolina. Number two, um and I'm a.

tech guy, uh but I think we need to make. sure that artificial intelligence and AI. is done fairly. We've got to make sure. the grid is not overburdened by uh. driving up utility costs. And And I am. obsessed about making sure that. particularly young people. um coming out of college, having done. everything right, are going to have. jobs, and that's going to require an an. an ability to bring in the AI.

guys and help help us get through this. transition, but also help us pay for it. And it's also going to require us to. actually restore what is kind of an. America's secret sauce. I say this as a. former business guy and as as again the. vice chair of the Intelligence. Committee. Uh the world is stronger when we have. strong American leadership. That's moral. leadership. Instead of a president that. you know, frankly insults everybody in.

the world, even insults the Pope, uh even you know, is is willing to call out our friends. awful names. We have to restore American. leadership and honestly when we take. control of the house and I believe we. can also take control of the Senate, we'll finally put some guardrails on a. president that so far has operated. without guardrails to the point that. even my I. and I say this as somebody who's. you know, I know some of you have been. mad cuz they always try to be.

bipartisan, but I have given up. on my Republican friends until they find. a backbone, until there is a return of a. legitimate Republican party away from a. group of Trump sycophants. Um we have one goal and that is kick. their ass. Very, very well said. What do you think. the risk is of Donald Trump shaking up. the global order in the way that he has. been? I've been thinking about this a. lot, especially after the Strait of. Hormuz incident, when it seems like he's. legitimizing a type of ruling where.

countries with missiles on their coast. can just point those missiles at that. strait and then extort them. Like for. example, my friend was saying that. Malaysia, if they wanted to, could start. extorting the Strait of Malacca, Denmark, the Baltic Sea. He's plunging. us into a global order. where. power is the only thing that rules. What. do you see the risk as to the global. order with a president who is just only. ruling like this? Adam, the risk, I mean, I don't Listen, I don't want to bum people out, but you.

know, we have a regime now in Iran. that's worse than what it was 48 days. ago. We have their uranium enriched. uranium that would require tens of. thousands of American troops on the. ground. They still have drones and. missiles. They still have literally. control the Strait of Hormuz. There was. a reason why for 47 years the Iranian. leadership has been awful. First, we. acknowledge that. But why responsible. presidents of both parties, including.

Donald Trump, would not enter into this. kind of war without some allies and a. plan? It has been. beyond embarrassing and as we start to. see, you know, nations around the world, I. you know, it it's I say this with some. trepidation and full acknowledgement my. on my mom's side, my my grandparents. were Canadian. It's hard to piss off the. Canadians. But we have so pissed off the Canadians. that their leadership thinks that China. may be more dependable partner than.

America. That does not make America. safer. America's special sauce is not just our. military and our strong economy. It is. the fact that we have had for the most. part. leadership that is driven by strong. morals, by a commitment to freedom and. democracy. All of that is at stake and I know these. lofty ideals when we're talking about a. registering battle, but they are all. intertwined. and an unleashed. unguarded Donald Trump.

um we've seen the damage done already. If he was somehow able to continue. without any checks, you know, this first year and a half. would pale in comparison to what he. could do going forward. So, to my. friends in Virginia, we have to do our. part for those of us those who are. listening nationally, um I know we ask. you for a lot on a lot of races, but. there is no place where your dollar, your effort, your energy can be better.

spent than over the next 5 days making. sure we come out of Virginia with a fair. level playing field approach. And let me. just quickly add for all of us who are. you know, policy nerds as I am and I. know you are as well and you know, we're. more than willing to go back to. independent redistricting. I actually. believe we ought to have a federal law. that says independent redistricting with. no ability. to change mid mid-decade. But.

for too long we have not fought fire. with fire. It is time for us to load up. and fight with everything we've got. because literally not just the future of. our country, but. and not to overstate, but whether there. will be a a democracy going forward is. all at stake. Very well said. Just to wrap it up, I. always say that norms in a democracy. work like consent. If you want consent. to work meaningfully, you need both. parties working together in tandem. If. you want norms in a democracy to work, you need both parties working in tandem.

When we repeatedly see Republicans drag. us to new lows and break every single. norm in the book with Supreme Court. nominations, with elections being quote. unquote stolen as they say, then it's. time for Democrats to say, "Hey, we're. going to neutralize your redistricting. efforts." So, it's so nice to see. Democrats fighting back. Thank you, Senator Warner. Thank you, Brian as. well. Thank you, Adam. Thank you, and thank. you, Brian. Appreciate you both being here. Thank. you so much. Um before we move on, just. a quick reminder for folks, if you live. in Virginia, make your plan to vote yes. right now at Iwillvote.com/va.

Find your polling place. You can lock in. your plan. You can get the whole thing. done. And for everybody watching, you. can help decide this election from. wherever you are. You don't need to be. in Virginia. All you got to do is scan. the QR code on your screen. That way you. can volunteer. You can make calls. You. can chip in. We're mobilizing voters in. real time and we absolutely need you in. this fight. Okay, moving on to our next. guest here. Joining us now is House. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. As. leader of the House Democrats, he.

represents the highest-ranking. Democratic voice in Congress. He's been. leading the charge to push back against. extremism and defend Democratic. institutions. Represents Brooklyn, New. York, which is where I was born, and has. built a national profile as a forceful. advocate for protecting voting rights. and ensuring fairness in our political. system. Leader Jeffries, thank you for. joining us. Leader Jeffries is joined by David. Pakman, who is one of the most widely. viewed progressive political voices in. the country. Um a major inspiration for. me and my show. Uh he's been breaking.

down politics for audiences online long. before most people even knew what a. YouTube political channel was. So, uh. thank you both for being here. Floor is. yours. Thanks so much, Brian. Leader Jeffries, great to see you. You know, last time. you and I spoke, we talked about the. desire to do things now. in advance of the November elections and. what ultimately will hopefully be. Republicans losing power in advance of. 2028. I I can't help but think about.

what's going on nationally and of course. in so many states with regard to to. redistricting. as an example of something we can do. right now and we can directly push back. against what this administration is. trying to do. Talk a little bit about. where you think this strategy fits into. the next two and four years. Well, thank you so much. Uh David, great. to be with you and thank you, Brian, of. course. uh for convening us all. You're. absolutely right. You know, we're.

involved in fighting one battle after. another. and pushing back against the extremism. that Donald Trump has unleashed along. with Republicans on the American people. in advance of the November midterm. elections. We build up to that. Uh but. voting yes on this referendum. on or before April 21st. and ensuring uh that we're doing. everything possible to have a fair. national map. is going to impact what the policy.

landscape looks like for years if not. generations to come because what. Republicans were trying to do. led by Donald Trump was to gerrymander. the national congressional map so they. could rig the midterm elections. and hold on to power. even though their extreme policies are. being rejected by the American people. And so this is a critical. step forward for the people of the. Commonwealth of Virginia but it has.

national and international implications. because we can cut Donald Trump's. presidency in half legislatively. and also in terms of our ability. to aggressively hold these extremists. accountable. but that's going to require us to win. back the house. And Republicans are trying to stop that. from happening not by convincing the. American people. that the Republican policies are making.

their life better, it's not. It's making their life worse. They're trying to steal the midterm. election. And the centerpiece of that. was Republicans gerrymandering. congressional maps in red states across. the country which is why it's been so. important for us to be able to. forcefully respond. as was done to get this thing started in. California. and as is now being done in Virginia. It's it's really struck me as I was.

preparing to talk to you today that. we're not hearing or seeing a strategy. from Republicans of hey, let's convince. people to vote for us on the merits of. what we've done. There there's no let's. convince them that gas price is up 55%. since January 15th is a great thing and. they should vote for more of it in. November. Let's convince them that the. way that we've now gone into multiple. military engagements without. congressional approval is awesome and.

it's what we promised. And no, they're. doing things like trying to win by. making it harder for people to vote and. redrawing maps and this sort of thing. One of the things I know my audience. wants is accountability. And it seems to. me that part of that is getting. Democrats oversight power back in. November. And a prerequisite of that. would be making sure that they can't. steal an election. So for me, this is. this is all connected. Tell me if you.

agree disagree. Yeah, I absolutely agree. And what we've. seen from these Republicans is that. instead of functioning like a separate. and co-equal branch of government. as part of the checks and balances of. our system. where it's the responsibility. of the Congress. to hold an out-of-control administration. accountable. for doing things that either violate the. law as we've seen from this.

administration consistently. or even just making their life worse, not better. Through things like this reckless and. costly war of choice in the Middle East, which as you pointed out. has resulted in. life getting more expensive for the. American people, particularly as it. relates to gas prices. And then the Republicans in the House. are just functioning as if they are. wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump. cartel.

