It is a busy week on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail, with
Democrats working to pass their $740 billion economic agenda and
five states heading to the polls for primary elections. Laura Baron
Lopez brings us up to speed There are just 99 days left until the
midterm elections and Democrats are racing to pass. The inflation
reduction Act before campaign season is in full swing and in competitive
Republican primaries, candidates loyal to former president
Donald Trump and his election lies are running up and down the ballot
in some cases challenging Republicans who voted to impeach the former
president here to analyze all this, and more are Amy Walter of the
Cook Political report with Amy Walter and Tamara Keith. NPR.
Amy in, uh, tomorrow. Thank you for being with us today. Tomorrow.
I want to start with you. Democratic Senator, Democratic Senator
Jon Tester said that he's not sure if the inflation reduction act
is ultimately going to pass. But Tamara how much of an impact could
this bill ultimately have in motivating Democratic voters as well
as undecided? He said in that interview that Judy just did that He's
still reviewing the measure. But it seems pretty likely that
It. All Democrats in the Senate are going to get on board for this.
Um, because it is such an important, uh, it would be such an important
accomplishment that Democrats can tout heading into the midterms.
In particular. One of the problems that President Biden has had in
his approval rating is that Democrats are frustrated progress, particularly
young progressive Democrats are frustrated that that his administration
and
Congress controlled by Democrats hasn't accomplished enough and this
Inflation Reduction Act both has the has the PR value of literally
being called the inflation Reduction Act when people are worried
about inflation and rising costs, but also has a really big component
of climate and energy related spending. That is something that President
Biden campaigned on, and it's a big share of what he was asking for
all along. That was sort of the big surprise.
Sizes that this climate element was in there.
And so that politically, that kind of thing can certainly help with
the president's challenge among Democrats, right and Amy Republicans
have been coming out very forcefully trying to label this as a bill
that doesn't necessarily meet the inflation concerns that are front
and center for voters like groceries and other consumer goods. So
what's the Democratic response to that?
Well, look, I think Democrats have had a pretty good last couple
of weeks here on Capitol Hill. Or maybe we can take it out to the
month. Um, for the last month or so, beyond the potential for getting
this bill passed, which would really put so many of President Biden's
priorities into law. You've also had two bipartisan pieces of legislation
passed Congress and get to the president's desk for a signature on
semiconductors.
The so called Ships Act, which is incentivizing more semiconductor
manufacturing in the country.
And the gun legislation. Um, so it's been actually, they said, pretty
productive time for Democrats. This is exactly as tamer said something
they would like to be able to talk about going into the midterms.
But Republicans want to talk about the here and now and what's going
to matter, Not in necessarily the future. A lot of these bills that
we're talking about her. This one specific it talking about improvements
and changes.
Over the course of a period of time, especially when it comes to
climate what Republicans are going to argue with. Let's talk about
the here and now and the here and now is gas is too expensive. Food
is too expensive. One party is in charge of Washington, and one party
is in the White House. They're all Democrats. If you want to get
things under control, you've got to put Republicans in charge and
and and punish Democrats.
For just this this moment that we're in. They don't seem to have
a solution for the immediate term. And before Republicans can talk
about the here and now they need to get through those primaries and
tomorrow is a big primary day. Tamara. There are five states holding
elections. Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Washington and Arizona and
across those states. President Trump has endorsed a number of election
deniers, including gubernatorial candidate Tutor Dixon in Michigan
and Senate candidate Blake Math.
Masters in Arizona. Do these candidates look poised to win?
Certainly a trump endorsement doesn't hurt. It's it's not clear yet
in in the Michigan primary, it was it was kind of a wide open field
because some of the the sort of leading establishment and and well
known previously elected candidates were knocked off of the ballot
before even getting on the ballot due to a scandal involving signature
gathering. Um one other thing that I'm watching also is further down
the back.
Salad in a state like Arizona, where two of the candidates for secretary
of State our election deniers, Um, Secretary of States
in primaries for secretary of state already in five states election,
denying a pro trump candidates have gotten the Republican nomination,
So this idea of election deniers isn't just at the top of the ticket.
It is also further down in offices that could actually decide how
How votes are counted or which votes are counted. I mean, that might
be slightly overstating the case. But the secretary of state can
be a very influential position, depending on the state laws, right?
They control the election apparatus. And that brings me to Amy. You
know, Mark Fincham in Arizona is running for Secretary of state.
He's a Q and on adherent. He also is an election denier.
And so what is the impact on small D democracy of these candidates
running not just right now if they win their nominations for their
Republican nominations, but also looking forward to their general
elections in 2024.
Right, 20 right to the 2024 election. And will they actually win
a general election? You know, Arizona has been ground zero, um, in
so much of the election denialism. And of course, there was that,
um so called audit that something called them Cyber ninjas initiated
that dragged out the process in Arizona. No fraud was ever found.
And in fact, after that so called audit President Biden actually
gained votes from Maricopa County. Um, but look, Arizona is also
a place that is ground zero between the so called establishment whatever
is left in the Republican establishment and this trump wing or election
denying wing of the Republican Party in both the secretary of state's
case, and we also have a that the gubernatorial level and at the
attorney general.
All level. You have the governor. Uh,
Ducey, who the president former president doesn't like very much
because he, uh, six certified the election in 2024, Joe Biden, but
Doug Ducey coming out in support of the candidates who are not taking
the hard line position, Mike Pence. It's also come out in the gubernatorial
race for the candidate not taking the hard line position. I'm spending
a lot of time watching that gubernatorial race because you know,
governors, obviously Secretary of state's important but in this case,
one of the group
Torrey, a leading gubernatorial candidates carry Lake has been incredibly
outspoken in her belief that this election in Arizona was stolen
and and rigged.
And we're also going to be paying attention to the fact that we have
three Republicans who voted to impeach the president.
Primary Challenges one in Michigan to in Washington State Washington
State primary process where it's a top to vote that the top two vote
getters go on to the general election probably helps to insulate
those Republicans from defeat. But in Michigan, um freshman
Congressman there. Peter Meyer is in, uh, in a very difficult race
for his political livelihood. Right. There's a number of house incumbent
Republicans that are facing facing challenges. Tamara Keith, Amy
Walter. Thank you so much for joining us for politics Monday. You're
welcome.