RUSH TRANSCRIPT Of where ░░░░░░░░ are now going into ░░░░░░░░ Day Joining me now ░░░░░░░░ James Blair President Trump ░░░░░░░░ 2024 political director who ░░░░░░░░ overseeing the Trump political ░░░░░░░░ heading into the midterMs ░░░░░░░░ you so much for ░░░░░░░░ in It s good ░░░░░░░░ see you So Virginia ░░░░░░░░ a purple state What ░░░░░░░░ your diagnosis for Why ░░░░░░░░ and Republicans failed to ░░░░░░░░ back the Democrats redistricting ░░░░░░░░ Well first I would ░░░░░░░░ that And Virginia So ░░░░░░░░ is a state in ░░░░░░░░ of 2025 that went ░░░░░░░░ 15 points to the ░░░░░░░░ for governor and about ░░░░░░░░ points for attorney general ░░░░░░░░ night This was a ░░░░░░░░ point race That s ░░░░░░░░ a three point overperformance ░░░░░░░░ the Trump 2024 historic ░░░░░░░░ in Virginia So just ░░░░░░░░ a baseline for all ░░░░░░░░ Democrats crowing this morning ░░░░░░░░ Republicans perform anywhere near ░░░░░░░░ average the way they ░░░░░░░░ in Virginia last night ░░░░░░░░ not only add seats ░░░░░░░░ the Senate but we ░░░░░░░░ seats to the house ░░░░░░░░ we have a historic ░░░░░░░░ It was very close ░░░░░░░░ there s a backlash ░░░░░░░░ the fact that they ░░░░░░░░ not honest And the ░░░░░░░░ is going to be ░░░░░░░░ in November They don ░░░░░░░░ have policies to run ░░░░░░░░ They don t have ░░░░░░░░ vision to run on ░░░░░░░░ re going to make ░░░░░░░░ litigate the question of ░░░░░░░░ policies in November And ░░░░░░░░ if it turns out ░░░░░░░░ way it did last ░░░░░░░░ Democrats are not going ░░░░░░░░ win the majority in ░░░░░░░░ chamber But it is ░░░░░░░░ win I mean if ░░░░░░░░ if you use that ░░░░░░░░ of paradigm and look ░░░░░░░░ to November if Republicans ░░░░░░░░ control of the house ░░░░░░░░ s still a loss ░░░░░░░░ What I expect is ░░░░░░░░ when all of this ░░░░░░░░ sort of continues this ░░░░░░░░ is that there will ░░░░░░░░ a narrow advantage for ░░░░░░░░ I think that s ░░░░░░░░ reality And what s ░░░░░░░░ important is Democrats started ░░░░░░░░ like years ago and ░░░░░░░░ do it through the ░░░░░░░░ They take a different ░░░░░░░░ but they ve gone ░░░░░░░░ and badgered and jury ░░░░░░░░ I mean in Utah ░░░░░░░░ week NBC reported that ░░░░░░░░ may have been an ░░░░░░░░ relationship between the league ░░░░░░░░ women voters plaintiff lawyer ░░░░░░░░ the judge that ruled ░░░░░░░░ the maps for the ░░░░░░░░ of women voters Gerrymandering ░░░░░░░░ a very deep very ░░░░░░░░ bipartisan issue and problem ░░░░░░░░ m going to get ░░░░░░░░ that in one second ░░░░░░░░ to push back on ░░░░░░░░ but I want to ░░░░░░░░ on Virginia for one ░░░░░░░░ MAGA inc the super ░░░░░░░░ that supports the president ░░░░░░░░ not spend any money ░░░░░░░░ this redistricting fight Republicans ░░░░░░░░ massively outspent by Democrats ░░░░░░░░ to 1 you re ░░░░░░░░ on more than 300 ░░░░░░░░ in cash Why didn ░░░░░░░░ you spend any of ░░░░░░░░ Well from my account ░░░░░░░░ I can see on ░░░░░░░░ public reports is the ░░░░░░░░ know group spent about ░░░░░░░░ million And I don ░░░░░░░░ think that the numbers ░░░░░░░░ really been accurately reported ░░░░░░░░ that s what I ░░░░░░░░ see through the public ░░░░░░░░ So I think there ░░░░░░░░ a pretty well no ░░░░░░░░ The Democrats unloaded you ░░░░░░░░ 60 70 million whatever ░░░░░░░░ was And again their ░░░░░░░░ should concern them One ░░░░░░░░ the districts that they ░░░░░░░░ if it sticks and ░░░░░░░░ ll get to that ░░░░░░░░ a minute In the ░░░░░░░░ one of the districts ░░░░░░░░ redrew voted no last ░░░░░░░░ narrowly and two of ░░░░░░░░ other districts they redrew ░░░░░░░░ voted yes like by ░░░░░░░░ than half a point ░░░░░░░░ less than two points ░░░░░░░░ These are not slam ░░░░░░░░ districts for them They ░░░░░░░░ a lot of cash ░░░░░░░░ they re going to ░░░░░░░░ to fight for them ░░░░░░░░ November if they get ░░░░░░░░ the courts The Virginia ░░░░░░░░ Court still has to ░░░░░░░░ here This is illegal ░░░░░░░░ they did under their ░░░░░░░░ state law A lower ░░░░░░░░ judge already said that ░░░░░░░░ the Supreme Court let ░░░░░░░░ referendum go on But ░░░░░░░░ still have to rule ░░░░░░░░ the merits And if ░░░░░░░░ do the right thing ░░░░░░░░ will rule that this ░░░░░░░░ an illegal action for ░░░░░░░░ cycle Just going back ░░░░░░░░ the very large war ░░░░░░░░ war chest that you ░░░░░░░░ sitting on you know ░░░░░░░░ behalf of the president ░░░░░░░░ the political team 300 ░░░░░░░░ Is your plan to ░░░░░░░░ that out for the ░░░░░░░░ Are you going to ░░░░░░░░ that money on Republicans ░░░░░░░░ the ballot Well I ░░░░░░░░ certainly not going to ░░░░░░░░ our battle plans to ░░░░░░░░ other side through the ░░░░░░░░ But what I would ░░░░░░░░ is that I don ░░░░░░░░ think that Republicans will ░░░░░░░░ at a disadvantage in ░░░░░░░░ midterms which has never ░░░░░░░░ the case before And ░░░░░░░░ fact I firmly expect ░░░░░░░░ will have a significant ░░░░░░░░ advantage not just through ░░░░░░░░ the president has done ░░░░░░░░ through the other groups ░░░░░░░░ committees The house is ░░░░░░░░ really well raising money ░░░░░░░░ Senate s doing really ░░░░░░░░ raising money The RNC ░░░░░░░░ 120 million cash advantage ░░░░░░░░ you well know because ░░░░░░░░ m sure you hear ░░░░░░░░ far more than I ░░░░░░░░ among Republicans that you ░░░░░░░░ have so much money ░░░░░░░░ you haven t spent ░░░░░░░░ yet You re saying ░░░░░░░░ you will spend that ░░░░░░░░ that giant war chest ░░░░░░░░ the president isn t ░░░░░░░░ it for some of ░░░░░░░░ own projects Again I ░░░░░░░░ save the president s ░░░░░░░░ for the president But ░░░░░░░░ think the president has ░░░░░░░░ very clear with the ░░░░░░░░ of the house and ░░░░░░░░ Senate that he is ░░░░░░░░ to be supportive in ░░░░░░░░ races He helps them ░░░░░░░░ money independently in addition ░░░░░░░░ I expect very much ░░░░░░░░ will spend in the ░░░░░░░░ and I ll leave ░░░░░░░░ announcements to him Let ░░░░░░░░ talk about Florida Um ░░░░░░░░ have very deep roots ░░░░░░░░ Florida politics There s ░░░░░░░░ no one who knows ░░░░░░░░ map there better than ░░░░░░░░ How aggressive should governor ░░░░░░░░ DeSantis be in redrawing ░░░░░░░░ maps there Now I ░░░░░░░░ t been involved in ░░░░░░░░ Florida process I don ░░░░░░░░ know what the conversations ░░░░░░░░ I see What do ░░░░░░░░ think I see what ░░░░░░░░ read in the press ░░░░░░░░ I think that Ron ░░░░░░░░ has drawn the maps ░░░░░░░░ Um if he chooses ░░░░░░░░ go forward he will ░░░░░░░░ them in a way ░░░░░░░░ is compliant with the ░░░░░░░░ And we ll see ░░░░░░░░ happens That was a ░░░░░░░░ non answer The best ░░░░░░░░ I got How come ░░░░░░░░ I just think that ░░░░░░░░ would not want to ░░░░░░░░ what the governor is ░░░░░░░░ to do