---
title: "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl transcript | MeidasTouch | Reclip.Me"
description: "Full transcript of \"LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about…\" from MeidasTouch, November 11, 2026. 55 min, 11,144 words, timestamped. 8 notable quotes and 69…"
canonical: https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript
---

Transcript

# LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl

From [MeidasTouch](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch) · [Episode page](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl) · [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtDhDM8OUgU)

November 11, 2026 · 55 min · 11,144 words · 92 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl", an episode of MeidasTouch published November 11, 2026 (55 min, about 11,144 words). It mentions 69 people, works and ideas, including Democracy, Marc Elias, 2026 United States midterm elections, Department of Justice, Voter Suppression.

## What this episode is about

Mark Elias, founder of Democracy Docket and the Elias Law Group, is highlighted for his pivotal role in defending voting rights and challenging election-related abuses, including voter suppression and post-2020 election disputes, while underscoring his ongoing efforts to ensure midterm results are counted and acknowledged.

## Key takeaways

- Messaging war matters as much as the courtroom; facts without narrative fail to win hearts and seats.
- Mark Elias helped defend ballots; the next challenge is translating legal wins into tangible everyday trust.
- Legal victories without broad coalition-building risk becoming niche; scalable, repeated storytelling is the accelerant.
- Democrats win policy debates; they must also master visceral, relatable messaging that lands in kitchens.
- If 2+2 equals four in court but seven in public, you’ve lost before you start—clarity must precede credibility.

## Who speaks in this episode?

- [Lee McGowan](https://reclip.me/speaker/lee-mcgowan) (Host) · 33 min speaking
- [Mark Elias](https://reclip.me/speaker/mark-elias) (Guest) · 22 min speaking

## What is discussed, and when

1. [0:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=0) – 5:00: [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy), [Marc Elias](https://reclip.me/person/marc-elias), [2026 United States midterm elections](https://reclip.me/event/2026-united-states-midterm-elections)
2. [5:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=300) – 10:00: [Mississippi](https://reclip.me/entity/111715), [Voter Suppression](https://reclip.me/concept/voter-suppression), [Scott Colom](https://reclip.me/person/scott-colom), [Alaska](https://reclip.me/location/alaska)
3. [10:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=600) – 15:00: [Alaska](https://reclip.me/location/alaska), [California](https://reclip.me/entity/107049), [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Mary Peltola](https://reclip.me/person/mary-peltola)
4. [15:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=900) – 20:00: [Wildgrain](https://reclip.me/sponsor/wildgrain), [2026 United States midterm elections](https://reclip.me/event/2026-united-states-midterm-elections), [Politics Girl](https://reclip.me/media/politics-girl), [Beam Dream](https://reclip.me/sponsor/beam-dream)
5. [20:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1200) – 25:00: [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy), [2026 United States midterm elections](https://reclip.me/event/2026-united-states-midterm-elections), [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Heather Cox Richardson](https://reclip.me/person/heather-cox-richardson)
6. [25:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1500) – 30:00: [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Steven Little Miller](https://reclip.me/person/steven-little-miller), [MAGA movement](https://reclip.me/concept/maga-movement-2), [Trump administration](https://reclip.me/concept/trump-administration)
7. [30:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1800) – 35:00: [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Democratic Party](https://reclip.me/company/democratic-party-2), [Laundry Sauce](https://reclip.me/sponsor/laundry-sauce), [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy)
8. [35:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2100) – 40:00: [Department of Justice](https://reclip.me/company/department-of-justice), [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Todd Blanche](https://reclip.me/person/todd-blanche), [3Day Blinds](https://reclip.me/sponsor/3day-blinds)
9. [40:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2400) – 45:00: [Department of Justice](https://reclip.me/company/department-of-justice), [Todd Blanche](https://reclip.me/person/todd-blanche), [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8), [Democratic Party](https://reclip.me/company/democratic-party-2)
10. [45:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2700) – 50:00: [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy), [Democratic Party](https://reclip.me/company/democratic-party-2), [Marc Elias](https://reclip.me/person/marc-elias), [2026 United States midterm elections](https://reclip.me/event/2026-united-states-midterm-elections)
11. [50:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3000) – 54:34: [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy), [Marc Elias](https://reclip.me/person/marc-elias), [Politics Girl](https://reclip.me/media/politics-girl), [Democracy Docket](https://reclip.me/company/democracy-docket)

## Notable quotes from "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl"

-

> Elias as my guest today. If you don't know Mark, where have you been? He is literally democracy's white knight, the super lawyer and founder of the Elias Law Group and…

*about [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy) · at [0:38](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=38)*
-

> Sure. So, right now, Democrats have won 54 Senate seats on their way to winning 56. So, so, the 54 include everything but Alaska and Mississippi, which have not yet been called. I expect.

*about [Democratic Party](https://reclip.me/company/democratic-party-2) · at [6:50](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=410)*
-

> Country. And in states like Alabama and states like Louisiana and states like Mississippi, they weaponized laws and rules to try to disenfranchise black voters. And the fact…

*about [Voter Suppression](https://reclip.me/concept/voter-suppression) · at [10:56](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=656)*
-

> Same way that he didn't get to dictate to California how their rules work. So my law firm, we intervened on behalf of the Pelola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign…

*about [Elias Law Group](https://reclip.me/company/elias-law-group) · at [14:54](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=894)*
-

> Down. I think the biggest most consequential change in my mind is replacing Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wilds with the architect of some of the crulest, most heinous parts of…

*about [Steven Little Miller](https://reclip.me/person/steven-little-miller) · at [26:20](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1580)*
-

> Have a take on the mass resignations that are coming out of the DOJ. I find that pretty fascinating. This morning, as we're speaking, the fourth resignation came through, a guy…

*about [Department of Justice](https://reclip.me/company/department-of-justice) · at [32:03](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1923)*
-

> Thank Mark for joining us today and you for caring enough about democracy to be here. Now, if you haven't already done it, go subscribe to Democracy Docket because supporting…

*about [Politics Girl](https://reclip.me/media/politics-girl) · at [52:32](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3152)*
-

> The Politics Girl podcast is written and performed by me, Lee McGawan, and produced and edited by Happy Warrior Entertainment. All rights reserve.

*about [Lee McGowan](https://reclip.me/person/lee-mcgowan) · at [54:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3263)*

## Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

### People

- [Marc Elias](https://reclip.me/person/marc-elias) — Person · Main guest · 7 mentions · first at [0:37](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=37)
Leading election lawyer and founder of Elias Law Group and Democracy Docket; primary expert explaining election litigation, voter suppression, and post‑midterm legal issues.
Someone who does deserve all the praise that is being showered on him. So without further ado, please welcome my guest, creator of Democracy Docket, founder of the Elias Law Group, and everyone's legal hero, Mark Elias.
- [Lee McGowan](https://reclip.me/person/lee-mcgowan) — Person · Host · 4 mentions · first at [0:27](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=27)
Host of the Politics Girl podcast conducting the interview and framing the episode's themes about democracy and elections.
- [Steven Little Miller](https://reclip.me/person/steven-little-miller) — Person · Referenced political staffer · 8 mentions · first at [0:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=5)
Mentioned as Trump's new chief of staff (or senior staff change) and characterized as an extreme figure associated with harsh immigration policies; cited as evidence the administration will double down on extremism.
- [Todd Blanche](https://reclip.me/person/todd-blanche) — Person · Referenced DOJ official · 5 mentions · first at [36:18](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2178)
Discussed as Attorney General figure (transcript version 'Todd Blanch/Blanche') — criticized for acting as defender of administration rather than independent DOJ; resignations noted.
Very telling. I also think you mentioned Todd Blanch, right? Like if we're going to talk about the DOJ, you got Todd Blanch on TV all the time now who is our attorney general…
- [Scott Colom](https://reclip.me/person/scott-colom) — Person · Referenced candidate / winner · 3 mentions · first at [7:06](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=426)
Mississippi Senate candidate discussed as likely winner, a symbolically important victory (Black senator from Mississippi) overcoming suppression tactics.
And I want people to understand that there was a period of time where he was winning by 27 votes, by 43 votes. So, if you ever thought your vote didn't matter or your vote…
- [Mary Peltola](https://reclip.me/person/mary-peltola) — Person · Referenced candidate · 3 mentions · first at [14:02](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=842)
Alaska Senate candidate whose race/counting and potential certification were discussed; subject of litigation and Trump commentary.
Same way that he didn't get to dictate to California how their rules work. So my law firm, we intervened on behalf of the Pelola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign…
- [Dan Sullivan](https://reclip.me/person/dan-sullivan) — Person · Referenced incumbent / opponent · 2 mentions · first at [12:24](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=744)
Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator in Alaska and the opponent in the Mary Peltola race; discussed in context of ranked‑choice rules and Trump commentary.
The second Dan Sullivan on the ballot has about 3,600 votes. Trump seems to think all Dan Sullivan votes should go to the Republican incumbent. That's not how it works. But what are we doing up there?
- [Harmeet Dhillon](https://reclip.me/person/harmeet-dhillon) — Person · Referenced lawyer / DOJ nominee (criticized) · 2 mentions · first at [32:14](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1934)
Discussed as a DOJ Civil Rights Division leader pick (transcript includes multiple spellings) criticized for actions perceived as enabling voter suppression and politicization.
Failed Donald Trump's effort to subvert the midterm. So the fact is that you know Harit Dylan oversaw an effort that was you know ultimately reported up through all of these…
- [Cindy Hyde-Smith](https://reclip.me/person/cindy-hyde-smith) — Person · Referenced incumbent candidate · 1 mention · first at [7:55](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=475)
Mentioned as the Republican incumbent in the Mississippi Senate race being challenged by Scott Colom; part of discussion about close counts and voter suppression
Winning 56. So, so, the 54 include everything but Alaska and Mississippi, which have not yet been called. I expect that we will see a call in Mississippi soon. I have already…
- [Donald Trump](https://reclip.me/person/donald-trump-8) — Person · Referenced former Trump chief of staff (mentioned) · 28 mentions · first at [0:02](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2)
Mentioned as the ousted chief of staff replaced by Stephen Miller; discussed as part of staffing shake‑ups.
Are just varying degrees of loyalists to extremists. And so the purging of Susie Wilds moves out of the equation someone who was, a Trump loyalist and a facilitator and enabler…
- [Heather Cox Richardson](https://reclip.me/person/heather-cox-richardson) — Person · Referenced progressive commentator · 2 mentions · first at [23:35](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1415)
Named as a respected left-leaning voice the hosts defend and encourage others to amplify in the battle against election denialism and misinformation
You know what I mean? And that's what I think is happening. If you proclaim yourself to be a progressive or a Democrat and you are spending your time attacking Heather Cox Richardson and Lee McGowan, you need to rethink your life.
- [Ross Douthat](https://reclip.me/person/ross-douthat) — Person · Referenced media figure / interviewer · 3 mentions · first at [28:51](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1731)
Named as the interviewer for a Trump segment — used to critique media choices and perceived soft interviews.
Chose Ross Doth to be his first interviewer and that he was accompanied at the white to the White House by Barry Weiss and that the network owned by David Ellison is the one…
- [Bari Weiss](https://reclip.me/person/bari-weiss) — Person · Referenced media figure · 3 mentions · first at [28:56](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1736)
Mentioned as part of media personalities connected to a sympathetic Trump interview; used to illustrate media sanitizing of Trump.
It did not shock me that Donald Trump chose Ross Doth to be his first interviewer and that he was accompanied at the white to the White House by Barry Weiss and that the network owned.
- [Mike Johnson](https://reclip.me/person/mike-johnson) — Person · Referenced political figure · 2 mentions · first at [44:18](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2658)
Mentioned as former House Speaker whose actions were referenced in context of congressional inaction and the need for Democratic oversight
This. Now that Steven Miller is chief of staff, he can be impeached, just FYI, to people who don't understand. So big picture, do you think that the people who have been…
- [Jared Kushner](https://reclip.me/person/jared-kushner) — Person · Referenced example of administration insider · 1 mention · first at [42:12](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2532)
Mentioned as a possible target of investigations concerning deals and influence; used to illustrate broader corruption concerns
Inquiries and they come up with a bunch of evidence against whoever for taking deals, be it Jared Kushner to the Trump brothers to anyone that's in the oil and gas industry who…
- [Ronald Reagan](https://reclip.me/person/ronald-reagan-2) — Person · Historical reference · 1 mention · first at [48:36](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2916)
Quoted/paraphrased to illustrate the long-term challenge of persuading the public that government can help (Reagan's 'I'm from the government...' line)
They want their government to take care of them. And I keep saying, like Ronald Reagan did us such a disservice by saying the nine worst words in the English language are, I'm…
- [Pete Hegseth](https://reclip.me/person/pete-hegseth-3) — Person · Referenced media personality · 2 mentions · first at [39:22](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2362)
Ensure consistent attribution of a real individual mentioned in the transcript and evidence
Lead. But the first domino to fall was Heam Dylan, which was a huge indication to me of a big change. Now, if people don't know Hamit, she's this hardcore California…
- [Sky Perryman](https://reclip.me/person/sky-perryman) — Person · Referenced allied legal figure · 1 mention · first at [16:06](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=966)
Named as part of the network of organizations and lawyers (Democracy Forward) that helped defend election processes; cited positively
Honest. Trump and his team desperately tried to meddle in these elections over the past two years and they were challenged at every single turn by lawyers like you, by…
- [Sean Bannon](https://reclip.me/entity/109190) — Person · Referenced political operative · 1 mention · first at [28:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1685)
Mentioned briefly as a past commentator about Trump and MAGA factionalism (quote referenced about Trump being a 'moderate' in MAGA).
Of the most extreme part of the movement. Right? So, I remember years ago, and I actually thought this was kind of an interesting comment that Steve Bannon made, but several…
- [Attorney General Pam Bondi](https://reclip.me/person/attorney-general-pam-bondi) — Person · Referenced past DOJ figure · 1 mention · first at [41:48](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2508)
Mentioned as an example of earlier DOJ messaging contrasts; used rhetorically in discussion of departmental loyalty/ethical issues
Are plenty of lawyers whose job it is to defend people, but it's not Todd Blanch's. But it just goes to show you that this Department of Justice is has turned into just a…
- [Jennifer Welsh](https://reclip.me/person/jennifer-welsh) — Person · Referenced left-leaning voice · 1 mention · first at [24:54](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1494)
Mentioned positively among left/progressive commentators whose work the hosts defend against internal attacks
Who's done so much work for the black community and for black voices across this country. It's just amazing how there's sort of a pylon happening at the time where we need to…
- [Elizabeth Booker Harris](https://reclip.me/person/elizabeth-booker-harris) — Person · Referenced community leader · 1 mention · first at [24:59](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1499)
Named as an important voice in Black communities; used to argue against marginalizing key progressive voices
Left-wing voices, whether they are like Jennifer Welsh and her humor on her I've had it podcast or if it's, someone like Elizabeth Booker Harris who's done so much work for the…
- [Congressman Garcia](https://reclip.me/person/congressman-garcia) — Person · Referenced Representative · 1 mention · first at [39:46](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2386)
Mentioned briefly as having encouraged 'lawyer up' messaging following the election; referenced in context of anticipated legal fights and subpoenas
You've got the Congressman Garcia putting out the lawyer up tweet, when the Democrats won. And Todd is out here on the Sunday shows basically saying the attorney general of the…

### Companies & orgs

- [Department of Justice](https://reclip.me/company/department-of-justice) — Company · Referenced institution · 9 mentions · first at [14:21](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=861)
Discussed as a politicized actor in the conversation — resignations, attempts to access voter data, and the DOJ's role in election litigation and enforcement.
- [Elias Law Group](https://reclip.me/company/elias-law-group) — Company · Legal firm / organizer · 4 mentions · first at [0:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=45)
Marc Elias's law firm leading election litigation and on‑the‑ground legal monitoring during close races like Mississippi and Alaska.
- [Democratic Party](https://reclip.me/company/democratic-party-2) — Company · Political party / beneficiary · 12 mentions · first at [3:24](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=204)
Referenced as the political organization whose candidates and messaging need to shore up democracy; Democrats won key midterm seats discussed.
- [Democracy Docket](https://reclip.me/company/democracy-docket) — Company · Organization / information platform · 5 mentions · first at [0:46](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=46)
Marc Elias's pro‑democracy platform providing reporting and legal updates on voting rights and election litigation; audience encouraged to subscribe/support.
Help and support you and support you saving our country moving forward. Yeah, look, the best thing you can do is I built Democracy to be a pro-democracy platform to provide…
- [DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee)](https://reclip.me/company/dscc-democratic-senatorial-campaign-committee) — Company · Political committee represented in litigation · 1 mention · first at [15:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=905)
DSCC was a plaintiff/intervenor in litigation related to the Alaska race (Democracy Elias's firm intervened on behalf of the Pelola campaign and the DSCC)
The Pelola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in that litigation. We won and so that has been defeated. But look, Donald Trump as recently as this…
- [New York Times](https://reclip.me/entity/109855) — Company · Media outlet referenced · 3 mentions · first at [14:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=840)
Cited as one of the organizations projecting outcomes in Alaska and referenced regarding interviewers/coverage choices of Trump
Get the next big update in the next you know few days and that will give us a clearer picture. But it seems according to everyone's analysis, the New York Times and others that…
- [ACLU](https://reclip.me/company/aclu-3) — Company · Allied civil rights organization referenced · 2 mentions · first at [16:04](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=964)
Mentioned alongside other groups as having helped challenge election meddling and defend voters' rights during the midterms
Honest. Trump and his team desperately tried to meddle in these elections over the past two years and they were challenged at every single turn by lawyers like you, by…
- [Democracy Forward](https://reclip.me/company/democracy-forward) — Company · Allied legal organization referenced · 1 mention · first at [16:06](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=966)
Named as one of the legal organizations that challenged Trump-era election meddling; cited positively as part of the pro-democracy legal ecosystem
Honest. Trump and his team desperately tried to meddle in these elections over the past two years and they were challenged at every single turn by lawyers like you, by…
- [Substack](https://reclip.me/company/substack) — Company · Platform · 2 mentions · first at [53:43](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3223)
Referenced as host platform for Politics Girl premium content and a channel for audience engagement.
Informed while also building a community that can stand together during these incredibly uncertain times. If you're already a Politics Girl Premium member, thank you. That will…
- [Happy Warrior Entertainment](https://reclip.me/company/happy-warrior-entertainment-2) — Company · Podcast production company · 1 mention · first at [54:27](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3267)
Credited as the producer/editor of the Politics Girl podcast episode
The Politics Girl podcast is written and performed by me, Lee McGawan, and produced and edited by Happy Warrior Entertainment. All rights reserve.
- [Chorus](https://reclip.me/company/chorus) — Company · Referenced organization · 1 mention · first at [23:37](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1417)
Mentioned briefly among organizations/platforms in media/election ecosystem; not elaborated on in episode
That's where we're at. And I think it's really there's I think we can also say that it's very tied to the online attack on very big left-wing voices right now that people are…