And just a reckless rubber stamp for. Donald Trump's extreme agenda. And our promise to the American people. is that we will be a check and balance. on this out-of-control administration. And. hopefully the American people can see. that while we will focus, of course, on. affordability and that part of the. agenda, we have an accountability responsibility. as well. And we are already running some of these. extremists out of town.

In the minority, we've run. Kristi Noem out of town. We've run Pam. Bondi out of town. We're working on Pete. Hegseth next. And these people are deeply unqualified. They never should have been confirmed by. the Senate, unfortunately, but the Republicans again behaving. like wholly owned subsidiaries of the. Trump cartel as opposed to exercising. independent judgment. We're going to end those days. on January 3rd having taken back. the House. But to get there, we have to.

ensure that there's a fair national. congressional map as part of ensuring. that there's a free and fair election. And then on the other side of it, we're. going to make clear we don't work for. Donald Trump. We don't work for J.D. Vance. We don't work for their. billionaire donors. We work for the American people. Our viewers can scan the QR code in the. low lower left of the screen to get more. information about how they can get. involved in this. Uh you know, one of. the things that um my audience is very. interested in and in fact I spoke with.

Governor Governor Newsom about this. recently is what is going to happen to. the Republican Party at the end of this. presidency and will Trump even be in a. position to choose his heir or will he. be so embroiled in oversight and. investigations and accountability that. he will be too diminished to do that? Well, that depends on what happens in. November. But as we work backwards, whether that happens in November depends. on a lot of these individual questions. like what California voters had before.

them just a few months ago. And now this. situation in Virginia is another example. of that. So, I I think it would be. important to tell our our audience that. while we're talking today about Virginia. and on another day it was about other. states, these are all pieces in getting. us to a point where the Republican Party. is not able to even put together a. serious candidacy in 2028. Yeah, absolutely. It's all part of the.

same continuum. And of course, I'm. thankful. to the Texas Democrats who fought back. courageously. and in breaking quorum, in leaving the. state, cast a spotlight on what Republicans. were trying to do that then, you know, lit a spark that spread like. wildfire all across the country to say, "No, we're not going to step back. We're. going to fight back.". And push back against these extremists. aggressively and not let them.

gerrymander any hope of taking back the. majority out of existence. And then we. fought back hard with Prop 50 in. California. We pushed them back in Ohio. We won litigation in Utah. to pick up a seat that they had stolen. from us. at the beginning of the decade by. gerrymandering. a congressional district in the Salt. Lake City area. We stopped them in New. Hampshire. We stopped them in Nebraska.

We stopped them. in Kansas and we stopped them in. Indiana. Now, we're responding. forcefully. in Virginia. And I want to thank Governor Spanberger, Speaker Scott, Leader Soroval, and all of the members. of the Virginia General Assembly in. partnership with the Virginia. Congressional Delegation. uh for creating this opportunity where. the people can decide. who actually represents them in. Congress,

not Donald Trump. And when we take back control of the. house, the dominoes will begin to fall. And. Donald Trump is very weak right now. But we need to see a tangible. manifestation of that in the midterm. elections. Which would mean. the house majority on the Republican. side. these sycophants, corrupt in many ways, who just been doing Donald Trump's. bidding, and Trump is running the. largest pay-to-play scheme in the.

history of the world right now. All of. them have to be held accountable, and. they will. That. that the sycophants aren't rewarded for. their extreme behavior. That the American people decisively make. clear, "We're done with Donald Trump, and we're done with them.". And then, of course, in the next 2 years. it'll be our responsibility to work as. hard as we can to get stuff done, to. keep our promises, to focus on driving.

down the high cost of living, and fixing. our broken health care system, and. preparing for that 2028 election. But. listen, J.D. Vance, who appears to be. the heir apparent, he's not had a good. week. The guy failed in terms of the. peace. deal that he was sent over to Pakistan. to negotiate that. Fell apart. J.D. Vance was campaigning. for Viktor Orbán. And that guy got crushed by the people. of Hungary.

And then, you know, J.D. Vance is put into a. position by his boss. that he's got to defend Donald Trump's. attack. on Pope Leo of all. people. So, they really got nothing to. come after Donald Trump, and Donald. Trump is so weak right now, he's falling. apart. Uh but we can take nothing for granted. And we keep our foot on the gas pedal. And voting yes on April 4th April 21st. to stop this.

mega power grab is going to be a. significant step in the right direction. toward ending this national nightmare. and continuing our country's march. toward a more perfect union. And it does seem as though there are. cracks like we haven't seen before in. the mega sphere. I mean just in looking. at videos from. the turning point rally event. where you had a crowd cheering the idea.

of impeachment hearings about Donald. Trump not something you would normally. expect. They they interviewed young. voters in the hallways and they were. saying listen we believed Trump when he. said he was the anti-war candidate. This. is not what we signed up for. We. believed Trump when he said all of these. prices are going to come down. They've. gone in the opposite direction. I'm not. here to pretend that he's he's lost his. base but a lot of these sort of softer. supporters or newer supporters do seem. to be looking and saying this is not. what we signed up for.

Absolutely right and even I think it's. important for. everyone to. process. that when. if there's modest erosion. it finishes them off. on the other side and there's certainly. every reason to believe that there is. modest erosion that is underway right. now. Donald Trump promised to lower. costs on day one. Costs haven't gone. down, they've gone up. Donald Trump said.

that he wasn't going to be a president. who started wars. He was going to be a. president who stopped wars. And then he got us into a reckless. costly war of choice in the Middle East. spending billions of dollars a day to. drop bombs in Iran but won't spend a. dime. to make sure that everyday Americans can. go. afford to see a doctor when they need. one. It's the same guy who also. promised. in all of his administration that they. were going to release the Epstein files,

and now he's doing everything he can to. block the release. of more than 3 million documents. that are part. of the Epstein files. And so, we've got. one broken promise after another. And this is, in our view, impacting. uh some of the enthusiasm that. previously existed. amongst his base of base. And now, in. election after election after election, what we've been seeing now Democrats. have been winning elections now for 16. consecutive months.

starting with an Iowa special election. for a state Senate seat in late January, running all the way through what just. happened in Wisconsin, a swing state. that Donald Trump won, where we won the. state Supreme Court race by 20 points. Extraordinary. And then having won in. deep red Texas in January of this year, deep red Louisiana in February of this. year, and then deep red Florida. In. fact, Mar-a-Lago is now represented by a. progressive Democrat, which is an.

extraordinary thing. Got to love that. So, there's already a lot of evidence. that there's been erosion from people. who believed Donald Trump, but he lied to them. It's going to be. incumbent upon us. to make clear to the American people, we. hear you, we see you, we feel you, we're. committed to making life better for you. Leader Jeffries, thanks so much. Uh you. can scan the QR code in the lower left. of your screen to donate and get more. information. Brian, as always, thank.

thanks for having me. You know, I was. going to talk about the reporting that. you're you're stealing my hairstyle, but. it's too important of a day to do that. So, let's leave it to the important. stuff, and I I appreciate you having me. We'll save that one. We'll save that one. for the for the next one, yeah. Thank. you both. I appreciate you both taking. the time. Thanks so much. Thank you. both. Thank you. All right. Well, we are now joined by. somebody who hasn't just talked about. fighting back. He's actually done it. Governor Gavin Newsom leads the state of. California, my home state, now the.

fourth largest economy in the world. He's emerged as one of the most. prominent national voices willing to. take on Donald Trump and MAGA extremists. head-on. When Republicans in states like. Texas moved to gerrymander and rig the. playing field ahead of midterms, Newsom. didn't sit back. He led the charge to. respond, called out the power grab, and. pushed his state, our state, to take. take action to go ahead and level the. playing field. From defending voting. rights to protecting reproductive. freedom to taking on efforts to. undermine our democratic institutions, he has shown what it looks like to.

actually fight back in real time. Governor Newsom, thanks so much for. joining. Appreciate it. >> Good Good to be with you, Brian. Thank. you. All right. So, you know, we obviously. saw this process play out in in our home. state of California. What does it mean. to see a similar process playing out now. in Virginia? We have spent a lot of time. hoping, praying, wishing, pushing for. other Democrats to step up, and it looks. like that's what's happening. Now, we said it, Brian, at the time, and. and I know everybody watching already. knows this, but you were one of the most.

fierce champions of this cause, and you. you held us to a higher level of. expectation. Um and we tried to match that, and. you've made the point after we were. successful here together collectively, and so many people that have joined. tonight were huge part of that success. here in California, that good enough. never is. Uh success is not a place or. destination. It's a direction. There is. no having made it, particularly with. Donald Trump. The ruthlessness of the.

