On this special edition of The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss the sweeping Democratic victory in the midterm elections and what it means for the future of MAGA. With Republicans suffering major losses across the country, the editors debate whether the party can break from President Donald Trump after a decade of embracing his agenda. They examine how the war with Iran, tariffs, immigration enforcement, and corruption contributed to the defeat, and whether Republican leaders will acknowledge their mistakes or simply look for someone to blame.
The conversation turns to what Democrats can legitimately claim from their victory, particularly as progressive and moderate factions compete to shape the party’s future. The editors discuss the growing backlash against artificial intelligence and data centers, as well as the dramatic shift among Gen Z voters toward Democrats. They also revisit the choice between Trump and Kamala Harris in 2024, reflecting on whether the past two years have changed their assessments of that election and what the results might mean for the 2028 presidential race.
0:00—Did the midterms kill MAGA?
5:15—Who will lead the Republican Party?
11:55—Will Republicans learn from their mistakes?
18:05—The uncertain future of U.S. politics
24:00—Why Gen Z abandoned Republicans
32:30—Revisiting the 2024 election
38:35—The road to 2028
Upcoming Reason Events
Reason Versus—Authoritarianism Is a Right-Wing Problem, November 10
Mentioned in the Podcast:
“Bluenami,” by Liz Wolfe
“The ‘Vibe Shift’ Was Real, but It Wasn’t What the GOP Thought It Was,” by Jesse Walker
“Midterms 2026: Data Centers Out, Reproductive Freedom In,” by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
“Trump Enters His George W. Bush Era as Democrats Sweep House and Senate,” by Eric Boehm
“Jon Ossoff, Once the Senate’s Most Vulnerable Democrat, Won Reelection by Running Against Trump’s Corruption,” by Joe Lancaster
“Amy Acton Beats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Governor’s Race,” by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
“How Democrats Can Stop the Iran War Now,” by Matthew Petti
“Impeach Pete Hegseth for the Disastrous Iran War,” by Gene Healy
“Massachusetts Voters Overwhelmingly Reject an Attempt To Repeal Marijuana Legalization,” by Jacob Sullum
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