2026 Elections Loom; Is Epstein the Ghost? “The Sunday Political Brunch”
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2026 Elections Loom; Is Epstein the Ghost? “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“The Epstein-Maxwell Factor” – I feel like I am one of the few national pundits who believe the Jeffrey Epstein – Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking scandal will affect the ballot box this coming year. I think it could be a bombshell, aside from the key issues of inflation and immigration. Despite the release of thousands of documents and photos, there is still a “sleaze factor” in the investigation that could rear its ugly head at the ballot box.
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“Some Names Were Not Redacted” – There have been multiple promises that the victims in these cases would be protected. And now we have numerous examples where that breach has apparently failed. Ghislaine Maxwell filed a petition in the Southern District of New York Federal Court. She wants her case and appeal reviewed, but a judge says she included the victim’s names in her motion. Federal Judge Paul Engelmayer was angry and responded to Maxwell by saying that he “reminds Maxwell, in strong terms, that she is prohibited from including in any public filings any information identifying victim(s) who were not publicly identified by name during her trial.” It gets worse. Dozens of victims say their names or information were not redacted when the Department of Justice mass-released the files. They were supposed to be listed as “Jane Doe” victims. DOJ removed some of the files from public availability, but legal actions are underway. This is egregious and inexcusable.
“Trump v. Bill Clinton” – Yes, President Donald Trump’s most famous opponent was Hillary Clinton, but now he’s locked in a battle with former President Bill Clinton. I hate to say it, but it’s a “race to the bottom” in terms of which man is saying nastier things about the other. More pictures have surfaced with Epstein and both presidents. We already knew that numerous flight logs put Clinton on Epstein’s private plane. But Trump denied ever being on the plane, even though flight logs now show him on at least eight trips. Both men are pictured with pretty women, but so what? They have photos with Epstein and young women, but not yet a single allegation of impropriety or wrongdoing, let alone illegality by either man. So, is there a smoking gun? Or just smoke? The DOJ says it will take “a few more weeks” to release all of the files.
“The Political Math for 2026” – Control of Congress is up for grabs, in both chambers. In the U.S. Senate, Republicans currently hold a 53- 47 majority, so a gain of four seats would put Democrats back in charge. In the House, it is currently 220 Republicans to 213 Democrats, with two vacancies. So, a Democratic gain of just five seats puts them in control. Both chambers are winnable. For control of critical state houses, Republicans hold 27 governorships to 23 for Democrats. That majority could flip in the 2026 midterm elections.
“The BIG races: North Carolina” – So, given all I have said about the political landscape in place, what is the biggest race? I say it’s the North Carolina U.S. Senate race, which is a “must-win” for Democrats. Former Gov. Roy Cooper (D), North Carolina, is the clear frontrunner in the six-candidate Democratic primary. Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley is the clear frontrunner in the seven-candidate Republican primary. Cooper has outraised Whatley, but each candidate has already raised millions in what may be the year’s most expensive race. The latest composite of all polls has Cooper leading with 46 percent and Whatley with 41 percent.
“Another BIG Race: Ohio” – Former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), Ohio, is trying to make a comeback after being voted out after three terms. He will face Sen. Jon Husted (R), Ohio, the former Lt. Governor of Ohio, who was appointed to fill the seat after JD Vance was elected vice president. Brown lost his reelection bid to Sen. Bernie Mareno in 2024, by just 3.5 percentage points, so he is viable in a state that has turned from “purple-to-leaning-red” in the past two cycles. This could be the national horse race of 2026.
“A Democrat Loss: Georgia?” – As vulnerable as some incumbent Republicans are, there is at least one vulnerable Democrat in a key state. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) Georgia barely won a special election in 2021. If Democrats win the four other seats they need to flip Senate control, but they lose this one, it could be all for naught. They will have to find that magical fifth seat to flip. It’s an uphill fight. Two incumbent U.S. House Republicans are also in the race.
“Why Does This Matter?” – President Trump is term-limited and can’t run again in 2028. But the 2026 midterms are very much a referendum on his two terms in the White House. A glaring defeat in one or both chambers of Congress could surely shut down his agenda in his final two years in the White House. It could also severely hamper his ability to nominate justices to the U.S. Supreme Court should Justices Clarence Thomas and/or Justice Samuel Alito decide to retire. A Trump “spanking” by voters in 2026 could also make it hard for possible GOP frontrunners to succeed him in 2028, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) Florida. This election is about more than Trump.
“DOE Reviews Brown Mass Shooting" – On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would do a security audit of Brown University in the wake of the mass shootings there. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said, “Students deserve to feel safe at school, and every university across this nation must protect their students and be equipped with adequate resources to aid law enforcement. The Trump Administration will fight to ensure that recipients of federal funding are vigorously protecting students’ safety and following security procedures as required under federal law.” While this seems well-intentioned, it’s important to remember the Trump administration is in the middle of dismantling the Education Department and shutting it down completely. More than 1,300 employees have been let go. That’s half the staff. You have to wonder what resources it has left and if it’s enough to make any productive changes at Brown.
“Trump National Guard Troops”- The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily dealt the Trump White House a setback. The high court upheld a district court judge’s ruling that Trump lacked the authority to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago. In the majority ruling, the justices said, “At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.” But this ruling was only the result of a request for an emergency injunction against the district court ruling. The White House can ask the circuit court of appeals and the Supreme Court to hear the actual case, so it’s not over yet. This could affect recent National Guard deployments elsewhere as well.
“Where Does the Chest-Beating End?” – If you thought the Trump self-aggrandizement ended with the renaming of the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, you are mistaken. This week, President Trump announced a new class of Navy battleships known as the “Trump Class,” to replace a fleet, that in his words, was “old and tired and obsolete.” In an announcement from Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, “They’ll help maintain American military supremacy, revive the American shipbuilding industry, and inspire fear in America’s enemies all over the world.” The internet was buzzing with humorous memes, including a photo of the Washington Monument with the name TRUMP stenciled vertically on it.
“Sending Prayers for Ben Sasse” – I was saddened to see the social media post from former Sen. Ben Sasse (R), Nebraska, this week, that he has terminal pancreatic cancer. This is personal for me, as this disease runs in my family and claimed the lives of my mom, Mary Beth, and my Aunt Jo. It’s also personal because Sasse left the U.S. Senate to become president of the University of Florida, one of my alma maters. He has a distinguished career in higher education, and he was also one of the few Republicans to stand up to President Trump during his first term in the White House. It’s not easy going against the grain of one’s own party, but it’s often a sign of authentic leadership. We thank you, Ben Sasse, for your service to the people of Nebraska and Florida, as well as to your service to the United States. Prayers for your health and healing.