### Concepts & topics

- [Democracy](https://reclip.me/concept/democracy) — Concept · Core topic · 22 mentions · first at [0:43](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=43)
Central theme of episode: protecting voting rights, ensuring free and fair elections, and the need for pro‑democracy organizing and messaging.
- [Voter Suppression](https://reclip.me/concept/voter-suppression) — Concept · Key issue / problem · 6 mentions · first at [1:02](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=62)
Repeatedly discussed as an ongoing threat — laws and administrative actions that make voting harder, disproportionately affecting marginalized voters.
- [Voter turnout](https://reclip.me/concept/voter-turnout) — Concept · Metric / cause of election outcomes · 1 mention · first at [48:02](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2882)
Discussed as central to wins/losses and as a target for future organizing (grow turnout among nonvoters to 60–80%).
And Steven Miller and Russ Vote and, these people in charge. But we also need to remember that this was the biggest turnout for a midterm election aside from Donald Trump's…
- [Trump administration](https://reclip.me/concept/trump-administration) — Concept · Referenced institution / previous administration · 5 mentions · first at [16:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=983)
Used to describe patterns of behavior (attempts to subvert elections, weaponize DOJ) and staffing continuity of loyalists/extremists.
Yeah. Well, listen, let's be honest. Trump and his team desperately tried to meddle in these elections over the past two years and they were challenged at every single turn by lawyers like you, by secretaries of.
- [MAGA movement](https://reclip.me/concept/maga-movement-2) — Concept · Opponent political movement · 4 mentions · first at [4:11](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=251)
Referenced as the political movement driving election denialism and extremist policies; used to explain Republican strategies.
Now we're on to, what are the first bills to be passed in Congress and the like. And the Trump world, the MAGA world will be spinning these wildeyed conspiracies and we'll be…
- [Gerrymandering](https://reclip.me/concept/gerrymandering) — Concept · Core concept · 1 mention · first at [10:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=623)
Discussed as a structural barrier to fair representation and part of the broader set of threats (with voter suppression) to democracy
Free and fair election was won. It just means that voters were able to overcome it. Right? It means that those that voters were able to overcome the gerrymandering, overcome…
- [Constitutional crisis](https://reclip.me/concept/constitutional-crisis) — Concept · Descriptive framing · 1 mention · first at [46:16](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2776)
Marc Elias and host describe the era as a constitutional crisis to underline the severity of election subversion and DOJ politicization.
Are the issues of democracy and free and fair elections. And I, in the run-up to the election, I said we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis.
- [Too Big to Rig](https://reclip.me/concept/too-big-to-rig) — Concept · Framing / slogan · 4 mentions · first at [11:43](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=703)
Phrase describing public belief that large-scale electoral fraud is unlikely; used to explain limits of that reassurance and persistent structural vulnerabilities.
Yeah. And it's one of the reasons why, I have a lovehate relationship with the whole idea of too big to rig. Like you can't have like on the one hand, yes, I am glad the Democrats showed out and showed up in tremendous.
- [Jim Crow Laws](https://reclip.me/concept/jim-crow-laws) — Concept · Historical reference · 2 mentions · first at [8:31](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=511)
Invoked to underscore the historical context of racial disenfranchisement in Mississippi and the significance of electing a Black senator there
I just want to really drive home the importance of this Scott Colom race, the importance of having a senator, a black senator from Mississippi with so much history of Jim Crow laws, of voter.
- [Ranked-choice voting](https://reclip.me/concept/ranked-choice-voting) — Concept · Electoral method · 1 mention · first at [12:28](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=748)
Mentioned in relation to the Alaska Senate race and explaining how ballots transfer; used to correct misunderstanding about vote reallocation
The second Dan Sullivan on the ballot has about 3,600 votes. Trump seems to think all Dan Sullivan votes should go to the Republican incumbent. That's not how it works. But what are we doing up there?
- [Fascism](https://reclip.me/concept/fascism) — Concept · Framing term / warning · 1 mention · first at [30:07](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1807)
Used by host to describe the stark ideological divide and the stakes (no middle ground between fascism and democracy).
There is no middle ground with these people. They are telling you exactly who they are. And they are white supremist monsters. They are isolationists. They are cruel. And they…
- [Get money out of politics](https://reclip.me/concept/get-money-out-of-politics) — Concept · Policy concept · 1 mention · first at [50:57](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3057)
Raised as a proposed structural reform to address influence of donors and to help restore people's faith in government responsiveness
Yeah. And this is, I would say, why we need to get money out of politics because if you're only working for your donors, then it doesn't work for the people and then the people…
- [Impeachment](https://reclip.me/concept/impeachment) — Concept · Legal/political mechanism referenced · 2 mentions · first at [39:22](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2362)
Discussed as a tool Congress can use for accountability; host advises focusing on administration enablers rather than starting with the president immediately.
Yeah. And I will also remind people that impeachments can happen under a Democratic Congress. Impeachments can happen with a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate, but I think they should be focusing on people who are.

### Places & events

- [2026 United States midterm elections](https://reclip.me/event/2026-united-states-midterm-elections) — Event · Contextual event / election cycle · 9 mentions · first at [0:28](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=28)
The midterm elections are the backdrop for the discussion — results, turnout, and post‑election legal challenges are core to the episode.
Let's get into it. I cannot believe it's only been a week since the election. It feels like so much has happened and it feels like so much is still happening, which is why I'm so pleased to have Mark.
- [2020 Election](https://reclip.me/event/2020-election) — Event · Reference point / prior election · 3 mentions · first at [0:54](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=54)
Used as background to explain the emergence of election denialism, litigation led by Marc Elias, and the messaging war that followed.
Law Group and Democracy Docket, who has been fighting to protect our vote and democracy for the past decade. It is Mark who headed up all those cases when Donald Trump tried to…
- [January 6th](https://reclip.me/event/january-6th) — Event · Referenced historical event · 3 mentions · first at [21:11](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1271)
Used as a legal and democratic touchstone to contextualize risks of election subversion and violent attempts to overturn results
And you know what? I'm not saying we're going to have another violent insurrection in the nation's capital like we did on January 6 in 2021. I'm not saying that it's going to.
- [Alaska](https://reclip.me/location/alaska) — Place · Setting (Senate race example) · 11 mentions · first at [6:47](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=407)
State with complicated administration and ranked‑choice voting (Mary Peltola / Dan Sullivan race) discussed for counting delays and litigation.
A close election, it takes them just a longer time to physically gather and collect and count the ballots. So only about 70% of all of the ballots have even been, counted so…
- [Mississippi](https://reclip.me/entity/111715) — Place · Setting (senate race example) · 11 mentions · first at [6:47](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=407)
State where Scott Colom's Senate race and affidavit/provisional ballot counting illustrate voter suppression tactics and successful local organizing.
Sure. So, right now, Democrats have won 54 Senate seats on their way to winning 56. So, so, the 54 include everything but Alaska and Mississippi, which have not yet been called. I expect.
- [White House](https://reclip.me/location/white-house) — Place · Setting / locus of administration actions · 6 mentions · first at [22:24](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1344)
Referenced as the seat of the Trump administration where personnel changes (e.g., chief of staff) and policy decisions are made that affect election administration and DOJ behavior
It did not shock me that Donald Trump chose Ross Doth to be his first interviewer and that he was accompanied at the white to the White House by Barry Weiss and that the…
- [Presidential election of 2028](https://reclip.me/event/presidential-election-of-2028) — Event · Future event referenced · 2 mentions · first at [45:28](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2728)
Mentioned as a future focal point where public understanding of election integrity will be critical; used to stress long-term stakes
Just want to disagree with them but we amplify those saying 2 plus 2 equals four because two years from now when we come to the presidential election of 2028 the majority of…
- [Blue wave](https://reclip.me/event/blue-wave) — Event · Descriptive label for midterm success · 1 mention · first at [16:38](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=998)
Used to describe large Democratic gains in the 2026 midterms that form the optimistic backdrop of the episode.
Closed polling places, it only seemed to make more people determined to vote. So, we end up with this blue tsunami that happened on Tuesday. And I don't want to look a gift…
- [California](https://reclip.me/entity/107049) — Place · Referenced state example · 5 mentions · first at [10:48](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=648)
Mentioned as an example of state-level election rules and litigation (e.g., DOJ threats to California over counting rules) and as part of broader election-administration discussion
Failed right like I mean think about how many failures they have had in court I mean they failed in California right to try to force the setting aside of 20,000 voters they…
- [Alabama](https://reclip.me/location/alabama) — Place · Referenced state example · 2 mentions · first at [10:09](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=609)
Used as an example where Democrats overcame voter suppression and where congressional races (e.g., returning members) were discussed
The counties are still in the process of counting what they call affidavit ballots, which in the rest of the country, you know the term provisional ballots. Same thing. Most of these, the.
- [Washington, D.C.](https://reclip.me/location/washington-d-c) — Place · Political center · 1 mention · first at [37:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2225)
Referenced as the seat of federal power where congressional oversight and DOJ activity occur; context for national-level governance
Staff, he can be impeached, just FYI, to people who don't understand. So big picture, do you think that the people who have been elected will be seated in January? Do you think…
- [Los Angeles](https://reclip.me/location/los-angeles) — Place · Referenced city example · 2 mentions · first at [10:46](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=646)
Mentioned as an example of a jurisdiction targeted by the Trump administration's threats over following state counting laws
Say, Okay, Donald Trump tried to shut down mail and voting. Donald Trump tried to tell Los Angeles and the state of California that they could be criminally prosecuted if they…
- [Louisiana](https://reclip.me/entity/111684) — Place · Referenced state example · 1 mention · first at [10:56](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=656)
Mentioned as one of several states where voter suppression and restrictive laws affected Black voters; part of the broader national pattern discussed
Threatened election officials. They threaten election officials around the country. And in states like Alabama and states like Louisiana and states like Mississippi, they…
- [Oval Office](https://reclip.me/entity/111605) — Place · Metonym for presidential authority · 1 mention · first at [14:48](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=888)
Used to emphasize that the President cannot unilaterally dictate state election procedures from the Oval Office
System anywhere and it is certainly not the election system in Alaska. And Donald Trump doesn't get to dictate from the Oval Office what ballots get counted and how the rules…