right in what Donald Trump continues to. pursue. As you made the point, it wasn't. just Texas. He went to many other. states, had people like Leader Jeffries. and others not uh back, there would have. been multiple states that moved in the. red direction, but there were still. some. Missouri obviously moved. We saw. uh what happened in North Carolina. Uh. we are just weeks away uh from similar. actions by Governor DeSantis in Florida. So, we can't run the 90-yard dash. Uh we. got to go. We got to keep going. I mean,

this is and this is an imperative. And. people can't get exhausted, and that's. why I'm I'm on here tonight just with. gratitude and respect, but also humility. to what we're up against and all the. headwinds. And you know, we're. experiencing it 24/7 all of us are. experiencing the shock and awe, the. smash and grab, which is really what. it's about, the smash and grab of this. administration uh as it relates to. voting rights and it relates to uh free. and fair elections. So, he's just he's. still winding up. And that's why we've.

got to close, and we've got to deliver a. decisive blow to his agenda this next. Tuesday. You know, to that end, uh. Trump is still pushing to pass the Save. America Act. Uh. when when he's in in that he is. recognizing the likely the the lack of. likelihood of it passing, he's now. pushing to to curb mail-in voting uh by. by passing his executive orders. Um what. is the state of California doing to. protect against this onslaught from. Trump, whether it's legislative, whether.

it's, you know, something some executive. order from the from from his own desk, you name it? Well, we're litigating on. on all fronts, and we've been wildly. successful. Uh we have uh. in fact, Vance, I it's interesting, we've advanced more lawsuits than there. have been weeks of this administration. And not one of them proactively, all of. them uh in defense of our republic, in. defense of our democracy, in defense of. coequal branches of government, in. defense, dare I say, of the rule of law, uh not the rule of Don. And you know, I.

we Brian, you know, I've talked about. it. I think it's dawning on everybody. uh that uh that, you know, it's not just. about chaos, it's not just about. cruelty. Uh, there's a malignant quality. now to this administration in terms of. these efforts. As you suggest, because. he couldn't get it done legislatively, then he takes these executive actions, through executive order, uh, these executive orders, and now he's. advancing um, the kind of, you know, this sort of sentiment of distrust. He. wants to create chaos, so it just winds.

people, we all just are exhausted, and. we all sort of, you know, give up. Uh, and and that's why again I'm here. We. can't be exhausted by these. redistricting fights. They're. foundational, it's the architecture, it's the foundation on which everything. else is built. Uh, you know, in order. us, you know, we've got to save our. republic so we can have the kitchen. table, so that we can start debating. those kitchen table issues once again. And I'll remind folks that may not be. aware of as familiar with this, or or. illuminate them, and remind folks that. may have forgotten. But but on election.

day with Prop 50, with our redistricting. effort, that same day, Donald Trump sent. out a Truth Social saying the election. was rigged. Before one vote was cast on election. day. He also sent out the BORTAC teams, these are the Border Patrol tactical. units, these are the guys dressed up, you know, you know, right out of some. YouTube video with the Apache. helicopters, and he sent them to Dodger. Stadium the morning of the election. So. for all the morning newscasts, everyone. can see these masked men, and they were. masked men, the Bovina teams, that were.

out there to try to chill free. expression and chill free speech, so. people didn't even turn out to the. polls. We said it at the time, it's a. preview of things to come. The SAVE Act, we all know what that was about, because. he said what it said, he said it out. loud. He said that it was about an enduring. mega majority for the next 50 years. It. was about choosing his voters. It's not. about voter ID, it's about deciding who. can vote. He's not screwing around going. after vote-by-mail, he's not screwing.

around trying to purge these voting. rolls, trying to take over. literally county election officials and. offices. And literally, we had a sheriff. out here in California. I hope some. folks paid attention to this. Chad. Bianco, this is the guy running for. governor. And he seized He's a guy. running for governor as a sheriff and he. seized hundreds of thousands of ballots. And finally, a California Supreme Court. finally stopped it, but not after. litigation and and consternation. These.

guys are not screwing around. So, all. fronts, we have to be as aggressive, dare I say. ruthless, as they have been. We can't. win arguments anymore. We've got to win. fights and we've got to fight fire with. fire. We have got to be more aggressive. Governor Newsom, you know, there are a. lot of Republicans, even in Florida, you. had mentioned Ron DeSantis. There are a. lot of Republicans calling on him not to.

do what he is preparing to do at the end. of April, beginning of May with this. special legislative session in that. state to redraw those maps. And I should. remind folks, Florida's maps are already. gerrymandered. Like the the maps in. existence are a gerrymander that was too. extreme for the legislature, but was. shoehorned through by DeSantis himself, obviously to curry favor with the most. extreme forces in the MAGA base. And now. this new map would be an extreme. gerrymander on top of the existing. extreme gerrymander. And we're going.

into a a midterm cycle where Democrats. are overperforming by 12, 14, 16 points. And so, a lot of these Republicans, by. by virtue of stretching these districts. out thin to get more districts on their. side, risk actually drawing. dummymanders. Um and so, for that. reason, we're seeing a lot of these. Republicans in Florida even call for. DeSantis to to to pump the brakes here. What do you make of the fact that this. is playing out in Florida right now? Well, they fell overplayed their hand. because experiencing that reality. Um they've been mugged by reality in in.

Texas. Uh because all of a sudden they. put other seats down into play because. they've spread peanut butter out too. far, to your point. And Democrats are. showing up in unprecedented ways. And I. think, you know, we we we've talked. about this, you and I, in in the past, but perhaps the most consequential thing. that's happened in this country in the. last year has been these state. elections, these 30-plus uh D uh you. know, the Democratic pickups. And and. we're just crushing it everywhere. But. again, we can't we cannot assume the.

past uh equals the future. Uh the. future's in front of us, sure, but it's. also inside of us. It's decisions, not. conditions, that determine that future. So we just can't give up uh in terms of. uh being aggressive, continuing to be. mindful that this guy, Trump, and these. guys are still winding up. They have no. limits. There are no limits. There are. no rules. He's not playing by different. set of rules. There are no rules. He. tried to rig the midterm election before. there's one vote cast. And we're pushing.

back. That's what this initiative is. about. And you're absolutely right. We. have the opportunity when they do. overplay their hand, uh when they don't. take heed for those concerns, as Abbott. did not, uh and potentially DeSantis. will not, then to take advantage of that. by continuing to do the hard work, that. grassroots work that everybody's doing. in historic ways all across this. country. Last question. You know, as we get closer and closer to. the actual election, which is uh just a. few days from now, on April 21st, there.

are going to be folks who see the. electoral environment and say, "You know. what? Democrats have been. overperforming. We're good to go. Uh I. have faith that, you know, it's going to. that it's going to correct itself." What. do you say to those people? Yeah, come. on. Well, open your eyes. What more evidence you. need? A guy dressing up, you know, not. all not as the Pope anymore, now as. Jesus. I mean this is uh we're in we're. this is madness. And it's it's one of the great Grice, one of the great corruption stories. Again, no limits. And and that's the.

approach they're going to take. He it's. all on the line for Trump. Is is is is. speaker. is speaker making leader Jeffries was. just saying it a moment ago. The Trump. presidency de facto ends as we know it. this November if we do our job. And let's not dream of regretting. Not. for a second can we take things for. granted. And and we've done that in the. past. We all know we've done that. You. know, we kind of dialed it in a little. bit. Now we're dialing it up. No kings. right keep dialing it up. Keep dialing.

up till the work is done. But it's all. on the line for Trump. He's talking. openly now. about pardoning all of his staff. members, not just his family members. The open sewer of corruption is next. level. So he's unmored now in terms of what he. can do to try to rig this election in. every way, shape, or form. Pam Bondi may. be gone, but Donald Trump is still on the side of. the DOJ dyed in purple. I mean it's his personal law firm. He's.

going after his. You still have governors out there still. raising money for their criminal. defense. He's not going away, and nor can we. again. I cannot impress upon people more. just to turn turn up the volume and turn. out. And and let's continue this. extraordinary momentum. And then after. we win the district battles, then we. have to win the races. We got to make sure that we're there. this November and that we're there to.

celebrate speaker Jeffries. Well, look, you know, you had spoken. about continuing the momentum. That. momentum wouldn't be there if it weren't. for you and the work that the California. Democrats did. So thank you for starting. this whole process off, for getting us. here, and thanks for taking the time today. Thank you, Brian. Thanks for everybody. tuning in and thanks for everything. everybody's done to date and more. importantly everything that you're going. to do between now and next Tuesday. Now before we move on, just quick. reminder, if you are in Virginia, make. your plan to vote yes right now at.

iwillvote.com/va. You can find your polling place, lock in. your plan, get the whole thing done. And. for everybody else watching, those who. are not in Virginia, you can help decide. this election from wherever you are by. scanning the QR code at the bottom of. the screen. There you can volunteer, you. can make calls, you can chip in, which. is especially important because that. will help folks who aren't paying. attention to politics, who aren't as. tuned in as you all are right now uh so. that they can be alerted and notified uh. in terms of what's going on uh this. upcoming Tuesday because it's not it's.

not just, you know, uh. that obvious that a random Tuesday in. April is going to be uh such an. important election. Okay. Now on to our next guest, uh we we. turn to something that we have seen far. too much in this election, which is. targeted misinformation and who's being. hit the hardest. And there are no two. better voices to talk about than these. two leaders, both proud Portsmouth. natives who've spent their careers. fighting for their communities and. telling it like it is. Senator Louise. Lucas, who is one of my favorite Twitter.

follows there is. If you follow Virginia. politics, you already know she is one of. the most outspoken, unfiltered, and. effective.

