Is Running From Trump Enough to Save Republicans on Tuesday?

There's David. >> Hi, David. How are you? This is Caitlyn. calling from the New York Times. >> Hi, I'm well, thanks. How are you, Caitlyn? >> I'm good. It's so good to meet you. Thank you. >> For the past few months, my colleague, Daily Producer Caitlyn O'Keefe, has been. calling up voters across Maine to hear. how they're feeling ahead of Tuesday's. election. Recently, she spoke to a voter. named David Bessie. I'm a Portland, Maine resident. We have been here for.

three years. I grew up in Waterville, Maine, and now my wife and I have. retired back to my home state. >> And can you tell me like a little bit. about your political identity? Is there. a political party that you've. historically identified with? >> Yeah, I consider myself an anti-magma. Republican. I think that I am generally. more right of center in my political. views. But I think that Trump and the.

Trump presidency, both Trump one and. two, has been an absolute disaster for. the country. I think the party is. corrupt and self-deing and honestly. incompetent. I think that the whole Doge. fiasco was a missed opportunity to. really make a difference. And I think. that the immigration and ICE, how that. has evolved under this presidency has. been horrible. But I'm not a Democrat.

I think that the Democrats under Biden. especially really followed what amounted. to an open borders policy. I think that. the influence of unions on the. Democratic party is not a positive. thing. I think that the Democrats kind. [music] of failed economics 101 in. general. They think that spending money. is going to solve problems rather than. trying to solve the problems and then.

think about money afterwards. And it. just seems goofy to me. I I can't wrap. my head around why anybody would think. that would be a logical thing to do. And. the Democratic Party, it appears like. it's if anything, it's veering more to. the left rather than to the center where. I wish they would go. [music]. Which kind of brings us to this Senate. race and why I'm struggling as much as I. am with it. [music]. >> I think that Troy Jackson is really a.

standard liberal Democrat who's going to. fall in line with the Democratic party. [music] Susan Collins, on the other. hand, you know, she's consistently rated. one of the senators who's willing to. cross the aisle. I look at Susan Collins. record [music] and it seems to me to be. pretty solid and thoughtful, >> but I think that a vote for Susan. Collins has the potential to help the. mega Republican.

cohort. [music] Part of the criticism of. her is that she has not done everything. that she could [music] to try to styy. the Trump MAGA presidency. And you know. that's probably true. [music] Could she. have not voted for some of the. nominations that have been made? Yeah, absolutely. [music]. >> I'll tell you my dream scenario. >> My dream scenario is that it's 50/50 in. the Senate with [music] Susan Collins.

still there. so that things that need to. [music] get passed, she would be an. important swing vote on cuz I think she. would be a swing [music] vote and would. be willing to vote down things that. didn't make sense to her from the. Republican side and would be willing to. vote for things on the Democratic side. that did. [music] From the New York Times, I'm.

Michael Babaro. This is the daily. In. this year's midterm elections, a very. specific kind of Republican candidate is. appealing to disillusioned voters of. both parties. Moderates willing to. openly criticize President Trump. The. question now is whether [music] running. away from Trump and his unpopularity is. enough to actually win. [music]. Today, my colleague Jess Biggood. explains how some Republicans are trying. to bring back an older version of the.

GOP as the future of their party. [music]. It's Wednesday, October 28th. [music]. >> All right. Are you ready? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Jess, really glad to have you. here. >> It's a delight to be here. >> Delighted to have you here. So, in our. study of Republicans who are defying.

political gravity in this midterm when. so many things are not going well for. the Republican party. Exhibit A, I. think, has to be Susan Collins, who is. neck and neck in the polls with her. Democratic rival. In some polls, she's. actually ahead of him in a state, Maine, where the Democrats have won the popular. vote in the last at least three. presidential races. I think even more. than that. So, let's talk about how. Susan Collins has done that.

>> So, there's two things happening in. Maine that I think explain this. The. first is Democrats and the second is. Susan Collins. So, let's talk about. Democrats real quick. Let's just remind. ourselves about the saga of Democrats in. Maine this year. >> Saga it was. >> going into this year. Chuck Schumer had. an idea about who he thought could take. down Susan Collins because she is. somebody who Democrats have wanted to. beat. They have been hungry to beat. Susan Collins for decades. And he looked.

at the sitting governor of Maine, Janet. Mills, who has won twice in that state. and said, "She can do it." Maine voters. did not agree. Instead, they got really. excited about an oyster man who came out. of nowhere named Graham Platner. We've. talked a lot about this. We sure have. >> in recent months. >> His candidacy. >> implodes. >> Implod. is accused of rape and Democrats have to. scramble to find somebody else and they. find Troy Jackson who is a former Senate.