### Media & podcasts

- [Politics Girl](https://reclip.me/media/politics-girl) — Media · Podcast / media outlet (host) · 8 mentions · first at [17:09](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1029)
The podcast and brand producing the episode; host Lee McGowan's platform used to discuss election issues and sponsor messages.
- [60 Minutes](https://reclip.me/media/60-minutes) — Media · Media program referenced · 3 mentions · first at [15:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=945)
Referenced as the network program that aired Trump's interview; used to discuss portrayal and narrative control of Trump post‑midterms.
About religion, he has asked about death, and he has never asked about his election deniialism. And in fact, they begin the episode by saying that, and I quote, this is from…
- [The Big Picture](https://reclip.me/media/the-big-picture) — Media · Politics Girl premium newsletter · 1 mention · first at [53:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3225)
Referenced by host as part of her Substack/premium offering to keep listeners informed and build community
Mind, I want you to consider not only supporting Mark's work, but supporting mine. I do my very best through the Politics Girl channel, which includes the podcast, all my…
- [Care Bears](https://reclip.me/media/care-bears) — Media · Metaphorical pop-culture reference · 1 mention · first at [25:13](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1513)
Used playfully to argue for unity across progressive factions (Avengers/ Care Bear analogy) — not a literal subject of the episode
Bear stare the evil. And I feel like that's where we're at. And if we're attacking, if every care bear is attacking each other, we're not getting anything accomplished. And so…

### Sponsors

- [Wildgrain](https://reclip.me/sponsor/wildgrain) — Sponsor · Sponsor (ad read) · 5 mentions · first at [17:10](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1030)
Episode sponsor offering a promotional discount and product pitch (bakery delivery).
To be enjoying fresh baked bread. Quite frankly, I should probably stop eating carbs, but I cannot. Wild Grain delivers sourdough breads, seasonal pastries, and French butter…
- [3Day Blinds](https://reclip.me/sponsor/3day-blinds) — Sponsor · Sponsor (ad read) · 3 mentions · first at [34:39](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2079)
Episode sponsor offering home goods promotion and CTA for listeners.
Days, but if we shop for clothes and homegoods and skincare online, why not blinds? Honestly, I've shoed for blinds in stores where you think it looks great and then you bring…
- [Beam Dream](https://reclip.me/sponsor/beam-dream) — Sponsor · Sponsor (ad read for sleep product) · 2 mentions · first at [19:17](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1157)
Episode sponsor promoting sleep powder with discount code; part of advertisement segments.
Someone who struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep, then you might want to check out Dream by Beam. Beam dream powder is made with clean natural ingredients like rayi…
- [Laundry Sauce](https://reclip.me/sponsor/laundry-sauce) — Sponsor · Sponsor (ad read) · 2 mentions · first at [33:04](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1984)
Sponsor promoted during episode with discount code and product praise; part of advertiser segment.
Shop for laundry sauce at select Target stores. I personally have it delivered because to me that is easier. For a limited time, our listeners get 20% off their entire order when they use the code politicsgirl20@undrysauce.com.

## Full transcript with timestamps

[0:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=0) There are definitely more extremist versions of Donald Trump in his orbit and Stephen Miller is the most extreme of the most extreme, right? Like so putting him in charge is a sign that you are not looking to learn anything from the election.

[0:25](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=25) Hello and welcome to the Politics podcast. I'm your host Lee McGowan. Let's get into it. I cannot believe it's only been a week since the election. It feels like so much has happened and it feels like so much is still happening, which is why I'm so pleased to have Mark Elias as my guest today. If you don't know Mark, where have you been? He is literally democracy's white knight, the super lawyer and founder of the Elias Law Group and Democracy Docket, who has been fighting to protect our vote and democracy for the past decade. It is Mark who headed up all those cases when Donald Trump tried to pretend he won the 2020 election. It's Mark who's been working with his team to keep people educated and our votes being counted through all the voter suppression challenges during Trump's second term.

[1:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=65) And it's Mark who is still working today with the amazing people at the Elias Law Group to ensure the results from this year's midterms, the extraordinary results from this year's midterms are both counted and acknowledged. This is someone who does deserve all the praise that is being showered on him. So without further ado, please welcome my guest, creator of Democracy Docket, founder of the Elias Law Group, and everyone's legal hero, Mark Elias. Welcome back, Mark.

[1:30](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=90) Lee, thanks for having me. Mark, I don't know how to thank you. Honestly, like I feel like when there is a presidential medal of freedom that comes from someone who actually believes in democracy, I hope it is hanging around your neck because honestly, I don't care what online haters say. I don't care about people who don't understand how the law works. You and your legal team have done so much for this country and I am so deeply grateful to you and your work over these past literal decade. It's not just the past two years. It's not just the 2020 election. It's everything you have done.

[2:06](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=126) And I am so truly grateful to you. And I hope that you understand that and know that because there are so many of us out here that know how much you've done. And I just want you to know from the bottom of my heart how grateful I am.

[2:17](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=137) Lee, that's that's unbelievably kind. I mean, I appreciate it. I love your work independently of being on on with you occasionally. I subscribe. I hope everyone subscribes to your YouTube channel and the other places they can find you. And so, it means a lot coming from you because, you know, you you are a voice of clarity and you're very direct and that is exactly what we need right now. And so, when I hear someone like you say that, it really means a lot.

[2:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=165) Thank you for saying that. I really appreciate it. I think you and I share the same sentiment about the country that we know it can be better than it is. That we know we were losing a messaging war that we didn't need to lose. That we knew that our side had better ideas and kinder people and a better vision for the future of not only this country but the world. And we have put our time and our particular talents into trying to make that happen. And I feel like the past Tuesday's election was a small vindication of what it is that we hope for for this country, but also the first step in a lot of things that need to happen in the future.

[3:19](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=199) Yeah. And I think, you know, one of the things you said there, I just want to I just want to like re-emphasize. Democrats are very good at winning the policy debates. I I would even say that we're good at winning the legal debates, the legal arguments. Where I think we have not always met the moment or the need is on messaging, right? And so the problem is that, you know, and I'll just use my own life as an example, like, you know, I was involved in helping defeat Donald Trump more than 60 times in the post-election in in 2020. And for a lot of us, it was like, okay, we have now done the thing. And we assume therefore that what flows from that is everyone will know that that there we had a free affair election and Donald Trump lost.

[4:03](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=243) What Republicans focused on, what Donald Trump focused on was a messaging war, right? like like he he said, "I'm going to take these defeats and I'm going to turn them into a movement into a pillar of the MAGA movement and use it as a messaging device to lie to people and to rally supporters." And on the left, frankly, we've just had too few people, too few large presences, too few small presences, too little support of people who are going to not just list the policy priorities, not just p, you know, President Biden passed laws, not just win cases, but actually make people understand in a visceral level, in an individualized way that it connects their lives, what is actually going on.

[4:50](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=290) And that is the hard work that that you've done. It's the hard work that many who you work with, it's something I try to do as well. But I think that anyone who looks past that and thinks it just begins and ends, you know, voting, elections begin and end with certification and policy begins and ends with the passage and the signing ceremony. They're missing, frankly, what it may be as important as any other part of it, which is building a coalition of people who are able to amplify and explain to people what this all means.

[5:24](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=324) Yeah. I mean, what you're saying is you do these court cases after 2020 and you explain that 2 plus two equals four and you do lay out all your messaging and you lay out all your evidence and everyone goes, "Okay, yes, 2 plus 2 equals four." But that wasn't what the message that the Donald Trump campaign or the Donald Trump people or the right-wing did. They kept telling us 2 plus 2 equals 7. And the enough people saying 2 plus 2 equals 7. It's people start going, does it? Is it? I'm not sure. It doesn't matter what the evidence says. It doesn't matter that it's false. It doesn't matter that it's fake. If enough people say it, you start being like, I don't know. Maybe I'm confused. Maybe someone's lying to me.

[5:59](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=359) And it is so infuriating when you're like, it is so obvious that 2 plus 2 equals four, but if enough people are saying 2 plus 2 equals 7, we're in a lot of trouble. So, we needed to have a counter message that not only gave us the truth, but you heard just as much that allowed people to acknowledge the truth, move on from the truth, work from the truth. And I think that that's what we've been able to do in the past two years that we failed to do from 2020 through 2024, which is why I think Donald Trump won again in 24. So, I know that you are incredibly busy. I don't want to waste any of your time. You're still working on lawsuits, but unfortunately in this timeline, lawsuits never seem to end. So, this is where we are. So, thanks for taking the time. I would love your insight on where we sit after these incredible results because we're still focusing on certain races.

[6:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=405) So, can we just start off the top with what's happening in Mississippi and Alaska?

[6:50](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=410) Sure. So, right now, uh, Democrats have won 54 Senate seats on their way to winning 56. So, so, uh, the 54 include everything but Alaska and Mississippi, which have not yet been called. I expect that we will see a call in Mississippi soon. I have already said that Scott Colum is going to be the next senator from Mississippi. He is ahead by more than 2500 votes, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a it's a it's a it is a persistent and large enough lead that that this is not going to change. The counties are still in the process of counting what they call affidavit ballots, which in the rest of the country, you know the term provisional ballots. Same thing. Most of these, the vast majority of them are self-curing.

[7:35](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=455) So, actually, the voter doesn't even need to show up. They just like it's just a paperwork check uh on the county level as a result of some voter suppression laws that Republicans passed to make this more complicated. And that pool of these affidavit ballots, they just skew more Democratic, right? So the more those are counted, the larger Scott's lead will get. And so there really isn't a path for for Cindy Hidesmith. She's going to lose. She's not going to come back on January 3rd. But, you know, my law firm, Alliance Law Group, we have, you know, a dozen lawyers on the ground. We're working closely with we rep We obviously represent the campaign and the candidate. We're working closely with allied organizations uh to make sure that there's presence in all 82 counties to monitor what's going on. But I have a really really high degree of confidence that in the near future, certainly this

[8:21](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=501) week, that race will be called and will be done. I just want to really drive home the importance of this Scott Colom race, the importance of having a senator, a black senator from Mississippi with so much history of Jim Crow laws, of voter suppression, of the amount of uh work on the ground that people in Mississippi have done for years to bring a a win like this home. I know they're going to call it for Scott Colom. They haven't called it yet, but the Republicans were still working after the effect to to get Mississippi college student votes rejected, you know, to have a series of votes that were obviously from younger students who would skew more to the left to try and deal with that, to try and make those votes not count. But Scott Colum has been winning the whole time.