I I hear you. Can you hear me?

Thank you so much, Brian. Um so it looks. like waiting on some of the other guests. to pop into our live. So I think you. already set the stage of where this. conversation is going to go. Um as we. talked about uh Senator Lucas is the. first black person and the first woman.

to serve as. uh president pro tempore in the Virginia. State Senate. And of course we have. Delegate Scott who is the first. African-American to serve as speaker of. the Virginia House of Delegates. Um so very very excited. uh to talk to them both. I think AB has. now joined the conversation. My. sister-in-law. They found me, girl. They found me. Yes.

And um I believe we also have Senator. Lucas who is. also. Uh no, we would need you to come on. camera so we can see your beautiful. face. Okay, Tamisha, I need to hold Okay, I. see the camera right there. Hold that for me. Hold that for me. Can you see me now? Girl, no. Not yet. Oh, THERE YOU GO. HERE WE ARE IN THE HOUSE, IN THE HOUSE.

AND so we're just waiting on Delegate. Scott, Speaker Scott to join. And so as. Brian has said, as I said, um you guys are looking at the first. African-American and woman to serve as. president pro tempore in the Virginia. State Senate, which is an amazing. historic milestone. And we are so glad. to have you. How are you doing tonight? I am doing just fine. I'll tell you. what, we had a very busy day. As a. matter of fact, Speaker Scott and myself.

had to run from one location to another. to get back to get on with you all. tonight, but happy to be here. We ready. to rock and roll it. Love it. So happy to have you. Thank. you. Thank you for pulling up on us. Yes, we are very excited for that. And. then. still just waiting on Speaker Scott to. join the conversation. But we can go ahead and Oh, I think Here. he is now. Hello. >> Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. >> Yeah, we got some work to do this week.

Let's do our black jobs. Yes, that's And that is really the theme. of this segment we're here. I'm getting. ready to get this thing started. Oh my. god. Oh, we get we getting it started. because that's the theme of this. segment. Because as we pointed out, we. are sitting here with black history in. just right here. First African-American. and woman to serve as president pro. tempore of the Virginia State Senate. And we have the first African-American. to serve as the Speaker of the Virginia. House of Delegates. And also,

this is a D This is a D9 evening as well. because we have. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. We got. We got We got two members of Delta Sigma. Theta Sorority Incorporated. We have. myself representing Zeta Phi Beta. Sorority Incorporated and we have Alpha. Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. This. is beautiful. >> Sigma Theta Phi Beta. We Phi Beta. I'm. so proud of you. Oh my god, here she. goes. Here she goes.

All right. All right. So, before AB is. feeling herself a little bit too much. and this turns into a stroll off, okay? We're just not even going to get into. that. Um I want to kick it off with the. first question and I want to direct this. to Senator Lucas. So, you know, we're. talking about you and Speaker Scott. being I mean, to be honest, just living. black history. Truly. And one thing that. we have seen over and over again with. this entire special election is the. dirty tricks that white nationalists. have played with the way they are.

sending out these mailers. They have. used all kinds of misleading. information. Pictures of Barack Obama, which excuse me, to say that, "Oh, you. should vote no on this." Even images. from the Civil Rights Movement to try to. say, "Oh, your ancestors want you to. vote no on this.". What What are your thoughts on all of. these dirty tricks that they've been. playing? Well, I I just want to start. Thank you for the question, first of. all, and I want to let just start by. saying that.

I'm going to just be right up front with. you. That That's the only way I know to. be. It's just just to come right. straight out with it. First of all, in public life long enough to know that. a lie that's left standing becomes truth. in the mind of some people. And so, uh that's precisely the reason. why the mega Republicans continue to. tell lies and spread propaganda because. they know the more they tell those lies. over and over again, the more likely. they are to catch on and people going to. believe it. Uh and trust me, mega is not. confused. They know exactly what they're. doing because they know that they they.

can keep other people in the dark as. long as they keep spinning these lies. And so, but what we're doing here in. Virginia, we're fighting back. Let me. tell you something, one of the things. that Speaker Scott said and I hold. hold to my heart is that we do an. injustice to our ancestors if we don't. stand up to this moment and do the job. that is ours to do at this moment. I love it. I'm going to give the next. question to AB. I believe you have a. question for uh Speaker Scott. Yeah, Speaker Scott, how you doing?

And I'm I'm I'm happy to be here. I'm. happy to be in the fight in the moment. It's a privilege to be in this moment in. this fight right now. Okay, I'm excited to be here with both. of you. We in front of Black History. I. love this. So, uh so, this is my question. You both. actually have spoken about how dangerous. and deliberate this kind of. misinformation is that's going around. Um. I want you to break it down to the. people and keep it real. Why is it so. important that we confront this directly. and not just allow this to go. unanswered? And I know, you know,

Senator uh Lucas brought up the the fact. that, you know, it a lie could turn into. the truth. But, I really want you to. give it to the people for real, for. real, on why they need to be paying. attention and be on top of their game. right now. Well, at the end of the day, what they have done is they have uh. re-engaged and and and propagated images. of Jim Crow to try to trick black people. and to trick our communities. And. they've brought up, you know, they. brought up the name of our hero in the. black community. They put Martin Luther. King Jr. on the flyer. I mean, they tried to.

trick us and it really shows the real. impact that black voters have. I have. said that black voters. are the most important demographic in. America right now. We are the ones who. when they try those tricks, we always we. never fall for the tricks. These other. communities, they come and they go to. and fro and we don't know where they're. going to be when times of in trouble. But the black community, especially. black women, they have always had common. sense and they can see a snake for what.

it is immediately. They don't They don't. go to and fro. They've been clear. And. so it's important that we understand why. they had to do what they had to do. It. was the right thing to do to try to. deceive black people. Don't get it. twisted. They are being deceitful. They. are lying straight up and straight down. And so it's important right now in this. moment in Virginia in the Commonwealth. of Virginia where the first slaves came. here just a few miles from where I stand. right now in 1619. that we stand up in the Commonwealth of. Virginia, the cradle of the Confederacy,

that we stand up in this moment and step. back and speak up right now. This is the. opportunity of a lifetime so that we. would do justice to the legacy of our. ancestors and that we would do justice. to our progeny, our children who are to. come. This is the time to stand up so. they don't have to have that fight. And. so I'm proud to be in this moment. I'm. excited. I feel I take it as a privilege. to be in this fight right now. And I'm. so glad, you know, the Senator Lucas, you know, she gangster, y'all. Don't get. it twisted. She is gangster for real. She is the OG, okay? And so at the end.

of the day, when she called me way back. in August and and what happened was I'm. sitting there watching my TV and we and. the Texas folks have went around and. they've done their thing and they in. Boston, Massachusetts. And we just. happen to be in Boston for a conference. and I look up on the TV and there she is. with another senator, maybe Locke, and. they in a damn press conference with the. Texas with the delegation. I'm talking. about WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING IN. VIRGINIA. I'm like, what the hell? And. not only that, we in the middle of our. election. She wasn't on the ballot at. the time. All of the House of Delegates.

was on the ballot. I was like, hold on. Soon as she left the press conference, I. said, "Senator, you got to slow your. roll. Let me figure out what we doing.". She was like, "I'mma slow my roll for. you, but we got to do something." And. because of her leadership, her tenacity, her strength, her courage, and. determination, that's what got us here. And so we. need people like that who've been in. this battle so long that can't fall for. these tricks. Senator Lucas has been. doing this for a while, as you said. She. is engaged. She has embraced. She. understands legacy and the. responsibility that she has to her.

children and her grandchildren and her. great-grandchildren to be standing up. and this is a privilege to be in this. moment right now. We got to go out and. vote, yes. We already know who they are. I was riding down the street, saw a. Confederate flag waving with some no. signs in the yard. I posted it cuz. people don't believe me. We already know. who they are and why they're against us. Well, I tell you. speaking of your children, your. grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, I am a mother, a grandmother, and a. great-grandmother. And we're in this. fight for our children. Like like Speaker Scott said, every lie. about this referendum must be met with.

truth. Every distortion all the. propaganda must be corrected because we. are in this fight for our kids and our. great-grandkids. And and that's been the. case for me. Because if we don't, we're. going to end up with rigged maps. And. people are saying, "Okay, what you all. are doing in the gerrymandering?" But. let me tell you something, if we don't. fix this now, they will continue to fix. it. And if you don't think Donald Trump. would like for there not TO EVER BE. ANOTHER ELECTION, RIGHT. You better think hard about. >> proven what he'll do. We don't have to. guess about what Donald Trump would do.