President in Maine. Not someone who has. ever won statewide. In fact, I don't. think he's ever won an election with. more than 10 or 11,000 votes. >> Right. And as our colleagues, including. Nate Conn, have found clever ways to. say, he has a charisma deficit. >> He does. And then, of course, there's. another reason why Maine is so much. tougher for Democrats than they would. like. And that is a big old story about. Susan Collins herself. Mhm. >> She has really placed a bet that her.

brand of independent, fairly moderate. Republicanism, one that predates Trump. by literally decades, is the one that. will meet the moment today. >> Jess, just remind us of this Susan. Collins old school brand of. Republicanism. Susan Collins was first. elected to the Senate in 1996. And it will be service to the people of. my state that will be my highest.

priority as Maine's newest senator. >> She is somebody who likes the nuts and. bolts of governance. She has risen to be. chairwoman of the appropriations. committee. This is about as wonky as. government gets. I've secured money for. the University of Maine, which just this. last week has translated into a new. manufacturing plant in Bangor that will. produce 75 good paying jobs. And Susan. Collins has really forged an identity. for herself as somebody who brings home.

the bacon to Maine. >> So, I'm going to continue advocating tax. incentives to encourage small businesses. to create jobs and supporting local. economic development efforts all over. this state. This is an old-fashioned. form of governance, right? This is not. flashy. This is not going on Fox News. and saying stuff that gets super viral. >> Handinhand with that was an identity as. a kind of bipartisan person.

>> I've always worked across party lines. that has been the hallmark of my service. in the Senate. That's what I'm known. for. And that was something that was. really seen as a selling point. >> And because of my ability to work across. party lines, I have a long record of. legislative accomplishment in a host of. issues, whether it's homeless. >> and this was an identity and a brand. that she was building for herself for 20.

years before Trump comes down the. escalator and and bursts onto the scene. And how does Collins handle the arrival. of Trump, who is by the time he's. president, ferociously partisan, but. also quite punitive to those who want to. work with the other side. It results in. him often saying, "You just betrayed me, and I will now make sure you're no. longer a member of Congress.". >> Susan Collins has often worked to. maintain as much distance from President. Trump as she can have.

I don't think that President Trump is. going to [music] come to Maine, and I'm. not exactly his favorite. >> [music]. >> uh senator. >> She is well aware that Maine is a place. that has voted for [music] Trump's. opponents when presidential elections. roll around every time. I decide my. votes on what I believe is best for. Maine and for America, not on whether or not any president, [music] and I've worked with five, is.

for it or against it. >> And so, more than any other Republican. senator over the past decade, [music]. she has broken with her party during. votes on Capitol Hill. I vote very. independently. >> And that is something that she is. drawing on now as she runs for. reelection in this moment when President. Trump's approval ratings are in the 30s. Her party is facing strong national. headwinds, probably as strong as she has. ever faced when running for reelection.

I [music] have been extremely outspoken. in my opposition to Canadian tariffs. [music] and I have voted repeatedly. to repeal [music] them. >> She is pointing to this record and. saying to independent voters in Maine. and even [music] to some Democrats, I am. a safe person for you to vote for. >> I voted with the Democrats [music]. to bring the war to an end. A vote for.

me is not a vote for Trump's [music]. agenda. It's a vote for Susan Collins. and I am different. >> And there's truth to that, right? I. mean, the Times did an analysis that. showed vote by vote that Collins is the. single most contrary to Trump member of. Congress. But I guess in an era where. Republicans have been so loyal to the. president and so rarely have broken with. him, how much do you have to break with.

Trump to earn that particular title? In. other words, how independent has Susan. Collins actually been? What Democrats. would say and what her record shows is. that those votes the the times when she. broke with the Republican party rarely. thwarted the president during his second. term. So Democrats attack her saying you. are with the president whenever he. really needs you and it doesn't help. Maine that you sometimes kind of.

performatively break with the Republican. party. There is this joke that I'm sure. you've heard. >> The concerned Susan Collins mean she's. concerned about X. She's concerned about. Y, >> right? She's concerned, but she doesn't. actually take action to stop the thing. So, one big example of this is her vote. for Brett Kavanaaugh back in 2018. Kavanaaugh, of course, goes on to vote. to overturn Row versus Wade. And there.

are plenty of voters in Maine and beyond. that are really angry that Susan Collins. helped to get him on the court. She. voted to advance President Trump's one. big beautiful bill act at the time. She. talked a lot about having worries that. that bill would take a big bite out of. healthcare in rural Maine, but. ultimately she voted to move that bill. forward before voting against it.