[9:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=545) And I want people to understand that there was a period of time where he was winning by 27 votes, by 43 votes. So, if you ever thought your vote didn't matter or your vote didn't count, Mississippi is the perfect example of what work on the ground over years can do and also what the vote of one person can do. And I want people to really understand that before we move on to Alaska, how important this win in Mississippi really is, not just for the future of the country, the representation of black Americans who have been silenced for so long, the work of black Americans on the ground in Mississippi, but also the the vote that you send out and you say, "My vote's never going to count." It does.

[9:39](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=579) It makes such a difference. Yeah. And I and I want to add, you know, I I have not uh in the last few days talked as much about the systemic voting challenges and voter suppression that Republicans have brought to the state of Mississippi. And that's not because I'm hiding from it. I mean, that's something I talk about all the time. I've just been busy with with the actual dealing with the legal the legal issues in the now. But but there needs to be like the the fact that that Scott won this election. The fact that you know in Alabama, you know, Shamari figures is coming back to the US Congress does not mean that the voter suppression was not real. Does not mean that the fight for free and fair election was won. It just means that voters were able to overcome it. Right? It means that those that that voters were able to overcome the gerrymandering, overcome the voter suppression, overcome the election

[10:27](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=627) subversion. What I am afraid of, Lee, is that everybody is now ready to just move on. And and I and I think we need to we need to uh have a moment at some point, you know, either in December or January, February, where we all look at this and say, "Okay, Donald Trump tried to shut down mail and voting." Donald Trump tried to tried to tell Los Angeles and the state of California that they could be criminally prosecuted if they followed state counting laws. Uh he has threatened election officials. They threaten election officials around the country. And in states like Alabama and states like Louisiana and states like Mississippi, they weaponized laws and rules to try to disenfranchise black voters. And the fact that it doesn't succeed doesn't mean that that is still not something that we have to address.

[11:11](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=671) Yeah, absolutely. The threat is still there and it's something we have to address immediately. I mean, if you even just think about the Supreme Court decision that said, "Yeah, you can mass purge voters from the voter roles, but you can't do it more than 90 days before the election." It didn't work for the midterm elections cuz we were only like a certain amount of days out and it was less than 90 days. But that doesn't mean they can't do it for 28. So, it's something we really have to be paying attention to and we can't just be like, "Look, we won. Yay." And move on. We have to really like this is where our work begins.

[11:39](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=699) Yeah. And it's one of the reasons why, you know, I have a lovehate relationship with the with the whole idea of too big to rig. Like you can't have like on the one hand, yes, I am glad the Democrats showed out and showed up in tremendous numbers. I'm glad that independents and Republicans crossed over. But you can't really have a democracy if one side can win by one vote and the other side has to win by a thousand votes. Right? You can't have a democracy if one side can only win if they turn out a Democrat plus 10 electorate and the other side can win if they just turn out a Republican minus9 electorate. Right.

[12:12](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=732) There are still structural problems. Yeah. The concept of too big to rig implies there's rigging. That's the part we need to get rid of.

[12:20](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=740) Yeah. So tell me about Alaska. What are we doing up there? Because I want people to understand that the Mary Bullah Dan Sullivan incumbent race is still being counted. That is a ranked choice voting state. The votes are very, very close. The second Dan Sullivan on the ballot has about 3,600 votes. Trump seems to think all Dan Sullivan votes should go to the Republican incumbent. That's not how it works. But what are we doing up there?

[12:44](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=764) Okay, so to understand uh Alaska, you need to understand two pieces because they're both important. The first is Alaska is a very challenging state to administer elections. It is a vast state. I mean, you know, you live in California and you guys think you're a big state. Alaska is a ginormous state and it has a lot of rural areas. And so, election administration is just more difficult there. And so, as a result, it takes them longer under any circumstance. like any circumstance, doesn't matter it's close election, not a close election, it takes them just a longer time to physically gather and collect and count the ballots. So only about 70% of all of the ballots have even been, you know, counted so far. So So unlike Mississippi where all of the election day vote is in and virtually all there's a handful of mailin ballots that are not counted yet, but but we're just dealing with the provisionals in in

[13:40](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=820) Alaska. there is still, you know, what we will call regular ballots that have not yet been counted and posted. So, we will get an update on that pro and also they don't do it on a rolling basis like they do in some other states. So, we'll get the next big update in the next uh you know few days and that will give us a clearer picture. But it it seems according to everyone's analysis, the New York Times and others that Mary Pelah is going to win this race. Okay, she's slightly ahead now and based on the projections, she's likely going to win this race. Donald Trump has decided that if if Mary Pelah wins, he doesn't believe she should be allowed to take a Senate seat, which is preposterous. He ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit in advance of the election saying that if Mary Pelah wins, she doesn't get certified. Only Dan uh Sullivan, the incumbent Republican, can win. and he has made various statements

[14:34](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=874) including the one you mentioned but also in saying that more recently that every ballot from anyone other than Mary Pollah should count towards Dan Sullivan. Look, that isn't the election system anywhere and it is certainly not the election system in Alaska. And Donald Trump doesn't get to dictate from the Oval Office what ballots get counted and how the rules work in Alaska in the same way that he didn't get to dictate to California how their rules work. So my law firm, we intervened on behalf of the Pelola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in that litigation. We won and so that has been defeated. But but you know, look, Donald Trump as as recently as this morning, posted on social media. Uh again, he said, "Does anybody really believe that this election was honest? How could the polls be so wrong? Some early voting dumps were so large that it was impossible to win no matter how many

[15:26](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=926) people went to vote. It's all about the machines which are far more important than the voter. Now, there's a lot of nonsense in there. There's a lot of lies and dissembling, but this is Donald Trump reverting to where it is he naturally lives, which is as an election admire. And I think it is not a coincidence that this is, you know, coming out not only after he gave his 60 minutes interview, but also, you know, as Alaska remains pending.

[15:52](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=952) Yeah. Well, listen, I mean, let's be honest. Trump and his team desperately tried to meddle in these elections over the past two years and they were challenged at every single turn by lawyers like you, by secretaries of state, by legal teams at the ACLU, by people like Sky Perryman at Democracy Forward. And all that work was able to hold off the very worst of the election suppression and subversion for these particular midterms. I mean, it didn't hurt that the Republicans seemed to lose a lot of the races they tried to gerrymander or rig for themselves. That they started a war that no one wanted.

[16:25](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=985) That they didn't want data centers in their backyard. That they were ripping people out of their cars on the streets. That they were shooting citizens in the street. None of that helped their campaign either. But even when they closed polling places, it only seemed to make more people determined to vote. So, we end up with this blue tsunami that happened on Tuesday. And I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but now you got Trump being who was, you know, on the election night being like, "Of course I'll accept the results. Why wouldn't I?" Right? And now he's majorly upticking back to, like you said, his, you know, his personality as an election denier with his true social post with his the midterms were fraudulent with this like I can't believe these election results can use stuff. Do you think he is trying to switch the narrative here?

[17:07](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1027) And do you think it'll work? This episode of the Politics Girl podcast is brought to you by our friends at Wild Grain. Wild Grain is having their biggest sale of the year and they're calling it Carbs Giving, which I have said before makes me laugh. The world might be wild right now, but we're still going into cozy season where the temperature is cool and the ovens are warm and this is the perfect time for us to be enjoying fresh baked bread. Quite frankly, I should probably stop eating carbs, but I cannot. Wild Grain delivers sourdough breads, seasonal pastries, and French butter made with simple, recognizable ingredients by small, independent bakeries, all delivered to your door, ready to bake straight from frozen in 25 minutes or less.

[17:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1065) Now, I don't know about you, but even in the big city I live in, I find it very hard to find a good bakery. So, having delicious bread show up at my door is a real dream. And you can customize your Wild Grain Box with everything from classic to gluten-free to vegan. They even have protein options, and you can skip or cancel anytime. In the fall, it's all about soup. Soup and grilled cheese, and fresh, crusty bread and delicious butter are essential for both of those things. Genuinely, I do not like the bread that's in my grocery store. And I think we all know that most of the food we're eating from these huge corporations is filled with an obscene amount of preservatives and other very not great ingredients. So, having something like Wild Grain in your freezer feels way healthier. If you are ready for warm bakery quality food at home this cozy season, I definitely recommend giving Wild Grain a

[18:30](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1110) try. And for Carbs Giving, Wild Grain's biggest sale of the year, you can get $40 off your first box, plus free quissons for life. That's the best offer you're going to hear all year. Visit wildgrain.com/politicsgirl40 and get $40 off your first box and free quissons for life or use the promo code politicsgirl4 at checkout. Again, that is wildgrain.com/politicsgirlgirl40 or use the code politicsgirl40 at checkout. I actually need to order more bread myself. I don't know about you, but I haven't really slept well in 10 years. Part of that uh is uh the state of the world.

[19:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1145) Part of that is my age, but also it's just sometimes really hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. And we all know we're so much better when we've had a good night's sleep. If you are someone who struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep, then you might want to check out Dream by Beam. Beam dream powder is made with clean natural ingredients like rayi and magnesium and melatonin to help you fall asleep and stay asleep so that you can wake up feeling refreshed. Dream by beam has improved over 30 million nights of sleep for people across the country. It tastes great. It comes in lots of flavors like sea salt caramel, chocolate peanut butter, brownie batter, but it has less than 20 calories per serving. And if you don't sleep better on Dream, they will give you your money back with a 30-day money back guarantee. So what do you have to lose? a lovely little drink before bed and a restful night's sleep. So, if

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[20:28](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1228) So this goes back to what we started this episode with. You know, I think that there is a risk for those of us on the pro-democracy side that we will say, well, that's great. We got the election certified in Mississippi. We got the election certified in Alaska and you know, let's just pick numbers here. The House is at 260 seats. Okay, a rough rough give or take, right? And and so now we're on to, you know, what are the first bills to be passed in Congress and and and the like. And the Trump world, the MAGA world will be spinning these wildeyed conspiracies and we'll be dismissing them as not needing to respond to them because like after all, those are just wildeyed conspiracies.

