Trump’s grip on the Republican Party is no longer theoretical—it’s playing out in primaries across the country.
Chris and Sean break down a wild week in 2026 politics, from Rep. Thomas Massie’s Kentucky primary loss to Brad Raffensperger getting knocked out in Georgia, Trump-backed wins in Indiana state Senate races, and Sen. Bill Cassidy’s collapse in Louisiana. What do these races tell us about the modern GOP? Is this just Trump loyalty—or a deeper Republican realignment driven by populism, MAHA, foreign policy, and grassroots frustration with establishment Republicans?
Then the guys turn to Texas, where Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race against John Cornyn could either seal a MAGA victory—or make the general election much more expensive and unpredictable for Republicans.
Meanwhile, Democrats finally released their long-delayed 2024 election autopsy—and immediately tried to distance themselves from it. The report warns that Democrats lost ground with men, non-college voters, rural voters, and irregular voters, but the DNC’s reaction may say even more than the report itself. Are Democrats serious about learning from 2024, or are they still avoiding the hard truths?
Plus, Chris and Sean bring it home to Arizona with the increasingly nasty AZ-01 GOP primary, where Joseph Chaplik’s attack on Jay Feely over Feely’s work helping Haitian men come to the U.S. sparked a major firestorm in one of the most competitive congressional districts in America.
From Trump endorsements and GOP primary wars to the DNC’s messaging crisis and Arizona’s toss-up House battleground, this episode of Light Beer Dark Money covers the fights shaping 2026—and the bigger political realignment heading into 2028.
#LightBeerDarkMoney #Trump #GOPPrimary #DNC #2026Midterms #KenPaxton #JohnCornyn #ThomasMassie #BillCassidy #BradRaffensperger #MAHA #ArizonaPolitics #AZ01 #JayFeely #RepublicanPrimary #Democrats #StarWorldwideNetworks #PrattMarketingAgency
Light Beer Dark Money Website: lightbeerdarkmoney.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightBeerDarkMoney/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightbeerdarkmoney/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbdmpodcast?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/light-beer-dark-money/
Blog: https://lightbeerdarkmoney.com/hypocrisy-and-the-aoc-oh-sandy/
Follow Us
Ep. 356 Katie Hobbs’ Pay-to-Play Questions Aren’t Going Away
The questions surrounding Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and the Sunshine Residential pay-to-play controversy are back — and Chris and Sean dig into the new evidence raising even more questions about what happened inside the
Ep. 355 Katie Hobbs Has a Debate Problem
Katie Hobbs has declined to debate Andy Biggs, and Sean and Chris think that decision raises a bigger question about what voters should expect from candidates asking to lead the state. After
Ep. 354 Jay Feely Wants Your Vote
Jay Feely joins The Big Show with Chris and Sean to discuss his campaign for Congress in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District—and why he believes he’s the right person to represent one of
Ep. 353 Republicans Are Joining the AI Backlash
Sean and Chris are bullish on AI. But as opposition to data centers starts spreading into Republican politics, they think conservatives are risking something much bigger than a fight over local development.
Ep. 352 Parents Win: Victorious Lead Plaintiff Jenny Clark’s Fight for Educational Freedom
Jenny Clark is a social entrepreneur, educator, wife, mother—and the victorious lead plaintiff behind a monumental win for educational freedom in Arizona. This week, the Arizona Supreme Court struck down an anti-choice,
Ep. 351 Is the Democratic Polling Surge Real? Nate Silver’s “Summer Sugar High” and the Hobbs–Biggs Outlier
Are Democrats riding a real political wave—or just enjoying a summer polling sugar high? Chris and Sean revisit Nate Silver’s FLIPR election model and his latest analysis of an argument first advanced