>> Right. A complicated legislative. thing to comprehend, but what matters is. she cast the vote that helped make sure. it ever had a chance to become law. >> Exactly. And this has become one of the. central themes within this election for. her. Is she really as independent from. Trump as she claims? So despite this. variable debate about whether Collins is. in fact a maverick or an somebody truly. independent of Trump, what's clear based. on everything you're describing here is. that her reputation for being moderate,

for being civil, her ability to keep. bringing home lots of money for Maine, and her willingness to from time to time. defy Trump has made her very competitive. in a race where you would imagine that. Democrats would be doing really well. Yes, we are seeing in this moment her. brand of independence. If it's not a. winning formula, it's a competitive. formula. And that is also what we are. seeing happening next door in New.

Hampshire where a former senator, John. E. Cenounu, is running to take back a. Senate seat that he himself actually. lost almost 20 years ago. Well, tell us. about that race in New Hampshire. >> So, John E. Cenounu is a scion of a. political family, >> which is why you're emphasizing the E. >> Yes. [laughter]. Because his father, John H. Cenounu, was. a chief of staff to George HW Bush and a.

governor of New Hampshire. His brother, Chris Cenounu, was also a governor of. New Hampshire. And John E. Cenounu is. running for the Senate. And from the. beginning of his campaign, he too has. really tried to keep his distance from. President Trump. He has run a campaign. in which he has said he's against the. war in Iran. He has said he's against. the tariffs. And you could actually hear.

part of his closing argument in a recent. ad. >> The [music] way Chris Papis tells it, "I'm President Trump's longlost son. I've never even met the man." In that. ad, he's really distancing himself from. Trump. >> When the president's policies are bad. for New Hampshire, I'll oppose them. Just like I oppose the war in Iran. [music] in the trade war with Canada. That's New Hampshire independent. >> He literally says that I actually never. even met the man referring to President.

Trump. >> Is that true? He's never met him? >> That's what he says. And and we don't. know of any evidence that they have met. >> But saying it is quite a thing. >> Saying it is quite a thing. I mean, you. really have to think about the. Republican party of the past 10 years. when taking even an inch of space from. Trump showing a tiny bit of disloyalty. is often enough to get you run out of. the party either by the man himself or. simply his base of voters. And here. comes John E. Cenounu saying, "I don't.

know this guy. What are you talking. about?". >> Right. Implicitly also, I don't owe this. guy. >> Yes. Yes. and his opponent Chris Papus. is a congressman from New Hampshire. He's been in the House for eight years. and Papis has really tried to. nationalize this race. He's really tried. to say, you know, control of the US. Senate runs through New Hampshire and. John E. Cenounu would in fact be, you. know, a vote for the Trump agenda. But there's something Cenounu said on.

the debate stage recently that I found. quite striking. In two years, the. president will leave office. And my. question is, where do we go next? >> What Cenounu said, >> this Senate election is about the. future. Not the next year, not the next. six years, but the long-term future of. the country. >> President Trump is only going to be. president for another two years. I'm. committed to being a voice from New.

Hampshire that's independent, that's. focused on our priorities here at home. >> I'm running to think about what's next, what's beyond that. >> How well is that message resonating in. New Hampshire? >> We know that it's keeping him in the. game. New Hampshire hasn't elected a. Republican to the Senate since 2010. And. in some of the races since, Democrats. racked up big margins. Jean Shaheen was. reelected by something like 16 points in. 2020. Maggie Hassan won by nine. percentage points in 2022. These are.

Democrats running against Trumpier. Republicans. And here's Cenounu keeping. his distance from Trump. And the latest. New York Times Sienna University poll. showed Cenounu trailing Papus by about 5. percentage points. Earlier in the fall, another poll actually showed Cenounu. ahead by a couple of points. So that. signals a more competitive race in New. Hampshire than we've seen in a long. time. So, the fact that Republican.

Senate candidates are as competitive as. they are in these two New England states. that like Democrats a lot starts to tell. us that these non-maga independent of. Trump Republicans are on to something in. this political moment where the. Republican party's brand and Trump's. popularity is almost toxic. Yes, most Republicans running over the. past couple of cycles have made a bet. that the way to win is to fire up.