[21:09](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1269) And you know what? I'm not saying we're going to have another violent insurrection in the nation's capital like we did on January 6 in 2021. I'm not saying that that that it's going to be that election denialism about the midterms will be the thing that you know future nominees to a Trump cabinet have to mouth that that nobody knows who won the midterms. I I don't know that it will go that direction. But but part of why we need a pro-democracy ecosystem. Part of why the legacy media is failing us. Part of why the work you do is so important is because you are not taking for granted the idea that you know if we just ignore the lies they will go away that if we both sides the coverage people will understand. I am struck by literally last night, you know, Donald Trump goes on 60 minutes, he has asked about UFOs, he has asked about religion, he has asked about death, and he has never asked about his

[22:11](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1331) election deniialism. And in fact, they begin the episode by saying that, and I quote, this is from the intro, in the past, this president has met defeat with claims of fraud and the efforts overturn the 2020 election. But when we met him in the White House on Friday for the first sitdown interview since the midterms, we found him a surprisingly reflective mood and seemingly accepting defeat. And here we are, Lee, a few days later and he is not accepting anything. And so, you know, I if all people are going to do is rely on the legacy media, then we're going to wind up in the same place we have wound up before, which is why I said at the beginning that I want to make sure people are subscribed to this channel and follow you on social media. And it's why I'm going to say it again because like in some ways this communication war, this battle of ideas and getting into the hearts and minds of

[23:03](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1383) everyday Americans is as important as the fact that my legal team and I will help, you know, whether it's Scott Clum or Mary Pela or whoever it is secure their rightful seat in the House and Senate.

[23:15](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1395) Yeah. Because if no one knows that happened, then Donald Trump can say 2 plus two is seven again. And I think that's where we're at. And I think it's really there's I think we can also say that it's very tied to the online attack on very big left-wing uh voices right now that people are making sure that we can't spread our message because people are subsequently like secondguessing everyone from Heather Cox Richardson to you to organizations like chorus because you have to be able to silence the people that are like 2 plus two is four.

[23:44](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1424) You know what I mean? And that's what I think is happening. If you proclaim yourself to be a progressive or a Democrat and you are spending your time attacking Heather Cox Richardson and Lee McGowan, you need to rethink your life priorities. Okay? I mean like literally I mean Heather Cox Richardson does a public service by putting out good information in historical terms uh virtually every day. Leagawan is one of the most effective voices we have to reach people where they are and to give them the information they need to be informed citizens and to understand what the fight for democracy is. And so I don't know who you are. I don't know what it is you think you are accomplishing, but if you are attacking Lee or you're attacking Heather, you can attack me all you want. I mean, you know, my work speaks for itself, but literally you have lost the plot and you really need to reconsider like what what

[24:34](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1474) your priorities are. Yeah. Unfortunately, I I do think a lot of the people who get the most attack are are women of color. I do think that happens a lot. I've done this work for 11 years, so like you said, my work speaks for itself. But I think that the concept of attacking uh some of the best left-wing voices, whether they are like Jennifer Welsh and her humor on her I've had it podcast or if it's, you know, someone like Elizabeth Booker Harris who's done so much work for the black community and for black voices across this country. It's just amazing how there's sort of a pylon happening at the time where we need to come together more than anything. And I was saying to you, we needed like at our our Avengers Assemble moment. We need our care bear stare moment where we have all these different kind of bears. But to win, you had to come together with love and care bear stare the evil. And I feel like

[25:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1523) that's where we're at. And if we're attacking, if every care bear is attacking each other, we're not getting anything accomplished. And so I think most of us really care about this democracy. We really care about civil rights. We really care about human rights. We really care about living in a country we're not humiliated by. We really care that we don't have concentration camps, that we're not shooting people, that we're not like arresting eight-year-old boys and putting them in handcuffs. Like, I'm just disgusted by what happened there this week. I think we just need to come together and know that this is a united front. And if you're attacking anyone in a united front working against that, like you said, I think you need to question your priorities. Now, after this extremely public shellacking of MEGA, which it really was, and we need to continue to return to that, their hatefulness, their corruption, their

[26:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1565) attacks on the polls and on voting, the Trump administration immediately started some major shakeups in staffing, right? And I don't think that is because they learned anything and they're like, geez, maybe we need to change our policies. I think it's because they're doubling down. I think the biggest most consequential change in my mind is replacing Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wilds with the architect of some of the crulest, most heinous parts of his presidency with Steven Miller. So, what are your thoughts on that shakeup?

[26:34](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1594) Because I you were just talking about the 60 Minutes interview and on that interview, Donald Trump did sound quite almost stable and clear and like maybe we need maybe our immigration policy was a little too aggressive. And then he turns around and hires Steven Miller, who is the architect of the 3,000 people a day, you know, quotas and the architect of family separation and the one who really truly hates anyone who's an immigrant. So tell me what you think that shakeup means for the Trump administration.

[27:01](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1621) Yeah. I mean, look, they are purging the loyalists to move to the extremists, right? Like like we need to understand there are no moderates like in the in the Trump world, right? Like it's not like it's not like you know I I I sometimes laugh because you know the legacy media will be like Susie Wilds was a guardrail and I'm like Susie Wilds was definitely not a guardrail. Okay. Like like whatever else she was like there are no guardrails in this White House, right? What you have within the sort of Republican party are people who are just varying degrees of loyalists to extremists. And so

[27:40](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1660) the purging of Susie Wilds moves out of the equation someone who was, you know, a Trump loyalist and a facilitator and enabler of everything that Donald Trump wanted and in her place you have taken the leader of the most extreme faction of the most extreme part of the movement. Right? So, like, you know, I remember years ago, and I actually thought this was kind of an interesting comment that Steve Bannon made, but several years ago, he said that he thought that Trump was a moderate in the MAGA movement. And I'm not sure I agree with that, but there are definitely more extremist versions of Donald Trump in his orbit. And Steven Miller is the most extreme of the most extreme, right?

[28:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1703) Like, so putting him in charge is a sign that you are not looking to learn anything from the election. You are not trying to mitigate any of the harms. You're not trying to back away from any of the policies. You're doubling and tripling down. And you know, I I just like in case people out there have not figured out my contempt for how this all gets sanitized through the legacy media. It did not shock me that Donald Trump chose Ross Doth to be his first interviewer and that he was accompanied at the white to the White House by Barry Weiss and that the the the network owned by uh David Ellison uh is the one that did the episode that sort of like tried to clean up aisle three. You know what I mean? It's just like I mean like but you know I I mean I'm just not I'm just like not going to be I'm not going to buy any of that. Like I'm not like I understand what they were I don't understand what

[29:18](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1758) they were there to do and and and that's fine. Like good for them but but but like don't sell me that crap.

[29:25](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1765) No. Exactly. I mean if you guys don't know Roth Dothart is the one from the New York Times who also wrote the article, did women ruin the workplace? So this is the same guy that Donald Trump chose to have him interview on Barry Weiss's network owned by the Ellison family. But for me, uh, Stephen Miller being hired basically says to the Democrats, as far as I'm concerned, don't bother reaching across the aisle. There is no middle ground with these people. They are telling you exactly who they are. And they are white supremist monsters. They are isolationists. They are cruel. And they will tear up everything that makes this country decent to retain their own unquestioned power. And I think people really need to understand that that there's no middle ground between fascism and democracy.

[30:10](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1810) There is only a winner and a loser and we have to make sure that fascism does not win.

[30:15](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1815) Look, Lee, one of the reasons why I appreciate you having me on is because you had me on during the Biden era and during the Biden era, periodically someone in the White House would say, you know, I wish Mark Elias would would pipe down. Don't you understand that we need to work across the aisle? We we need to return the norms and the normaly. And you were right there with me all every step of the way. And so what you just said is entirely right. Like look, there is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

[30:44](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1844) So whether it's a faction of the Democratic party or it's the media or it's whoever, like this idea that somehow what we are supposed to do is sit down and say, "Okay, here here's our city. You can vandalize and burn to the ground this part and we will keep this part, you know, from not not having fires." Like that's not our job. Our job is to put out the fires everywhere. And so there isn't a middle ground to be had here. And Donald Trump is signaling the same thing. Like Stephen Miller also believes there is no middle ground. Like and forget about like like not only doesn't Stephen Miller want to be a sign of good faith or reach across the aisle to Democrats, I don't even think he wants to reach across his own party to to part of that. I mean, this is the most the most extreme faction that Donald Trump went with. and everything else is just putting lipstick on the pig that Donald Trump is trying to sell to

[31:36](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1896) Ross Dothan and Barry Weiss and all that. But look, Democrats, we need to understand what we're up against. We we need to understand that Donald Trump is still in office for another two years. He's going to continue to do what he's doing. He's continue to weaponize government. He's going to continue the cruelty. And we need to understand that for what it is.

[31:52](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1912) Yeah. Like you said, he's purging the enablers and the loyalists with the extremists. And it's not going to get better. It's going to get worse. And we have to keep that in mind. On the legal end, I want to say though, you probably have a take on the mass resignations that are coming out of the DOJ. I mean, I find that pretty fascinating. This morning, as we're speaking, the fourth resignation came through, a guy named Brett Schmidt, who's the civil division lead. But the first domino to fall was Heam Dylan, which was a huge indication to me of a big change. Now, if people don't know Hamit, she's this hardcore California conservative who Donald Trump nominated to head the federal civil rights division at the DOJ, which was the division that was built to enforce our civil rights, including the right to vote. But when she was in there, she basically did the opposite. She was the one suing the states for their voting

[32:39](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1959) roles. She was the one sending monitors into the counties. She was the one treating ordinary voters like they were potential criminals. It always felt like her behavior had nothing to do with finding fraud, but rather shoring up the illusion of fraud so that the administration could keep making that case in court. But she's out now, as is our four other big names at the DOJ. And to quote an insider, they're all dropping like flies from now on. What can we take from this? Look, I know it's crazy to go on about laundry detergent.