He did it on January 6th. He said when. they said hang Mike Pence, he was like, "I'm good with that." You know, at the. end of the day, some of these senators. and and and House of Representative. Republicans, they were hiding and. cowering in their seats and now they act. like they forgot. We haven't forgotten. what he will do to keep power and it's. up to us right now to make sure that we. level the playing field, keep it fair. California did their part. Texas sounded. the alarm. The Democrats said, "Hey, we. got to sign." They were like Paul. Revere, "One if by one if by sea, two if.

by land." They were doing their thing. They did what they needed to do. They. sent us a warning and we have heeded it. California did what they needed to do. Now, Virginia's going to do what they. need to do. And when people always talk. about, "Oh, Democrats are weak. They. don't know how to fight back. How do you. like us now? We coming back and we not. taking the BS. We coming in we standing. up right now in this moment. These are. Democrats. Now that we're fighting, now. that we're fighting, now that we're. fighting, we're we're we're the bad guys. because we we now fight like they fight. You know what? I'll tell you what. Speaker Scott and I both come from from. the same area and I'll tell you what, we.

know how. to get down in the mud if we have to. And if the we if they go there, we can. go there with them. But I'll tell you. what, we going to come out on the. winning end. Never wrestle in the mud with a pig. You. get dirty and the pig like it. We like. that. >> Okay. Okay, see they said they said nuck. if you buck. So, I want to thank both. of you ready to fight. Hey. That should. have been a president over my shoulder. That's Kamala back there. I'd vote for. her. I know that's right. So, another member.

of D9, thank you very much. And so, I. just want to thank uh Speaker Scott. I. want to thank President Pro Tempore and. Senator uh Lucas for being here. And so, I want to remind everybody. early voting is happening now and it is. going through Saturday the 18th where we. want you to vote yes for redistricting. and fight back against the MAGA rigged. maps. If you don't make it out to early. voting, I really want you to. We all. really want you to. I might nuck and. buck if you don't. But if you don't make. it out to early voting for whatever. reason, you can vote on election day on.

April 21st. Don't guess, vote yes. Yes. Vote yes. Yes. Power to. the people. Awesome. Thanks, everybody. Appreciate. everybody doing this. So good seeing y'all. All right, just a. reminder here um before we move on. If. you're in Virginia, make your plan to. vote yes right now. I willvote.com/va. There you can find your polling place, you can lock in your plan. Everybody. else, scan the QR code on the screen.

You can make your plan to volunteer, to. make calls, to chip in, uh which will go. especially far for folks who don't know. this is happening. Every little bit. helps. Okay. Next up, I want to talk to uh I'm going. to introduce our our next guests. Um. these are two political voices that are. reaching entirely different corners of. the political conversation. So, Ryan. Girdy is known for deep policy-focused. analysis that cuts through all the. noise. And Josiah, the creator of. pondering politics, known for thoughtful. analytical breakdowns that go deeper.

than the headlines. I'm going to throw. it to you guys and you can introduce. your next guests here. So, floor is. yours. Well, thank you very much. Uh I've got. Ryan Girdy here, my uh my co-pilot for. the evening, and two congresspeople, two. representatives, Jennifer McClellan that. I'm going to speak with, and James. Walkinshaw. How are you guys? Doing Doing great. Excited, very. excited. So, thank you all for doing. this. No, 100%. Thank you both for being here. This is a super important referendum.

This is a super important time for. voters to be engaged and understand. what's happening in the stakes of this. referendum. Yeah, 100%. I mean, like we're talking. about, you know, an actual, you know, mounted defense of democracy in the face. of Donald Trump's authoritarian push to. steal an election. It's important to. remember that he was the one who started. this particular fight. The Democratic. Party for years has tried to ban. nationwide gerrymandering and. redistricting. The Republican Party has. issued every opportunity to do it cuz.

they want the right to do it themselves. in Texas and red states across the. country. But they expect this party to. not fight back at all. And the base has. been clamoring for this, guys. And you. you've done it. You're meeting the. moment and pushing this. So, um you. know, I'm curious, um Congressman, uh. Congresswoman, if you guys could like. talk about the significance of uh this. referendum coming up and what it might. mean for the upcoming midterms. Yeah, I'll.

I'll jump in. And And look, this is this. is a huge day for Virginians, huge day. for Americans coming up on Tuesday. You. know, the opportunity that Virginia. voters will have on Tuesday is to level. the playing field. We know that Donald. Trump and MAGA Republicans want a. playing field that looks like this in. the November midterm elections where. their candidates can run downhill and. Democrats have to run uphill because. their policies have failed, they've. broken their promises. And Virginia.

voters have an opportunity on Tuesday on. the 21st to just level that playing. field out so we can fight it out fair. and square in November. I'm very. confident that especially here in. Virginia with a level playing field in. November, Virginia voters are going to. want to elect a Congress that will stand. up to Trump, put a check on the chaos. and the recklessness, but we got to. deliver on Tuesday, April 21st to have. that opportunity. I got to say the Oh, sorry, yeah. No, I.

was just going to say that you and I. know everything about the uneven playing. field cuz I live in North Carolina and. you live in Texas. I was going to tee. that up for you. No, that's exactly. right. That's exactly where I was going. Thank you so much, Josiah. Yeah, I live. in Texas. I've lived in two urban cores. in this state. I've lived in three. different places across two different. cities in Texas. I've never once been. represented by a Democrat, never. Whenever I worked in the state. legislature, let me tell you I was. involved with the redistricting process. there. It is. they are flagrant with it. They are. flagrant, they are not ashamed, and the.

Democratic Party is the only party that. believes in making elections fair at the. national level, and the only way that's. going to happen is electing more. Democrats. And I just want to talk a. little bit about the personal stakes. Representative Wexton, your district has. one of the highest concentrations of. federal workers in the country. Um, you. know, talk a little bit about what this. means personally for your district to. have a Democratic majority um in the. future. And sorry to interrupt you. really real quick. Uh, Congresswoman. Luria, can you turn your camera on. because it's not showing up yet? Yeah, I'm trying and I'm getting an error.

message. I apologize for that. Um. it was working before we came in, but I. am part of the conversation and. Fair enough. Fair enough. I'm sorry. I represent Waukegan. Go. ahead. Sorry about that. Yeah, I was. just going to say I I I represent 50 to. 60,000 federal workers. There's 300,000. in Virginia. Congresswoman McClellan. represents a bunch of them as well and. and look, you know, the DOJ chainsaw. slashed through Virginia jobs and.

Virginia's economy. By some estimates, as many as 40 or 50,000 job losses. That's direct federal employees, small. businesses, contractors who worked at. USAID or Department of Education. And. while Trump and Musk and DOJ were doing. that, the Republican Congress, including. the Republicans who represent Virginia, rather than standing up for Virginians, they were waving their pom-poms, cheering every step of the way. And. Virginians know more than anyone how.

much damage this Trump administration. and this MAGA Republican Congress have. done. And part of their power grab, the. reason they're gerrymandering in Texas, gerrymandering in Florida, is they want. to continue doing damage to Virginia. They want to continue harming our. federal workers, our small businesses, our contractors. And what we need to do. to stand up to them is win in November. To win in November, we got to have a.

level playing field. We can deliver that. by everyone getting out and voting on. April 21st. Representative McClellan, you're on. camera now, so we see you and we hear. you loud and clear. I'm curious, you. know, representing Virginia's fourth. district, you know, obviously the stakes. couldn't possibly be higher for not just. the country, but in particular, you. know, your district as well. Like what. is the effect of uh Trump's attacks on. affordable health care in this country? Because besides the economy, health care. has been one of the prevailing issues uh.

top of mind for voters across the. country, uh particularly in the last. year with the Trump administration, you. know, refusing to extend uh the. Obamacare subsidies that President Biden. oversaw. Can you explain what the stakes. are for your constituents? For a lot of my constituents, between. life and death. Um I sat through a. 26-hour hearing that ultimately led to. the largest cuts in Medicaid in American. history. And you know, Virginia is a. state that expanded Medicaid. And as a.

result of these cuts, come January 1st, over 300,000 Virginians and millions of. are going to lose their health. insurance. We saw that because uh. Republicans would not extend the. enhanced premium tax credits under the. Affordable Care Act, millions of. Americans are at risk of losing that. health insurance. And that's not. hyperbole. We've seen already 33,000. Virginians who either didn't renew their. coverage or they dropped their coverage.