Trump's MAGAR Republican base. It is to. forget about moderates, to not worry so. much about independent voters or. Democrats who might cross the aisle and. really go allin firing up MAGA voters. >> Right? >> The John Eenus of the world and the. Susan Collinses of the world, they're. trying something different. They are. trying to win by reaching out to voters. in the middle. The ones that don't love. Trump. The ones that maybe never did and.

say, "I have something for you. I have a. more independent brand. I have a. willingness to defy the president. I. don't even know the guy. Come with me.". It's a bet that there's enough. independent voters out there. There's. enough Republicans who never loved. Trump. And there's enough Democrats. willing to cross the aisle to either. keep them in office. in Susan Collins. case or to put them there in Cenounus. [music].

[music]. We'll be right back. So Jess, if a potentially winning. formula for Republicans in this moment. when so many voters are upset with the. president is to distance themselves from. the president, there's a problem which. is that not everyone is Susan Collins or. John Cenounu and can pull that off and. instead there are lots of Republicans.

who are literally glued to Trump at the. hip because he made them who they are. they owe him and the voters in their. state expect loyalty from them. So, how's that supposed to work? >> That is the key problem for a whole. bunch of Republicans who are running in. other purple states and even red states. that are facing tough headwinds. They. are looking at the polls. They are. seeing Trump's low approval ratings even.

in their states which have elected. President Trump in the past and they. increasingly know that they need to put. some distance between themselves and the. president. That the alliance they made. that in many cases got them to where. they are bear hugging Trump is how you. win a Republican primary and that has. been the case for 10 years has suddenly. become a little bit of a liability. And. so you have someone like Ashley Henson. >> I am running to be President Trump's top.

ally in the United States Senate. >> who's running for Senate in Iowa. I know. you talked about her on the show on. Monday. She said last year that she. would be Trump's strongest ally in the. Senate. >> Mr. President, I want to say thank you. for your support. I will not let you. down. >> Now she's running ads. >> I'm Ashley Henson. Used to be that. reaching across the aisle wasn't just. okay. [music] it was expected. >> Emphasizing the idea that she would be. bipartisan. >> because working across the aisle isn't.

always easy, but it's how you [music]. get results. >> She's making a Susan Collinsesque. argument, >> right? And unlike Susan Collins, she. doesn't have decades in the US Senate of. demonstrating bipartisanship and bucking. from time to time President Trump. >> Yes. And we're seeing this kind of. dynamic play out in red states around. the country. One place I'm thinking. about is Florida where Representative. Maria Alvirara Salazar, she's a. candidate running for the House there in.

a district that President Trump won in. 2024. About a month ago, she came out. with a very striking ad. >> Mr. President, [music] some of your. immigration enforcement efforts have. gone too far. In July, >> in it, she directly and forcefully. criticize Trump's immigration policy. >> Be careful what your adviserss are. telling you about immigration policies. [music] The same Hispanics who help you. get to the White House in 2024 feel. betrayed today. You can be. >> That ad is speaking to concerns that.

Republicans have around the country. You. know, Trump ran on immigration. enforcement, but Republicans are. beginning to worry that that is costing. them with voters that it's become. unpopular in practice. And this is the. kind of concern that really hits home. for Salazar, whose district is 70%. Hispanic. And then there's also Kansas. This is a deep red state, a place that. hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate. since 1932. It's like the longest.

partisan streak in the Senate of any. state. Roger Marshall, the incumbent. senator, the Republican, he has been a. strong Trump ally for the entirety of. his time in the Senate. He was in the. House before that. And even he now has. found himself in the face of a strong. challenge by the Democrat Adam Hamilton. having to back away from Trump in these. subtle ways. Earlier this year, you saw.

him admonish the Trump administration. for not alerting local authorities. before an ICE raid that was tough on. farmers and ranchers. And you saw him. push back on Trump ever so slightly, saying he disagreed with a threat. President Trump made to an Canadian. airplane maker that operates in Kansas. And the fact that someone like him would. be backing away ever so slightly is.

really striking. But you can also see. someone like him really working hard to. thread that needle. I do want to. emphasize we need the Trump voters to. come out and that would be my my appeal. tonight to people. If you want the Trump. agenda to continue, if you. >> on the debate stage, for example, he. actually made a pretty impassion defense. overall of what Trump and Trump's agenda. has done for people in Kansas. >> President Trump is not always right. Uh. but I do think that we it's it's great.