[33:09](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=1989) I know that I sound insane doing it. I know that I sound like a nutter when I go on and on about how much I love this laundry detergent, but honestly, laundry sauce is just so much more than a detergent. It's like this high-end fragrance combined with laundry. And it's not heavy-handed fragrance. It's incredibly subtle, but you do end up with your face in your towels and your sheets and your clothes because it just smells so good. I have told you that my son really wanted laundry so to take to college. First of all, the boxes look really nice on his shelf. And you know how small dorm rooms are, so it actually looks really good and stylish, but also because these premium laundry pods clean beautifully with the cleaning power of bioenzymes that just obliterate stains, so you're not lugging a big honking bottle around and everything he washes smells delicious. Now, I just reordered Siberian Pine and Indonesian Pachuli.

[33:58](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2038) And I added a new limited time seasonal scent, Misfit, which is a collaboration they did with the perfumery, which looks amazing. and I think it's going to smell even better. Laundry sauce also made its debut at Target recently, so you can shop for laundry sauce at select Target stores. I personally have it delivered because to me that is easier. For a limited time, our listeners get 20% off their entire order when they use the code politicsgirl20@undrysauce.com. That's 20% off your order at laundrysauce.com with the promo code politicsgirl 20. And after you purchase, if they ask where you heard about them, please support the show and tell them that we sent you.

[34:33](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2073) We do most of our shopping online these days, but if we shop for clothes and homegoods and skincare online, why not blinds? Honestly, I've shoed for blinds in stores where you think it looks great and then you bring it home and it's flipping terrible or it's the wrong size or color. But there's a better way to buy blinds and shades and shutters and drapery, and it's called 3-day blinds. 3-day Blinds are the leading manufacturer of highquality custom window treatments in the United States. 3D Blinds have local, professionally trained design consultants who have an average of 10 plus years of experience and will come to your home and provide the guidance and write blinds for you.

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[35:35](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2135) From light filtering to blackout blinds to motorization and smart blinds that work with your Alexa. 3D Blinds allow you to easily and affordably upgrade your home. With 45 years in the business, you know this is a company you can trust. Right now, get quality window treatments that fit your budget with 3day blinds. Head to threedayblinds.com/politicsgirl for their buy 1 get one 50% off deal on custom blinds, shades, shutters, and drapery for a free no charge no obligation consultation. Just head to 3days.com/politicsgirl.

[36:05](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2165) One last time, that's buy 1 get one 50% off when you head to the number three dyblinds.com/politicsgirl. And to quote an insider, they're all dropping like flies from now on. What can we take from this? Yeah, Lee, you probably don't follow Todd Blanch on X, but if you do, his Twitter account has become like the resignation bot account. Like, because like literally it's like one after another like I thank this person for their resignation. I thank this person for their like like it's literally just like one resignation after another. But look, I think that there are two things to take away from this. The first is that let's be honest, the Department of Justice failed Donald Trump's effort to subvert the midterm. So the fact is that you know Harit Dylan oversaw an effort that was you know ultimately reported up through all of these folks to to the attorney general to try to get access to 30 states voter files and my law firm

[37:03](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2223) intervened to fight and we are undefeated and the department of justice is over 27. Okay. So Army Dylan did not win a single one of those cases. We saw the the guy who resigned uh most recently today. he played an integral role in the effort to weaponize the postal service against voting and that failed right like I mean think about how many failures they have had in court I mean they failed in California right to try to force the setting aside of 20,000 uh voters they failed in Alaska to try to force the state uh to segregate ballots in advance of certification right they they've failed in cases all over this country and so there's one way to look at this and say look they failed They were humiliated. Donald Trump was humiliated. The Republicans lost and now they're being replaced. The other way to look at it is to say that these folks realize that what they are associated now with Steven Miller as the chief of

[37:59](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2279) staff is something that even they don't want to be associated with. Now, I don't know that that's what it is. Like, you know, either of those are plausible, but it is possible. I mean, if you if you were a lawyer wanting to keep your bar license, you know, working for Donald Trump is already not like the best the best employment, but certainly if Steven Miller is calling the shots in the White House, it is not going to increase your odds.

[38:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2303) Yeah. And I think people need to keep in mind that the Department of Justice is is the government's lawyer, but it's really the people's lawyer. And the people that were there, it used to be that you wanted to be a Department of Justice lawyer. If you were like a dogood or lawyer and you were coming out of law school, a DOJ job was a big deal job. And the amount of people who were purged from the DOJ at the beginning of this Trump term because they weren't full-on loyalists who ended up working for places like the ACLU. You probably have a couple of them at your firm.

[38:49](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2329) These people that were like, I'm no longer part of that. I'm I'm not a total loyalist. I'm a loyalist to the law and that's not what they want here anymore. Now we have the loyalists leaving because they're not sufficiently extremist enough. And I think that is very telling. I also think you mentioned Todd Blanch, right? Like if we're going to talk about the DOJ, you got Todd Blanch on TV all the time now who is our attorney general of the United States who's supposed to be the top lawyer for the people. He is on TV basically saying that he is now everyone's lawyer. Like he is everyone in the Trump administration's lawyer. He is going to defend them. If if Pete Hagsth is going to be called up for impeachment, he's got Pete's back. This kind of thing.

[39:27](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2367) It's he's out here basically saying that the people in the Trump administration under a Democratic Congress are going to start seeing subpoenas. They're going to start seeing consequences for their corruption, for their actions, for their weird little deals where they were overpaying for things and then getting kicked back government contracts. And you've got the Congressman Garcia putting out the lawyer up tweet, you know, when the Democrats won. And Todd is out here on the Sunday shows basically saying the attorney general of the United States is required by the Constitution to represent all of these criminals. And I'm like, no, that's actually not the attorney general's job, Todd. But also, the attorney general is supposed to be the people's lawyer, not the president's lawyer. But we did hire a man who was the president's personal defense attorney to do this job. So, it's not really a stretch for him that

[40:18](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2418) he's going to represent all of these criminals and crooks moving forward. I find that strange though for a country to have that as our top lawyer. What are your thoughts on that?

[40:26](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2426) Well, you know, Lee, you might think that if you were the, you know, the Department of Justice's top lawyer, right, if you were if you were the attorney general,

[40:34](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2434) right? And there were these allegations of corruption and fraud by people in the White House or close to the White House or in the administration, you might think you'd actually want to open up criminal investigation. like not only wouldn't you represent them, you might actually, I don't know, like conduct an investigation. And so it's remarkable that he believes that if there are allegations of fraud or wrongdoing by government officials, the job of the Department of Justice is to defend them. I'm sorry. What? like like isn't their job to investigate alleged allegations of criminal behavior if if the if the Congress of the United States sends a referral, you know, saying, "Hey, look, we've looked into this or that and we think there may be criminal activity." Like, how the hell is the DOJ defending that person when that's not their job? Like, give uh Pete Hegsth the phone number for the local

[41:28](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2488) public defenders office. They got there are plenty of lawyers whose job it is to defend people, but it's not Todd Blanch's. But it just goes to show you that this Department of Justice is has turned into just a weaponization war machine for Donald Trump. And in some ways, Hod Blanch like just says it like, you know what I mean? Like he he kind of like he's much more direct about it. There's no there's a you know, when Pam Bondi was there, there had to be those those messages, the dear Pam messages. I think with Blanch, Blanch doesn't need any dear Todd messages. He's on the he's on the program from start to finish.

[41:58](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2518) Yeah, he really is. And I think the thing is is that it should alarm people, but it should also be something that people should keep in mind that when the Democrats do have their congressional hearings and their congressional inquiries and they come up with a bunch of evidence against whoever for taking deals, be it Jared Kushner to the Trump brothers to anyone that's in the oil and gas industry who gave money to get money, this kind of stuff. Any of these inquiries that might happen that would be in a regular normal time then referred to the DOJ for a criminal investigation or a criminal trial, they're going to have to be held until Todd Blanch is not in charge of the DOJ anymore because Todd Blanch is not looking into these people. Todd Blanch is in the tank for the corruption and the extremism and he will be in that job until Donald Trump is no longer in office. So we need to keep that in mind

[42:45](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2565) that the DOJ itself is in many ways corrupted much like the executive branch of our government. And for the next two years, the Democrats will have to sort of hold the line, stem the bleeding, start all the congressional hearings, but don't expect anything that's happening at the federal level to happen under Todd Blanch because he's certainly not going to follow the rule of law.

[43:04](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2584) That's entirely right. Democrats in Congress are going to need to do oversight. They're going to need to do accountability. They're going to need to do investigations. But everyone needs to understand that there is a limit to what it is you can do without if the Department of Justice is up against you. And so I expect they're going to achieve a lot. They're going to uncover a lot. But ultimately, if DOJ is like, we are not in we we will not bring criminal cases against anyone in the Trump administration, then it's going to have to wait for a new Democratic attorney general to to have that reconsidered.

[43:37](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2617) Yeah. And I will also remind people that impeachments can happen under a Democratic Congress. Impeachments can happen with a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate, but I think they should be focusing on people who are around the president and not necessarily starting with the president himself. It is all the people that are enabling this. Now that Steven Miller is chief of staff, he can be impeached, just FYI, to people who don't understand. So big picture, do you think that the people who have been elected will be seated in January? Do you think that there will be any sort of shenanigans that stops people from being seated in January? And what do you think Trump and his people are planning to do to make sure, and maybe it's just what we discussed, to retain power despite the fact that Congress will now act as a check on that power, which they haven't done under the Mike Johnson years.

