Some eye opening results this
week across the country as five
states held primary elections,
one that is getting a lot of
attention and abortion measure and
Kansas voters rejecting an amendment
that would have said there was no
right to an abortion in the state.
Joining me now is Chuck Todd,
Moderator of NBC's Meet the Press
and Chuck George is the state with
a very restrictive law on abortion.
And while we don't have an
amendment on the ballot in November,
it is certainly going to be
a big part of this election.
And you have said in the past,
Republicans are concerned about
this after what we saw in Kansas.
Are they even more worried now?
The the those that worry
about winning elections.
Yes, the folks I've talked to.
They're very worried.
They're very I had one Republican
pollster very frustrated with you know.
He pointed out to me that the
actual decision that overturned Roe,
you know the law that the state law
that overturned Roe was actually
for 15 weeks in Mississippi.
Now, of course,
Mississippi is going for a total ban.
That isn't really what they wanted.
They just the irony.
Was that pollster told me 15 weeks was
actually had a majority of sort of.
And call IT support.
He call it tolerance if you will.
So I think that's where I
think the right is frustrated,
at least on the political
strategist side of things because.
Instead of this being about
making Democrats say,
well when when shouldn't?
When should abortions end?
It's now about do you believe?
In any exceptions,
you know,
because we're seeing a lot of
either legislators or some high
profile Republican candidates
calling for total bans.
No exceptions for even rape or
incest that horrendous story we
already have that went viral.
The 10 year old rape victim that
couldn't get an abortion in her home state.
So I do think you're going to see
this become more dominant in the
governor's race in particular.
Perhaps even more so than the Senate race,
and you're gonna have Stacey Abrams on
Meet the Press Sunday as she prepares for
a rematch against Governor Brian Kemp.
We can certainly expect her to
talk about the abortion issue as
you prepare for that interview.
What take away do you have about her
campaign so far compared to four years ago?
And isn't Governor Kemp in a stronger
position than he was that time?
Because of incumbency and a
strong primary performance
look, I think Governor Kemp
is in a very strong position.
I think you know, you're Stacey Abrams.
You're you're.
Would be needing Herschel Walker
to bring the ticket down a little bit,
but look I think she but the problem
is Senate races don't lead tickets.
It's governor's races,
Dr turnouts, and so look,
I think that's why you're going to see
her pivot a lot more directly on the
abortion issue because I think she sees
that as the biggest vulnerability for
him with sort of center right voters?
Because you're right, I do think
Kemp's decisive victory over Trump,
and that's really what that was about.
I think really sort of made him.
A Republican that the Atlanta
suburban Republican can vote for.
I think you're going to see a lot of
split tickets in the suburbs of Atlanta.
I think you'll see a lot of Warnock,
Kemp voters.
When I say a lot 4 or 5%,
which is quite a bit these
days of ticket splitters,
but I think that is something that
Stacey Abrams needs to change that
figure out how to change that narrative
because I do think that Kemp's got
a big boost from defeating Trump.
I think it redefined who he
was as a politician.
To a significant chunk of voters
that Stacey Abrams needs to win over
Chuck, I want to switch gears now.
Basketball star Brittany Guiner sentenced
to nine years in a Russian prison.
What do we think ultimately happens with
her as well as Paul Whelan, another U.S.
citizen that's detained there? I'm
look I'm cautiously optimistic that
actually the fact that the trial
is over and the sentencing is done,
we now get to the negotiating part.
I mean, I think it is just a matter of when.
You know, I don't,
I don't I don't wanna overhype it but
I do think it's a matter of when Paul
Whalen and Britney Griner come home,
not if and what it's going to take a look.
There's every chance this deal gets
sealed quicker than you think.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and
the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov are in the same country right now.
They're in the same big multilateral
meeting in Southeast Asia.
Uh, you know getting them meeting
face to face is obviously step one
and getting there they haven't met
face to face yet this weekend,
but I sort of asked me again next week.
I feel.
I think this is going to start
getting start heating up the talks
and then this will eventually happen.
I think it's just all about now
how quickly
all right? We'll have to watch that
Meet the Press with special guests.
Stacey Abrams airs Sunday at 10
on 11 alive. Chuck, thank you.