that I have a relationship that I can. pick up the phone and discuss with him. the pros and cons of what he's. contemplating. Thank you, Mr. >> He's not ready to, you know, cut bait. entirely. >> So far, based on the polling that we've. talked about on the show, it would seem. that the efforts by these Republican. Senate candidates in places like Iowa. and in Kansas to distance themselves. from Trump might be too little, too. late. Because in both of those very. Republican states, the elections are.

extremely close. And the Republicans, I. think, are startled by the very real. possibility that they could lose. >> Yes. I think it's hard to credibly put. distance between yourself and the. president when the president is so. crucial to the political brand of so. many Republicans today. And in a state. like Kansas, you see the Democrat really. trying to take advantage of that. Adam.

Hamilton, he's this pastor. He describes. himself as an independent-minded. Democrat, and he is working really hard. to appeal to moderate Republicans in. that state. The kind of Republicans in. Kansas who really miss Bob Dole, >> who never really loved Trump, who are. frustrated with tariffs and the cost of. diesel and the economy and the impact. that various administration policies. have had on farmers there. He's really. reaching out and saying, "I'm not a.

scary Democrat. I don't like socialism. >> I'm like Collins and Cen.". >> Yes. Yes. Come along with me. And I was. down in Kansas a couple weeks ago in the. city of Hutchinson, which is a it's in a. county where Trump won by many, many. percentage points back in 2024. And Adam Hamilton filled a pretty big. theater there talking about this stuff.

And I talked to a lot of those voters. And. >> I would say most of the voters I talked. to were in fact registered Republicans. who were tired of having a senator that. they felt voted in lock step with Trump, weren't convinced by, you know, any any. very subtle differentiations Marshall. had made with the president and were. there to to hear Hamilton out. Of. course, we should just say, just to pop. our own thesis, or your thesis, I should. say, is not mine, that there are plenty.

of committed MAGA Republican candidates. who are still bear hugging Donald Trump. unapologetically despite everything we. have laid out here. And these are. Republicans in deep red places who will. almost without a doubt win their. elections. And they're going to continue. to carry the mantle of MAGASism forward. >> Absolutely. I mean, over the past couple. of weeks, we have seen President Trump. tore the country, go to deep red places,

and appear side by side with candidates. that he and the Republican party believe. he can pull over the line no matter the. headwinds. But let's think about a place. like Texas, right? This is a very red. state. Republicans have had a very good. run of winning Senate races there since. I believe 1988. Trump through his endorsement behind Ken. Paxton, the state attorney general, a. candidate who is pretty flawed. He's.

been impeached. He's been investigated. He's a complicated candidate. And the. bet here was that whatever his issues, an alliance between him and Trump was. going to work. >> And now here we are a little less than a. week before the election and poll after. poll after poll, we've seen the Democrat. James Terico leading Paxton in Texas. It's remarkable. It's not something.

we've seen in a really long time. And it. raises the question of whether Trump's. support is actually enough to pull. Paxton over the line even there. >> So Jess, let me paint a scenario for. you. It's a theoretical scenario where. someone like Ken Paxton in Texas loses. and Susan Collins in Maine wins. And the. major lesson of these midterms ends up. feeling like the right formula for. Republicans is to really put some.

distance between themselves and. President Trump. Does that basically. ensure that the last two years of the. Trump presidency. bring greater and greater levels of. Republican independence and even. rejection of Trump? >> I think it could. That is a big if, right, Michael? I mean, we have no idea. what is going to happen on election day. We have no idea if the polls are right. >> But if something like that happens, if.

Paxton goes down and Collins holds on, there are Republicans who may see that. as a kind of permission slip to keep. backing away. You know, one remarkable. thing about the Trump era is the number. of Republicans who, if you ask them in. private, say, "I don't like this guy. I. don't like his politics. I don't like. the way he is." Who feel like they've. sort of been held hostage by him.

