The GOP Isn't Learning From Their 2026 Mistakes
From Megyn Kelly
A critical look at the GOP’s 2026 performance, focusing on why candidates underperformed and how party leaders’ decisions—endorsements, campaign strategies, and views on war and policy—were linked to election losses. It argues the issues were more about candidate quality and messaging than external factors, with attention to war, gas prices, and Israel as key points of contention.
Key Takeaways
- Trump’s cast-as-victim narrative masks a broader GOP erosion: candidate quality alone won’t reverse a war-tariff backlash.
- Tariffs and the Iran war aren’t side dramas; they’re the steering wheel—polls show real, material hits to approval.
- Campaign loyalty to failed allies didn’t just backfire; it amplified a wider disdain for entrenched establishment favors.
- The Lindsey Graham plug-backfire: personal favoritism becomes public liability when voters face the consequences.
- Candidate quality scapegoating is a smokescreen; structural policy misfires—gas, war, and tariffs—pulled the lever
Who is mentioned in this episode?
17 people come up, including Donald Trump, Megan Kelly, Emily Jashinsky.
- Donald Trump (Person)
- Megan Kelly (Person)
- Emily Jashinsky (Person)
- Mark Levin (Person)
- Lindsey Graham (Person)
- Ken Paxton (Person)
- Marco Rubio (Person)
- Joan Kennedy (Person)
- Theo Von (Person)
- Annie Andrews (Person)
- Benjamin Netanyahu (Person)
- Tulsi Gabbard (Person)
- Pete Hegseth (Person)
- David Shor (Person)
- Mark Zandi (Person)
- J.D. Vance (Person)
- Donald Trump Jr. (Person)
Sponsors of this episode
- Birch Gold (Sponsor)
- Donald Trump Jr. (Person)
Mentioned in this episode
- Iran war (2026) (Event)
- 2026 United States midterm elections (Event)
- Iran (Location)
- Tariffs (Concept)
- Israel (Location)
- Tea Party movement (Concept)
- South Carolina (Location)
- Fox News (Company)
- Gas prices (Concept)
- Iowa (Location)
- Kansas (Location)
- Texas (Location)
- Liberation Day (Event)
- SiriusXM (Company)
- X Corporation (Company)
- After Party with Emily Jashinsky (Media)
- Strait of Hormuz (Location)
- Tax Foundation (Company)
- Moody's Analytics (Company)
- American News Minute (Media)