cuz they just can't afford it. These are. small business owners. These are. farmers. These are These are. working-class people who some of which. are off. having to choose between, am I going to. pay my health care bill or am I going to. pay for gas? Am I going to pay for. uh when you at a time when you see. ground beef now costs more than the. federal minimum wage. Um and then on top. of that, you First of all, you have a. secretary of Health and Human Services.

who's a quack and He's about to be a. podcaster, too, Representative. He's. about to be a a part-time secretary, full-time podcaster. So, we have that to. look forward to. >> don't let him near any animals of any. kind. But he he has decimated the. workforce there, including Look, this is. Black M-. week. I almost died giving birth to my. daughter uh 11 years ago. So, this is. really personal to me. And the very data. that is used to track our maternal.

health crisis, to track how well. policies are working, to inform policies. to address this crisis, they're they've been eliminated. And. it's it's so. There are hospitals that have closed. And again, Republicans will say, "Oh, Democrats are just fear-mongering." When. we said. "These cuts are going to cause. healthcare centers, hospitals, especially in rural areas to close." And. they're like, "You're fear-mongering." 3. weeks after I toured a hospital and said.

that, three health clinics nearby closed. saying, "We're closing because of the. Medicaid cuts." So, millions of. Americans can't afford to go to the. doctor before they get sick to keep. sick. When they get sick, they can't. afford to go. And he's only making it. worse. And this is what's at stake. This. is why we need a House House Democrats. in control, Speaker Hakeem Jeffries will. say, "We're not only going to fight to. ins- access healthcare, we're going to. fix our broken system so that whether.

you're in rural Virginia or rural. America, urban America, suburban. America, no matter, you know, where you. are or who you are, you will get access. to the care you need when you need it. and not go bankrupt.". You know, one of the things that's been. discussed is, you know, you mentioned. the importance of having, you know, Democratic control of Congress and then. hopefully in 2028, you pair that with a. Democratic president. You know, one of. the things we hear a lot about is, you. know, whether or not there's a. meaningful difference between Republican. control and Democratic control. So, you. know, Congressman Wexton, I'm curious if.

you want to speak more to that about. what the American people and what. Virginians in particular, but again, the. American people writ large can expect. from uh the consequences if if if this. if this referendum passes and you all. are eventually able to level the playing. field and take control of Congress, what. that might mean for the American people. in the final years of Trump's presidency. and then beyond with a Democratic. president? I'm in my I'm in my seventh month in. Congress and it didn't take me very long. to figure out what the agenda is for.

Trump and the MAGA Republican Congress. It's It's very clear and simple. The. agenda is to pick the pockets of. hardworking people and line pockets of. people who have the last name Trump and. their billionaire buddies, right? And we. see that, you know, Jen eloquently. talked about the impact of the. healthcare cuts. A trillion dollars. taken out of Medicaid and put into the. pockets of billionaires and corporations. that didn't need another tax cut. Now, we know that money that was taken out of.

healthcare is also going to drop bombs. on Iran in an unauthorized, reckless, dangerous war. So, it's an agenda that. is hurting hardworking people, middle-class Americans, especially in. Virginia when you layer on the DOGE. impact on federal workers and small. businesses. What you will get from a. Democratic Congress and hopefully in the. future a Democratic president is an. agenda that's focused on delivering for. hardworking people and middle-class. Americans and actually bringing down the.

costs of their day-to-day lives, making. healthcare more affordable, making. housing more affordable, ending these. insane tariffs that are costing the. average American family $2,500. a year. I mean, we can put money back in. people's pockets just by rolling back. Trump's crazy crazy tariffs that a lot. of Republicans who philosophically, pre-Donald Trump, said tariffs were the. worst idea ever. Now, they're like all.

bought in on tariffs that are driving up. costs. We We need Democrats in charge to. end that, put money back in the pockets. of hard working American families and. Virginians especially. Before I toss it over to Ryan, I just. want to close the loop on this and. emphasize that we're waiting to hear. from the Supreme Court of the United. States in a really important case called. Louisiana V. Calais. And according to. MAGA influencers like Sean Spicer, they. believe and based on the tenor of the. oral arguments, it's a reasonable. suspicion that this the conservative. supermajority will act basically further.

gut the Voting Rights Act which could. also allow Republicans in red states. across the South to further entrench uh. their power by, you know, shredding. these majority minority districts. So. again, it's really important that this. referendum in Virginia pass so we can. level the playing field because this. right-wing Supreme Court is likely to. try to screw democracy in the future. Sorry Ryan, just wanted to throw that in. there to really emphasize the stakes. >> I really liked what Representative. Wexton said there about what the MAGA. Republican agenda is. It's picking the.

pockets of average people. We saw the. kinds of people that this administration. is working for. It's not the people of. Virginia that lost their jobs because. the Trump administration decided that. they weren't important. It wasn't. average Americans. It was the people who. sat behind him at his inauguration, the. billionaires, and his family, and all. the people that are making money off of. this administration. And the people that. are making money off of this. administration aren't the people that. are having to worry about gas prices. going through the roof because the. Strait of Hormuz is blockaded through. this war of choice. It's not average.

people who, like Representative. McClellan pointed out, can't afford to. buy burgers because the president has. made the whole thing cost too much with. the tariffs and then this war of choice. Um Representative McClellan, I'd love to. get you back into the conversation. Talk. a little bit about, you know, we're. talking about leveling the playing field. here in this referendum. But of course, the Democratic Party is also committed. to leveling the playing field for. average Americans. I wonder if you could. talk a little bit more about that. Yeah, absolutely. And you know, first. let me let me remind everybody what.

happened when North Carolina did it and. how it made a difference between what. we're seeing now. Remember, Democrats. were four seats away from the majority. and North Carolina took three through. redistricting. So, even though more. Republicans lost, more Republican. incumbents lost to Democratic. incumbents, we were one seat short. Well, now we need three seats and. the difference was that big ugly law. that has.

made. everyday, you know, everybody who's just. trying to live their life, who says, "I. just want a job that is going to pay my. bills, give my kids an opportunity to. get a better life than me, live in safe. healthy communities in a planet.". Um, and. all of that is is out of reach right now. for so many Americans, rural, urban, and. suburban. And in Virginia, we worked. really hard.

over the years to expand access to. health care, to expand access to voting, to expand. um. fairness to people, to expand, you know, eliminate discrimination. Um, all of that at the federal level is. under attack. And to the point about voting and voting. rights act is about to be gutted, remember, this is the president. who has said he want he doesn't want to. sign another bill unless it's the Save.

America Act, which would require every. single person to prove their citizenship. before they can vote. through documents that cost money, which. is a modern-day poll tax. And these are the same folks. that are decrying. us fighting back. But when you are. fighting for the very future. of American families, when you are. fighting for American prosperity for. everyone, no matter where they live or. or where they were born or who they love.

or the color of their skin. When you are. fighting for our very democracy and. against a totalitarian fascist. want-to-be king, you cannot fight with one hand tied. behind your back while the other side is. using two fists with brass knuckles on. each one. And so they're shocked now. and the my and my colleagues who are now. crying foul didn't say peep.

when North Carolina redistricted, didn't. say boo when Texas redistricted, didn't. say a word when Missouri eliminated the. one seat held by a member of the. Congressional Black Caucus, and now they. have the gall to try to send to to to. lie to black voters in Virginia and say. this is going to hurt black voters. It's not. And don't believe the very. people who are trying to dismantle the. progress of the Civil Rights Movement.

including the Voting Rights Act. So that. all of the progress that we've made not. in the past four years, not in the past. 10 years, not in the past 50 years, but in some cases in the past 100 years, all of that progress is on the ballot on. on April 21st. When we. vote yes, we will send a message we are. fighting back because we're leveling the. playing field and we're going to bring. our two fists and our brass knuckles to. this fight because there's too much at.

stake to let you all cheat. Awesome. Well, thank you everybody. Appreciate you all being here and uh and. thank you for uh for all the work you're. you're you all are doing. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. All right, everybody. Um before we jump. to our next conversation, we want to. hear from somebody who has been on the. front lines of holding Trump accountable. and a former Republican member of the. House of Representatives, Congressman. Adam Kinzinger, was one of the few. Republicans who were willing to stand up.

to Trump and he served on the January. 6th Committee um uh. in the aftermath of of obviously that. horrific event in an in an effort to. defend our democracy. He couldn't be. with us live tonight, but he wanted to. make sure that Virginians heard directly. from him about what's at stake in this. moment. So, let's take a look. Hey friends of Virginia, Congressman. Kinzinger here to remind you that there. are only a few days left to make your. voice heard and make sure that Donald. Trump and MAGA Republicans are not able.

to wield unchecked power in the House of. Representatives for 2 more years. Early voting's open for just 2 more. days, so Friday and Saturday, and. election day is Tuesday, the 21st of. April. This is your moment to show up. So, across the country there's a growing. fight over who holds power and how. elections are decided. What happens in. Virginia right now will help to shape. what comes next. I know everyone says. this for every election, but this isn't. just another election. It's about making.

sure that voters, not politicians, have the final say. By voting, Virginians have the power to. protect fair representation, support a. balanced system, and ensure future. elections are decided on a level playing. field. Trump and his MAGA Republicans. have already run this playbook in Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri, and. they're working on doing so in Florida. as well. Now's the time for Virginians to stand. up and to fight back against this. desperate power grab.