[44:22](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2662) Yeah, I think they're going to be seated. Look, I I was saying before the election that that the greatest risk was not what happened on January 3rd. The greatest risk is the period honestly we're in right now, right? It's in this sort of like county bycounty certification, ballot counting, right? This is where if Donald Trump was going to do something or the Republicans are going to do something, this is where they would do it. It's the reason why, you know, my law firm has lawyers on the ground in Mississippi, we have lawyers on the ground in Alaska, like in some House districts. Like, this is the like Mike Johnson has done. There is nothing that he or the Republicans are going to be able to do to prevent the swearing in of a Democratic majority on January 3rd.

[45:00](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2700) there's nothing they can do in the Senate to prevent the seeding of these Democratic candidates. So, I I don't think that that is what people ought to be focused on.

[45:08](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2708) Great. And that is where the too big to rig actually was very helpful. By the way, everyone coming out to vote was very helpful and having these wins be so clear was very helpful. So, what would you like to see once they are seated, this new Congress do to help shore up your efforts on election security? Or what should we be focusing on as people who are not in Congress for the next two years to make sure that our elections are free and fair in 28 and beyond?

[45:32](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2732) Yeah, look, I'm glad you asked because, you know, I wrote something actually this morning called the democracy election on democracy docket.

[45:39](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2739) Okay. You know, 33% of all voters said that the state of democracy was their top issue, which came in second only to the economy at 39%. If you look at Democrats, though, it was by far and away the most important issue. It outpaced the economy. It outpaced everything else. I think it was with 70% 77% of Democrats said it was democracy. So, I understand that there is a lot of conventional wisdom that all voters care about are prices and costs and gasoline and the war. And I'm not saying those are not important. Obviously, those are critical issues to people, but so too are the issues of democracy and free and fair elections. And I, you know, in the run-up to the election, I said we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis.

[46:18](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2778) And I believe that we are still in the midst of a constitutional crisis. So much, Lee, of what you have talked about today is, you know, it's not just not normal, right? It is extra constitutional. It is it is it is outside of the bounds of the constitution that the attorney general of the United States is saying uh he is going to be the defense lawyer for the administration and we saw an effort by this administration to try to undermine the fact that we had free and fair elections and none of what I described is going away and so I hope that when Democrats have power I hope that and that is by the way not just at Congress but at the state level they prioritize these democracy issues we cannot keep saying that these are second and third order issues and expect that we are going to accomplish anything else because if we do not have a functioning and stable democracy we are not going to solve any of the other problems. So that

[47:10](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2830) is my plea that is my ask of of of elected representatives around the country. I plan to be a pretty outspoken voice over the course of the next two years on this to make sure this issue stays centered.

[47:23](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2843) Yeah. And I will join you in that. And I will also say on behalf of the voters because you're talking to the representatives if you are a Democratic representative at the state level, at the local level, at the congressional level in DC, you know, keep shoring up democracy. This has to be a priority because these these things that tried to happen during these midterms are not going away, especially with Donald Trump and Steven Miller and Russ Vote and, you know, these people in charge. But we also need to remember that this was the biggest turnout for a midterm election aside from Donald Trump's midterm election in his first term. And literally, they were very close. 49.3% and 49.7%. But it's still 49%. So if those of us out here are like, "What can we do?" I would say start going for that other 50% of the country that isn't voting. Talk to them. Don't spend all your time trying to turn someone that's

[48:07](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2887) still hardcore mega. Spend time trying to explain to people why their vote matters, why this change matters. Let's get our voting up to 60%. Let's get our voting up to 80%. Then we will really see real change. Because when people really sit it down and talk about voting and they're informed properly, democratic ideas always win. Democratic people, they people want a higher living wage. They want family paid family leave. They want universal health care. They want their government to take care of them. And I keep saying, you know, like Ronald Reagan did us such a disservice by saying the nine worst words in the English language are, I'm from the government and I'm here to help. Because if you are from the government and you are not here to help the people, what are you doing in government? It is a public service job and it is something that is supposed to help the people of the nation.

[48:53](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2933) Otherwise, what are we paying taxes for so we can be shot in the street by our own government? I don't think so. Right? So, we need to get more people out on the street. We need to get more people to the ballot box. So, those of us who are at home, our job is not over. Our job is to help get more people to the ballot box to help get more people engaged in this democracy because, as we can see, when we take our eye off the ball, terrible things can happen.

[49:15](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2955) No, that's exactly right. And and look, you mentioned about the half of the public that doesn't vote and I think it connects up to these challenges of democracy. I mean, one of the reasons why people don't vote is because it's hard, right? It's like hard to register. It's hard to vote. The rules are complicated. They're ever changing, right? One of the reasons why people don't vote is because they believe that voting isn't going to change their lives. And that is also a failure of democracy, right? I mean like a democracy works because people believe that if they take the time and the effort to learn about the issues and learn about the candidates to advocate for them and to campaign for them and and support them that in the end they will be able to make their lives better.

[49:53](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=2993) And so you know I mentioned that you know 47% I think I said 77% by accident that 47% of Democratic voters ranked democracy as their top issue and that no other issue came close including the economy. I suspect if you looked at those people who didn't vote whether they would rank the issue or not is I don't know but but the failure of democracy is in part a failure to to have a system that brings those for that makes that 51% that other half want to participate in the process. So when I say we need to center democracy issues, it's not just, you know, the the question of same day registration or not same day registration, but it is this larger question of like how do you have a system in which people feel like if they take the time to vote, if they're able to participate, it is going to meaningfully impact their lives. And if you can't do that, like I said, nothing else is going to work. Nothing else is

[50:49](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3049) going to be persistently successful. It may have peaks and valleys, but it won't it won't succeed over the long haul. Yeah. And this is, I would say, why we need to get money out of politics because if you're only working for your donors, then it doesn't work for the people and then the people say, "Well, what's the point of me trying to help the government? It doesn't work for me anyway." So, that's something that we're going to have to address at some point. Thank you so much for joining us today, Mark. Please tell people how they can help and support you and support you saving our country moving forward. Yeah, look, the best thing you can do is I built Democracy to be a pro-democracy uh platform to provide information on things like this. You can uh go to democracydocket.com and visit the website. You can uh check out our YouTube channel. That is the main platform that I am using to try to get

[51:33](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3093) out the word on these democracy issues. Yeah, democracy docket is something you should absolutely check out. It is 100% worth your time and if you can and you have the means, worth your money to support. I can't say enough about Mark, his work, his team's work. Thank you again. I hope that presidential medal of freedom someday ends up around your neck and I can clap for you.

[51:53](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3113) Thank you. So, that was the incredible Mark Elias reminding us that wherever the Democrats have power, they must continue to shore up our democracy. That democracy isn't just who votes, but who can vote and who wants to vote. That people won't participate in government if it's too hard for them to do so, but also if they feel like it makes no difference if they do. that we might have been ready to overcome the voter suppression for the 26 midterms, but that suppression is still there. That too big to rig worked, but the rigging still exists and it's not going to get better as Donald Trump purges his loyalist enablers with loyalist extremists. In fact, we should expect it to get way worse. I want to thank Mark for joining us today and you for caring enough about democracy to be here. Now, if you haven't already done it, go subscribe to Democracy Docket because supporting Mark's work is truly

[52:41](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3161) one of the most patriotic and effective things you can do right now. Until next week, PG. Before you go, I just want to remind you that the right-wing is only going to up their miss and disinformation moving forward to keep telling us that 2 plus 2 equals 7. So it is essential that we not only don't spread their lies even if we just want to disagree with them but we amplify those saying 2 plus 2 equals four because two years from now when we come to the presidential election of 2028 the majority of people in this country need to understand the truth and that needs to be coming not only from the representatives who will govern by it but from us. We need to tell each other the truth every single day. These days of lies and propaganda must stop.

[53:25](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3205) The cruelty and backsliding of our democracy must end. And that will come down to not only what we do in the courts and the voting booths, but what we say about those things. With that in mind, I want you to consider not only supporting Mark's work, but supporting mine. I do my very best through the Politics Girl channel, which includes the podcast, all my socials, and the Politics Girl Substack with its weekly newsletter, The Big Picture, to bring you the most up-to-date and factual news and proactive actions you can take to help shore up our democracy. There are only so many hours in the day and the news is never ending. So, we have really tried over here to build something that will make it easier for people to stay informed while also building a community that can stand together during these incredibly uncertain times. If you're already a Politics Girl Premium member, thank you. That will keep going until

[54:09](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/live-marc-elias-tells-all-about-election-politicsgirl/transcript?t=3249) the top of the year, but we are hoping to transition everyone over to Substack for better service and more bang for your buck. Thank you again to everyone for their continued support as we try and make a difference in this crazy world. Congratulations to everyone on last week's win and I'll see you soon. The Politics Girl podcast is written and performed by me, Lee McGawan, and produced and edited by Happy Warrior Entertainment. All rights reserve.

## Questions about this episode

### Who speaks in "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl"?

Lee McGowan (Host), Mark Elias (Guest).

### What is "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl" about?

Mark Elias, founder of Democracy Docket and the Elias Law Group, is highlighted for his pivotal role in defending voting rights and challenging election-related abuses, including voter suppression and post-2020 election disputes, while underscoring his ongoing efforts to ensure midterm results are counted and acknowledged.

### What is mentioned in this MeidasTouch episode?

69 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Democracy, Marc Elias, 2026 United States midterm elections, Department of Justice, Voter Suppression, Lee McGowan. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

### How long is "LIVE: Marc Elias TELLS ALL about ELECTION… | PoliticsGirl"?

The episode runs 55 min; the transcript is about 11,144 words in 92 timestamped sections.

## More from MeidasTouch

- [All analyzed episodes](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch)
- [Books mentioned on MeidasTouch](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/books)
- [People mentioned on MeidasTouch](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/guests)
- [Sponsors mentioned on MeidasTouch](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/sponsors)
- [Topics mentioned on MeidasTouch](https://reclip.me/podcast/meidastouch/topics)

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated November 11, 2026.