They're pretty desperate to get away. from him if they think it's politically. safe to do so. >> And that scenario would represent the. beginning of political safety. >> Exactly. It would represent the idea. that suddenly stepping away from Trump. is not something that voters will. necessarily punish you for. >> And it's worth noting that should this. happen, it comes alongside Trump. becoming officially a lame duck. And.

every president kind of loses some of. their juice when they become a lame. duck. Well, yes, historically that was. true. Except in the case of Trump, he. exercised as much power out of office in. that period in between his first and. second term politically as he did during. the first term, which was remarkable. We. don't yet know what the singularly. powerful Donald Trump is when he's a.

lame duck because when he was not even. president, he could determine the future. of a Republican member of Congress. It's. true. It's true. And and at that time, you know, he still had the ability to. run again, and he did. He no longer has. that ability. But the other thing we do. know is that he still has the ability to. raise a lot of money for Republicans. He. still has control over the party. apparatus. He still has control. essentially over the RNC. He may yet.

have. >> the Republican National Committee, right? He may yet have a lot of say over. who gains power in the Republican party, and I don't think we should discount. that. But if at the ballot box we see. voters rejecting candidates who were too. close to him and rewarding those who. kept their distance, I think we're going. to see a lot more Republican candidates. wanting to follow in that model. And I. think we're going to see that become a.

much bigger part of the party's. conversation about what comes next in. 2028 and beyond. >> Right? And what someone like Susan. Collins and John Cenounu might tell you. is that that version of the Republican. party, that future of the Republican. party is the one that resembles the. Republican party of their past. And the. reality is that, as you said in this. conversation at the beginning, Trump has. run many of those figures out of. government, out of Washington. And so. there isn't really a lot of them left. And so I wonder if you agree with that.

assessment that this is to some degree a. reclamation of an old Republican party. or if it's a starting of a new post. Trump one. >> I think that's going to be the big. question. I mean it's it's remarkable. when we talk about Trump and the effect. he's had on the Republican party. We say. he blew it all up, right? And the fact. that it's even possible that Susan. Collins and her political career could. outlive the Trump era speaks to the idea.

that what came before Trump really does. have more staying power than we might. have thought. You know, one thing that I. have found really striking in recent. days has happened in Ohio where the now. infamous ad from VC Roma Swami, the. Trump acolyte, using his opponent's. mother to call her a liar, kind of. dredging up the unspeakably awful. details of her childhood. That has. prompted a real backlash from Ohio's.

Republican establishment. There too, you. have someone like Governor Mike DeWine. who has had a long career in Ohio. politics. >> Old school mainline Republican. >> Absolutely. He has he has done every job. you can do in politics. A lot of that he. has done before Trump. He remains. governor today coming up standing up and. saying this ad is deeply deeply. troubling even as Trump and Trumpism has.

kind of changed what it means to be a. Republican in Ohio with someone like JD. Vance becoming a senator there and then. Bernie Moreno becoming a senator there. VC Ramaswami wanted to be kind of the. next mold breaking Ohio politician. dispensing with those Republicans of the. past. You see those establishment. Republicans really pushing back on it. saying hey this is not who we are and. they are willing to actually put VC.

Ramaswami's campaign in danger to make. their point. >> right because what they're saying is. we're still here. They're saying we're. still here and we don't like this. [music]. So, I don't think there's any question. that Donald Trump did blow up the. Republican party. A lot of what was. there before him is gone now, [music] in. part because he dispensed with those. people himself. But if you look closely,

there are some pre-TTrump Republicans. left quietly waiting to see what happens. on November 3rd. And as their party. starts to figure out what comes next, they are going [music] to want to help. shape it. >> Well, Jess, thank you very much. >> Thank you, Michael.

>> [music]. >> We'll be right [music] back. [music]. Here's what else you need to know. As vote counting began across Israel on. Tuesday night, [music] it appeared that. neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor his. opponents led by Gotti Eisenote had. immediately secured enough support to. [music] command a majority in the.

country's parliament. The election, the. first since the October 7th assault by. Hamas, [music] is widely seen as a. referendum on Netanyahu, the country's. longest serving prime minister, and his. far-right coalition. Voter turnout. reached record highs and gave [music]. Israel's two Arab parties their. strongest showing ever. Those two. [music] parties may now prove crucial in. the coming weeks because it appears that. neither Netanyahu nor his opponents will. be able to form a government without.

[music] their support. Today's [music] episode was produced by. Caitlyn O'Keefe, Claire Tennis, Sketter, Adrienne Hurst, and Eric Krepky. It was. edited by Devon [music] Taylor. Contains. music by Rowan Misto, Dan Powell, and. Marian Lozano, and was engineered by. Alyssa Moxley. Our theme [music] music. is by Wonderly. Special thanks to. Michael Gold.

>> [music]. >> That's it for the daily. I'm Michael. Bora. See you tomorrow.