Episode Details

Mike Murphy spent decades working for Republicans, including Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain. Then came Donald Trump.

It was a turning point for Murphy. He never got on board with Trump, and now he’s one of the Republican Party’s sharpest critics, even while insisting he’s still a conservative. He co-hosts the Hacks on Tap podcast and co-directs the bipartisan USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future.

Before the midterms, Sarah McCammon spoke with Murphy about why Trump’s 2016 campaign was so hard to compete with, the wave he expects to give Democrats more power on Capitol Hill, and how the party can win back voters who make a living with their hands.

IN THIS EPISODE:
 00:00 — Introduction and Murphy’s First Run-In With Trump
 02:38 — Celebrity, Cable TV, and Trump’s 2016 Rise
 07:45 — Why So Few Republicans Draw the Line, and Trump’s Economy Promise
 11:37 — Midterm Predictions for the House and Senate
 15:31 — What Democrats Should Do With More Power, and the DSA-MAGA Parallel
 23:50 — Republican Picks and What Democrats Need in a Nominee
 27:38 — The New Primary Calendar and Murphy’s “Lunch Pail” Advice
 31:14 — Where the Country Goes After Trump

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