Air Date: 2-1-2026

Today we examine what's actually working against the Trump regime and the role of this year's elections. Unsurprisingly, his own voter fraud investigation just proved him a liar, Democrats are overperforming expectations in House special elections, and Zohran Mamdani's campaign based on having fun in community needs to be a model for every movement against authoritarianism.

Our Top Takes this week are about 55 minutes, with the remainder of the show diving deeper into policing immigration, power and organizing, voting rights, and candidacy.

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TOP TAKES - 

KP 1: Trump Admin's Endless Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Elections Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 1-20-26

KP 2: Donald Trump Wants to Cancel the Midterm Elections Part 1 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-16-26

KP 3: Get Out the Vote with Tom Lopach Part 1 - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 12-4-25

KP 4: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26

KP 5: Daily Take Is the Post Office About to Decide the 2026 Midterms - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 1-2-26

KP 6: THAT Is A Mandate (feat. Kat Abughazaleh) Part 1 - The Daily Beans - Air Date 11-5-25

KP 7: The Next Socialist In Congress with Claire Valdez Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-26

(00:55:41) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the role of community and friendship in fighting fascism

DEEPER DIVES

(01:03:26) SECTION A: IMMIGRATION POLICING

A1: THAT Is A Mandate (feat. Kat Abughazaleh) Part 2 - The Daily Beans - Air Date 11-5-25

A2: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26

A3: Karen Hunter To Counter Trump We Protest, Fight Back, and Double Down on Building a Community Part 1 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 1-17-26

(01:24:17) SECTION B: POWER AND ORGANIZING

B1: The Democratic Party's McClellan Problem - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 12-30-25

B2: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 3 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26

B3: The Next Socialist In Congress with Claire Valdez Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-26

B4: Working Families Party on Mamdani's Win; 2026 Midterms - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-17-25

B5: Karen Hunter To Counter Trump We Protest, Fight Back, and Double Down on Building a Community Part 2 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 1-17-26

(02:04:54) SECTION C: VOTING RIGHTS

C1: Donald Trump Wants to Cancel the Midterm Elections Part 2 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-16-26

C2: Trump Admin's Endless Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Elections Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 1-20-26

C3: Justice for Victims, Housing Hope, and the Rise of Progressive Leadership - Good News for Lefties | Daily News for Democracy - Air Date 1-12-26

C4: Get Out the Vote with Tom Lopach Part 2 - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 12-4-25

(02:32:50) SECTION D: CANDIDANCY

D1: Hardcore Competence with Kat Abughazaleh - Hysteria - Air Date 1-22-26

D2: Good News Deep Dive with Candidate for the U.S. Senate in Alabama Dakarai Larriett - Good News for Lefties Daily News for Democracy - Air Date 1-24-26

D3: Mamdani's Momentous Win with Sarah Jaffe - The Curve - Air Date 11-5-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Photo of one half of a huge crowd of Zohran Mamdani campaign volunteers in a park holding campaign signs and smiling.

Credit: “Zohran Mamdani volunteer canvassers” via Zohran for NYC

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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