They know a wave is coming in November, and they know that their actions will. have consequences at the ballot box, which is why they're desperately trying. to do these things in these desperate. tactics. At the end of the day, it comes down to. something simple, that your voice. matters. So, make a plan. Don't wait. Go to. iwillvote.com/va. right now. Vote early or show up on election day. because when. more people participate, our democracy.

is stronger. Now is the time to make. your voice heard. All right, wonderful. Um before we move. on, just a quick reminder in the. aftermath of that very powerful message. And by the way, a reminder of what's on. the line if accountability breaks down. A quick reminder here that if you're in. Virginia, make your plan to vote yes. right now at iwillvote.com/va. There you can find your polling place,

you can lock in your plan. And also for. everybody who is not in Virginia, very important to scan the QR code at. the bottom of the screen. There you can. volunteer, you can make calls, you can. chip in, uh again, which is very. important, and your money goes a long. way because there are voters in Virginia. right now who don't know what's going. on, uh especially as we uh head toward. this. uh April 21st uh. uh election day deadline here. Okay, now on to our next guests. We are. continuing the conversation. We've got. Congressman Eugene Vindman and.

Congressman Don Beyer Beyer joining us. now. Congressman Vindman is retired Army. officer who served in the National. Security Council. He's been a strong. advocate for veterans, for national. security, and for defending democratic. institutions. Congressman Beyer. represents Northern Virginia, uh a. long-time business leader and former. lieutenant governor who's now serving in. Congress where he focuses on economic. policy, uh innovation, and protecting. consumers. And speaking with them, leading this conversation are two. friends of mine, um. two voices that I am very excited to.

introduce. It's Luke and Tim Fullerton. from the Find Out Podcast team, reaching. a rapidly growing audience by having. real unfiltered conversations about. politics that res- that resonate with. people who don't normally tune in to. traditional political media. So, congratulations on what you guys are. building and happy to uh to pass the. floor over to you.

I believe we are All right, we've got. >> Oh, Bri- Brian, can you hear me? I can, yeah. Okay, could you couldn't. hear me before, though, right? I just. rambled and Oh, you could hear me. Okay. Sorry, I'm getting I'm getting a. different message in my my headphones. But anyways, it's great to be with you. and uh it is great to be with the two. congressmen. Um I think we just need to. turn their videos on, which congressmen. it should be in the bottom left-hand. corner for you. Uh where there is right. under where it says voice connected on.

the left. And then we can get started. We can have a race to see who gets it. first. And if not, well, while while we're. waiting for them, uh well, Luke, you and. I, we've been doing the the the the. redistricting fights uh. for a while now. >> We did yes on 50 live with Brian and. with Governor Newsom, which was. obviously hugely successful. I think. it's because only because we were. involved, of course. >> Of course, it was. Um but this one is just as important and.

I think, you know, everybody is saying like, "Well, it's. only one seat." What is only one seat? Well, today in the House, uh the the the US House of. Representatives failed to pass the War. Resolutions Act. by one vote. One vote. It was 214 to. 215. So, if the new maps had been in. place uh 2 years ago, likely had another. Democrat in there, that that number. would have Well, I guess it would have. No, that would that would have flipped. it. So, uh it just shows how important one vote. can actually be. Um.

uh and when it comes down to these uh. these, you know, this really, really. evenly divided house and uh. uh of representatives. Well, and it. looks like Congressman Vin Weber has won. the battle to get his camera on first. So, it's great to see you. You have a. wonderful background I. with you and. >> It's prestigious. Yeah, you Well, you. are you you have quite a few accolades. to your name. So, we're not going to. make you read them all, but can you tell. us you're you're a new member of.

Congress? How important is it for for this. redistricting battle. to end in our favor? It's absolutely critical. I mean, I think the the future of the country is. at stake and I don't want to. you know, overstate that, but if you're. unhappy with the fact that this. president has taken us to war in the. Middle East in Iran. again second time in a year if you're.

unhappy with the fact that gas prices. have spiked if you're unhappy with the. deployment of troops to this country. the cities of this country it's. absolutely critical because right now. what we have in the house and the Senate. is a rubber stamp. They're doing nothing. to restrain this president's worst. impulses. And Democrats. will be able to do just that. We'll be. able to ask them tough questions of the. Secretary of Defense of of the Director.

of National Intelligence. So, it's. absolutely critical that we win this and. we win it by making sure we win the. referendum. We have only two days left. of early voting. Last weekend first weekend of early. voting we set records in in Prince. William County, which is the the the. largest county in the my district. And. we have another opportunity to make our. voices heard. You know, for me it's. simple. Dump Trump, vote yes.

Some people need to hear more. I also. have the the the slightly filthier. version. But I'm going to refrain from. using the F-bomb. I think you should kick it. Can I? I can kick it. No problem. Say. Trump, vote yes? Yeah, of course. >> to say that if I can. Oh, well I think we can all join you in. saying Trump. Yeah, I think well. yeah, Luke's one of Luke's catchphrases. is get So you're all right. We. obviously have a fight on our hands.

And look, I've got some experience with. fighting. I spent 25 years in the army. And you know, one of the things I. learned in a fight it's hard for one one. soldier to to to make a difference to. accomplish mission. But when one soldier. is part of a team, then part of a squad, then part of a platoon then part of a. company, then part of a battalion, then. part of a brigade, then part of a. division, then part of a core, and. finally part of an army. you can give some pretty tough missions. to an army.

and you can get them done. And that's. what we're building in Virginia. And. we're going to shape the conditions in. order to make sure that we win. the midterms and. and and. restrain some of the worst impulses of. this president. Right. I'm just getting a note that Congressman. Beyer, if you could turn on your video. in the bottom left-hand corner. where it says video connected right. under that. And there he is. There he is.

>> Congressman, sorry for the technical. difficulties. How are you doing this. evening? >> I was confused, too, Congressman Beyer. So it took me a second there to to. figure it out. Thank you. I'm doing. fine, especially if you can hear me. We can hear you. We got you loud and. clear. We got you. So we're going to ask. you So we just had a question for. Congressman Wittman, but you obviously. have a lot of federal employees in your. district. Like this obviously the. effects of the Trump administration have. disproportionately affected Virginia in. general, but can you tell us a little.

bit Congressman about the pain that some. of your constituents have have faced in. the in the with the the Trump. administration's war on federal. employees? Well, we don't have an exact number, but it's. somewhere. we think with. the closing down of the contractors in. addition to the federal employees, we're. pushing 40,000 people just in my. congressional district. You know, we had a lot to begin with and the.

challenge with the fed with the. contractors was those contracts just. disappeared the next day. They didn't have any fork in the road. They didn't they didn't have a 5-month. runway. Uh in the meantime, we've been doing job. fairs and all kinds of clinics, even. financial clinics trying to help them. out, but. you know, some people landed on their. feet. Some people have gone back to work. at Home Depot or or the like and some. people have moved to Chicago and Atlanta. and California trying to find jobs. It's. been very very hard. But you know, to. almost to the person the things they.

they complain most about is the people. they're no longer serving. It was the. mission that upsets them, not their. personal situation. Yeah, and I I will just say I worked in. the Obama administration from 2010 to. 2015 and I have heard story at the. Interior Department and I've had. stories. I have one person in particular. who worked at USGS for over 20 years and. retired and is actually doing the job. that you just mentioned, which is at. Home Depot and he didn't want to retire, but he couldn't stand. you know, the onslaught and the attack.

on federal employees that this. administration has had. With that said, Congressman, I'm going. to give you the follow-up here, which we. asked Congressman Wittman before. What like tell like to the Virginians, why is this redistricting effort so. important to not only your district, but. Virginia and the country as a whole? You know, I I have the great honor of. serving both on the Ways and Means. Committee and the Joint Economic. Committee. So, I tend to look at it through the. economic lens and we're just getting. hammered. That national that federal.