I don ░░░░░░░░ talk to the governor ░░░░░░░░ not talked to those ░░░░░░░░ about it But again ░░░░░░░░ I said I think ░░░░░░░░ track record shows that ░░░░░░░░ know how to draw ░░░░░░░░ and compliance with Florida ░░░░░░░░ and the Florida constitution ░░░░░░░░ we will see what ░░░░░░░░ do next week Obviously ░░░░░░░░ s going to be ░░░░░░░░ lot of attention on ░░░░░░░░ I imagine after last ░░░░░░░░ If you called you ░░░░░░░░ said James what should ░░░░░░░░ do You would say ░░░░░░░░ don t think the ░░░░░░░░ would call me about ░░░░░░░░ And you know if ░░░░░░░░ did I would say ░░░░░░░░ do what you think ░░░░░░░░ right All right I ░░░░░░░░ to play something Just ░░░░░░░░ back to the point ░░░░░░░░ made about gerrymandering in ░░░░░░░░ I want to play ░░░░░░░░ that President Trump said ░░░░░░░░ a tele rally for ░░░░░░░░ on Monday night Democrats ░░░░░░░░ to go out and ░░░░░░░░ those district lines in ░░░░░░░░ service of their own ░░░░░░░░ gerrymander And you re ░░░░░░░░ about I don t ░░░░░░░░ what you know if ░░░░░░░░ know what gerrymandering is ░░░░░░░░ it s not good ░░░░░░░░ rely on it It ░░░░░░░░ not good Not fair ░░░░░░░░ good What That was ░░░░░░░░ response I think a ░░░░░░░░ of people s responses ░░░░░░░░ that Not that he ░░░░░░░░ not wrong I mean ░░░░░░░░ who cares about good ░░░░░░░░ will say that gerrymandering ░░░░░░░░ not good for democracy ░░░░░░░░ this is a redistricting ░░░░░░░░ Mid decade redistricting war ░░░░░░░░ started in Texas with ░░░░░░░░ president s pressure and ░░░░░░░░ pressure It started in ░░░░░░░░ York last cycle when ░░░░░░░░ tried to do it ░░░░░░░░ then they got knocked ░░░░░░░░ in the courts but ░░░░░░░░ still did some It ░░░░░░░░ in Utah where they ░░░░░░░░ shopped in the case ░░░░░░░░ was just referencing it ░░░░░░░░ in Wisconsin where they ░░░░░░░░ three times been thrown ░░░░░░░░ by the Wisconsin Supreme ░░░░░░░░ President was very aggressive ░░░░░░░░ wanting this to happen ░░░░░░░░ and you were too ░░░░░░░░ think you were you ░░░░░░░░ me if I m ░░░░░░░░ You were working very ░░░░░░░░ with Republican officials in ░░░░░░░░ to try to bank ░░░░░░░░ many seats as possible ░░░░░░░░ the midterMs Again let ░░░░░░░░ talk about what goes ░░░░░░░░ Marc Elias I think ░░░░░░░░ have probably heard of ░░░░░░░░ has been suing in ░░░░░░░░ state of Wisconsin for ░░░░░░░░ cycles now I think ░░░░░░░░ times it s been ░░░░░░░░ by the Wisconsin Supreme ░░░░░░░░ And right now he ░░░░░░░░ governor evers called a ░░░░░░░░ session to do something ░░░░░░░░ gerrymandering or whatever But ░░░░░░░░ fact is the the ░░░░░░░░ that they take umbrage ░░░░░░░░ in court was drawn ░░░░░░░░ the governor on orders ░░░░░░░░ the liberal Supreme Court ░░░░░░░░ they re trying to ░░░░░░░░ something that they themselves ░░░░░░░░ in service of getting ░░░░░░░░ Democrat seats This is ░░░░░░░░ new And what I ░░░░░░░░ say Is it s ░░░░░░░░ new How is the ░░░░░░░░ s comment different than ░░░░░░░░ ads President Obama was ░░░░░░░░ I m not I ░░░░░░░░ not saying that he ░░░░░░░░ not wrong I m ░░░░░░░░ he s right But ░░░░░░░░ difference is that or ░░░░░░░░ contradiction appears to be ░░░░░░░░ he and you as ░░░░░░░░ political director were very ░░░░░░░░ And I hear what ░░░░░░░░ re saying about Democrats ░░░░░░░░ Republicans being off the ░░░░░░░░ Not good on this ░░░░░░░░ they control various legislatures ░░░░░░░░ various states But this ░░░░░░░░ a mid decade redistricting ░░░░░░░░ specifically to try to ░░░░░░░░ what you think will ░░░░░░░░ losses in November No ░░░░░░░░ is about bringing fairness ░░░░░░░░ what has been done ░░░░░░░░ Republicans and Republicans being ░░░░░░░░ around the country If ░░░░░░░░ want to take it ░░░░░░░░ the way back to ░░░░░░░░ 2020 census there was ░░░░░░░░ overcount and an undercount ░░░░░░░░ reported by the census ░░░░░░░░ itself and its post ░░░░░░░░ survey in 2022 There ░░░░░░░░ litigation on the fact ░░░░░░░░ they introduced new novel ░░░░░░░░ methods and 100 of ░░░░░░░░ undercounting was in red ░░░░░░░░ and 100 of the ░░░░░░░░ was in blue states ░░░░░░░░ blue states got more ░░░░░░░░ than they were actually ░░░░░░░░ based on the count ░░░░░░░░ red states got less ░░░░░░░░ than they were due ░░░░░░░░ on the count This ░░░░░░░░ not my opinion This ░░░░░░░░ the opinion of the ░░░░░░░░ census bureau in 2022 ░░░░░░░░ is a long history ░░░░░░░░ So that s what ░░░░░░░░ this mid decade redistricting ░░░░░░░░ all about Democrats census ░░░░░░░░ 2020 There is many ░░░░░░░░ There s steps all ░░░░░░░░ way along the way ░░░░░░░░ their pseudo blue strategy ░░░░░░░░ is about Democrats being ░░░░░░░░ to do And again ░░░░░░░░ s important what they ░░░░░░░░ in Virginia and in ░░░░░░░░ is illegal under their ░░░░░░░░ state laws Now if ░░░░░░░░ D known that you ░░░░░░░░ judges will just let ░░░░░░░░ break the law maybe ░░░░░░░░ would have a different ░░░░░░░░ I just I want ░░░░░░░░ move on to a ░░░░░░░░ questions about the midterms ░░░░░░░░ generally But as you ░░░░░░░░ know Democrats in Congress ░░░░░░░░ tried and failed to ░░░░░░░░ it so that there ░░░░░░░░ no gerrymandering at all ░░░░░░░░ have a federal law ░░░░░░░░ eliminate this kind of ░░░░░░░░ And Republicans have opposed ░░░░░░░░ Have you changed your ░░░░░░░░ Here s what I ░░░░░░░░ ask I would ask ░░░░░░░░ Democrats are willing to ░░░░░░░░ the citizenship question on ░░░░░░░░ ballot so that American ░░░░░░░░ are counted for congressional ░░░░░░░░ which is the constitutional ░░░░░░░░ way which was done ░░░░░░░░ 50 years ago which ░░░░░░░░ fought out in the ░░░░░░░░ And you know ultimately ░░░░░░░░ be a ruling on ░░░░░░░░ 2030 If we want ░░░░░░░░ have a conversation about ░░░░░░░░ let s have a ░░░░░░░░ about fairness Illegal immigrants ░░░░░░░░ people who come here ░░░░░░░░ months a year are ░░░░░░░░ due Congressional representation But ░░░░░░░░ is the practical application ░░░░░░░░ outcome of what Democrats ░░░░░░░░ of the system I ░░░░░░░░ want to ask about ░░░░░░░░ new poll from the ░░░░░░░░ Press James It shows ░░░░░░░░ of Americans disapprove of ░░░░░░░░ Trump s handling of ░░░░░░░░ economy and that includes ░░░░░░░░ of Republicans 76 that ░░░░░░░░ three quarters of Americans ░░░░░░░░ t approve of how ░░░░░░░░ president is handling the ░░░░░░░░ of living including half ░░░░░░░░ of his fellow Republicans ░░░░░░░░ s a very very ░░░░░░░░ number and a very ░░░░░░░░ problem for this president ░░░░░░░░ ve not read that ░░░░░░░░ specifically so I can ░░░░░░░░ comment on its numbers ░░░░░░░░ here what I will ░░░░░░░░ you But it s ░░░░░░░░ it s not unlike ░░░░░░░░ polls I will talk ░░░░░░░░ trends writ large When ░░░░░░░░ ask the voters who ░░░░░░░░ you trust more on ░░░░░░░░ economy Republicans or Democrats ░░░░░░░░ have the narrow edge ░░░░░░░░ do you trust more ░░░░░░░░ inflation Republicans or Democrats ░░░░░░░░ have the edge down ░░░░░░░░ list Crime border security ░░░░░░░░ immigration the main issues ░░░░░░░░ people are voting for ░░░░░░░░ still maintain the edge ░░░░░░░░ the midterms are going ░░░░░░░░ be about who do ░░░░░░░░ trust more to deal ░░░░░░░░ these issues that they ░░░░░░░░ about Republicans in Congress ░░░░░░░░ Democrats in Congress You ░░░░░░░░ better than I the ░░░░░░░░ are historically a referendum ░░░░░░░░ on a president And ░░░░░░░░ this president certainly And ░░░░░░░░ know and I know ░░░░░░░░ our my colleague Adam ░░░░░░░░ has some new great ░░░░░░░░ about a meeting that ░░░░░░░░ and some of the ░░░░░░░░ political advisors to the ░░░░░░░░ had saying that rather ░░░░░░░░ make this a referendum ░░░░░░░░ the president you re ░░░░░░░░ to try to make ░░░░░░░░ about a choice between ░░░░░░░░ and Republicans I ve ░░░░░░░░ around a long time ░░░░░░░░ know lots of white ░░░░░░░░ have tried that Why ░░░░░░░░ you think you re ░░░░░░░░ to be successful It ░░░░░░░░ not about making it ░░░░░░░░ referendum on the president ░░░░░░░░ not It comes down ░░░░░░░░ the policies that President ░░░░░░░░ and the Republicans have ░░░░░░░░ in place Every Republican ░░░░░░░░ the house short of ░░░░░░░░ Massie voted for the ░░░░░░░░ working families tax cut ░░░░░░░░ history And people got ░░░░░░░░ tax Cuts feeling it ░░░░░░░░ disagree The New York ░░░░░░░░ is reporting about how ░░░░░░░░ are feeling it now ░░░░░░░░ numbers catch up to ░░░░░░░░ And some of the ░░░░░░░░ you re you re ░░░░░░░░ I think probably But ░░░░░░░░ the end of the ░░░░░░░░ we came in we ░░░░░░░░ a four year mess ░░░░░░░░ decade high inflation not ░░░░░░░░ month high four decade ░░░░░░░░ inflation And voters have ░░░░░░░░ of that And the ░░░░░░░░ is do we want ░░░░░░░░ go back to that ░░░░░░░░ do we want to ░░░░░░░░ forward and finish the ░░░░░░░░ put more money back ░░░░░░░░ your pockets Every Democrat ░░░░░░░░ Congress is on record ░░░░░░░░ a 4 trillion tax ░░░░░░░░ Every Democrat in Congress ░░░░░░░░ on record for zeroing ░░░░░░░░ funding for Border Patrol ░░░░░░░░ Zeroing out all immigration ░░░░░░░░ They are out of ░░░░░░░░ center of the electorate ░░░░░░░░ I believe when that ░░░░░░░░ litigated for the voters ░░░░░░░░ will choose Republicans I ░░░░░░░░ am having sort of ░░░░░░░░ flashback to sitting and ░░░░░░░░ to Joe Biden a ░░░░░░░░ aides when they were ░░░░░░░░ me about the data ░░░░░░░░ that people s feelings ░░░░░░░░ catch up to it ░░░░░░░░ whether you re going ░░░░░░░░ defy gravity is going ░░░░░░░░ be a big question ░░░░░░░░ November because it certainly ░░░░░░░░ t work for them ░░░░░░░░ said we ll see ░░░░░░░░ all know the history ░░░░░░░░ the midterMs We re ░░░░░░░░ ignorant of the history ░░░░░░░░ the midterms obviously Right ░░░░░░░░ it s way too ░░░░░░░░ to declare defeat Republicans ░░░░░░░░ in the fight We ░░░░░░░░ a record to run ░░░░░░░░ Unlike the Biden Administration ░░░░░░░░ have them on the ░░░░░░░░ Unlike the Biden Administration ░░░░░░░░ again our party holds ░░░░░░░░ edge on the issues ░░░░░░░░ voters care about James ░░░░░░░░ we will have a ░░░░░░░░ more to talk about ░░░░░░░░ the