sales tax that Trump has done with all. the tariffs have driven up the cost for. the average American like $1,700 and. it's worse to come. Our gasoline is now. going up the fastest it has in a long, long time in just a month. I just paid. $5 a gallon. to fill my car last week. To fill a Ford. 1 F-150, the most popular truck in. America, is 145 bucks, right God. So, it's just crazy. Today,

Congressman Levin and I got to vote. against the. oh, what do they call it? The tax cut. for working family bill. What does that. bill do today? Nothing. Absolutely. nothing. It just renames the big, ugly, beautiful bill, billionaire bill, because they found out that the tax cut. they did before was so incredibly. unpopular they're trying to rename it. Turns out that almost all the tax. benefits go into the very top as we had. suspected. Thoroughly unsurprised. Yeah. So, out of out of curiosity,

Tim and I as the quote-unquote. influencer side, we get asked all the. time about redistricting. I mean, we got. asked about it when California was doing. it. We got asked about it now. And I'm curious what the most common. question that both of you get asked by. your constituency is and what your. response is to it. Congressman Levin, you want to go first? First. Uh if not, I'll I'll jump in. Yeah, go. for it, Congressman Beyer. Go ahead. Yeah, only cuz you know, I led for 12.

years this bill called the Fair. Representation Act, which would get rid. of gerrymandering. And yeah, I was an. enthusiastic supporter of our. constitutional amendment 4 years ago to. get rid of it. Um but we just cannot. roll over and let Trump take five seats. in Texas, three or four seats in North. Carolina, two seats in Ohio. Um God knows what they're going to take. in Florida in in a week or two. And one. of the things that breaks my heart, one. of the most. beloved and distinguished members of. Congress is Pastor uh Emanuel Cleaver.

from Kansas City. One of only two. Democrats in all of Missouri, and. they're taking his district and carving. it into three pieces so that he can't. win. I just I'm crazy. And you know, we're. always trying to be the good guys. We're. the children of the enlightenment. You. know, we believe in in fairness, but we. just cannot roll over and let Donald. Trump steal the house from us with all. this cheating. Yeah, 100% and uh and I'm going to turn.

to Congress Congressman Vinman who. obviously you know a little about this. Trump administration and the inner. workings of it. And so you know, I think. a lot of people will say that Democrats. as Congressman Beyer said, we're trying. to be the nice guys. We're trying to be. the ones that are the adults in the. room, but I I assume you have a. different perspective when it comes to. fighting back against this type of stuff. and that we have to fight fire with. fire, correct? >> Tim, I'm sorry. You're you're cutting in and out from my. end. Um. so I I didn't hear Oh, I'm sorry.

The one part I did hear is you you you. stated that I I know a little bit about. the inner workings of this. administration and frankly, a little too. much um having. been on the White House National. Security Council staff as an active duty. Army officer, I saw the dysfunction. and in the in the first administration, uh it's only gotten worse now. And so. what I what I see, um.

I think this administration is defined. by the three C's: the chaos, the. cruelty, and the corruption, right? And. so you have the chaos, you know, the. president takes us to war. uh Iran without ever having made the. case to the American people, without. ever having brought the issue to. Congress. Um this is now the eighth conflict he's. gotten us into. We've got tariffs, we've. got skyrocketing uh uh fuel prices. Uh. the the cruelty that's killing Americans. on the streets of our cities in.

Minnesota, and um in detaining. 5-year-olds. That's the cruelty and the. corruption. Corruption is is the president obviously. profiting, he and his family, enormously. from the office, whether it's Trump coin. or whether it's uh you know, this Qatari. jet. Uh but that's only one form of. corruption. The second form of. corruption is corruption to our system, and that's why he started gerrymandering. in Texas, in in uh Ohio, in Missouri,

and you know, next week or 2 weeks from. now, um Florida's announced it, right? These. are backroom deals with legislators. Uh and guess what? In in California and. Virginia, it's the voters that get an. opportunity to make that choice. Right. And that is happening now. It's. absolutely critical. uh again, uh if we want to restrain this. president's worst impulses, and stop the corruption, uh go out, vote. yes, dump Trump.

Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, Brian, are. you trying to talk? You're on You're. muted. I'm going to keep going. He's. He's muted, but I think it Uh uh. >> Sorry about that. Just wanted to uh just. wanted to thank everybody for uh for. being here. Yeah. No, we are we are happy to do. We. got a few 1 minutes here. Are we are we. We transition over? I think we're. transitioning over. All right. Okay. Congressman, thank you. very much. Appreciate it. Thank you, Brian, for everything. Thank you. Thank you, Brian. Thanks so much, everybody. Um before we.

move on, a quick reminder that if you're. in Virginia, please make your plan to. vote yes right now by going to. iwillvote.com/va. There you can find your polling place, you can lock in your plan, you can get. everything all set. Um and for everybody. watching, you can help decide this. election wherever you are. Just scan the. QR code in the bottom of your screen. There you can make plans to volunteer, to make to make phone calls, to chip in. in any way that you can. Okay. Uh with that said, Senator Warren has. spent her career fighting um to level.

the playing field. uh for working families and to hold the. powerful to account. From creating the. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to. taking on Wall Street and corporate. greed in the United States Senate, she. has been one of the nation's leading. voices for fairness, transparency, and. economic justice. And at a moment when. the stakes for our democracy could not. be higher, she's been clear. When. politicians rig the system, it is on us, the voters, to push back. Here now is. Senator Elizabeth Warren with a special. message.

Here's the truth. Across the country, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are. trying to rig the 2026 midterms, grabbing power so that they can hold on. to control in Washington. Look, they've. already done it in states like Texas and. North Carolina. They might do it in. Florida next. But right now, they're. trying to rig the election in Virginia. Virginia, you have the power to fight. back. You have the power to stand up for. democracy.

By voting yes in the upcoming election, Virginians can block this power grab. They can level the playing field, and. they can make sure that elections are. decided by voters, not MAGA politicians. behind closed doors. But time is running out. Early voting is. open for just two more days, Friday and. Saturday, and election day is April. 21st. We need all hands on deck in the effort.

to vote yes to protect Virginia's. independent redistricting system and to. put power where it belongs in your. hands. But, this isn't politics as usual. This. is an emergency for our democracy. So, please make a plan right now. Vote early. in the next 2 days or vote on April. 21st. Let's fight back. Let's protect.

our democracy. Vote yes. Quick reminder, if you're in Virginia, make your plan to vote yes right now at. iwillvote.com/va. For everybody watching, scan the QR code. on your screen. Plan to volunteer, to. make calls, to chip in. We're mobilizing. voters in real time. We need you in this. fight. Before we go, we want to show you. something else because this moment, what's happening in Virginia right now, is not just being felt in politics. It's. being felt across culture, across the.

country. And people are paying. attention. In fact, two voices that you. definitely know wanted to speak directly. to what's happening here. Take a look. What's up, Pusha? What's up? I'm in your. state. I'm in Richmond, VA. I got a show. tonight and I wanted to check in with. you because we got to talk. >> Here's what's going on. Some states are. redrawing congressional maps to give. Republicans more power to do what they. want. Anything from.

funding wars to. raising prices on everything. And it. worked. Texas alone is trying to flip. five seats and other Republican states. have followed. >> Exactly, John. So, Virginia said, "We're. not going to let that happen." There's a. special election on April 21st. >> It's a temporary fix. This is just. Virginia's way of responding to what. these other states have already done. Early voting is already underway and. election day is April 21st. If you're in. Virginia, head to iwillvote.com/va.

for everything you need to vote yes. Thanks, John. Now, let's show up and vote yes, Virginia, because elections should be. decided by voters, not politicians. changing the rules. All right, before we go, let's bring. this back to what matters most, and that. is voting yes. And you've heard it. tonight from leaders and organizers, from voices reaching millions of people. every day. This moment is real, the. stakes are real, and the power is yours.

Virginia has a chance to do something. incredible and important right now, and. that is to stop a coordinated effort to. rig the system before midterms even. begin. An effort that Donald Trump came. out and exposed, betrayed, broadcast in. broad daylight. But none of that matters. if people don't actually show up. So, here's what you need to do. If you're in. Virginia, make your plan to vote. Go to. iwillvote.com/va, make your plan to vote yes. Early voting. is happening right now. You can also. show up on election day, that's April. 21st, just a few days from now. And.

don't just vote, bring somebody with. you. This is especially important. Make. sure to expand this to your circles of. people. Make yourself responsible for at. least one other person. If you're not in. Virginia, of course you still have a. role to play. Text your friends, call your family, post about it, donate what you can. Make. sure people know what's happening here. That's half the battle. Because what. happens in Virginia will not stay in. Virginia. This is about the future of. our elections and whether voters get the. final say in terms of stopping Donald. Trump's power grab. Thank you for being. here tonight. We really appreciate it.

And to Virginia, let's level the playing. field. Vote yes.