Venezuela, Epstein Messes and 2026 Election Woes - “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
Venezuela, Epstein Messes and 2026 Election Woes - “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“Venezuelan Assault” – Reaction continues to pour in of the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on narcoterrorism charges. There is already debate within Congress on whether the Trump administration had legal authority. Rep. Jim Himes (D) Connecticut, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee demanded an immediate White House briefing to explain it next steps and “its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.” In South Florida, there were celebrations in the Venezuelan community here with supportive crowds chanting, “Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” Some international reactions were supportive, while some were critical. Russia issued a statement in opposition, saying, “This morning, the United States carried out an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This causes deep concern and condemnation.” It added, “Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, outside intervention.” If that’s true, then wouldn’t Russia be guilty of the same for its war against Ukraine?
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“Trump - MTG Feud Continues” – The verbal war between President Donald Trump and departing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R), Georgia, keeps getting more and more interesting. Greene was once one of Trump’s most ardent supporters, but she said they had a falling out in September. Greene backed full release of all Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking files. Greene told 60 Minutes and the New York Times Magazine, “He said that it was going to hurt people.” She said Trump was on a speaker phone and said everyone in her office could hear him when she said he shouted, “My friends will get hurt.” This was in a Greene interview in the New York Times Magazine, published last Monday. Greene’s resignation from Congress is effective January 5, but I don’t think she’ll remain silent. So far, there’s no comment from the White House.
“Bye-Bye Obamacare to Many” – As of January 1, there are no longer federal subsidies for people to pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. Right now, 24 million people get those subsidies. Without the help, the already expensive monthly premiums for many people will more than double. A lot of people are expected to just cancel their health insurance as unaffordable. One of the senior Congressional reporters on Capitol Hill tells me there is “probably little chance” the House and Senate fix this when they come back later this month. This will be a key 2026 campaign issue, especially in close races.
“Flip-Able Seats - Maine” – Last week, I profiled three key Senate races Democrats must win if they are to regain control of the upper chamber of Congress. They are in North Carolina, Ohio, and Georgia. This week, we’ll look at Maine, Michigan, and Iowa. Sen. Susan Collins (R) Maine has held the seat for nearly 30 years. She is a moderate Republican who has often voted against the Trump agenda, perhaps more than any other member of her party. In 2026, she is vulnerable in a reliably blue state. Collins has three little-known Republican challengers. Gov. Janet Mills (D) of Maine is also in the race. She faces five lesser-known Democrats in the primary. Right now, most polls show it as a toss-up if Collins and Mills are the nominees.
“Michigan: Blue or Red?” – Sen. Gary Peters (D) Michigan is retiring. Usually, this is a safe, blue state, but that has changed. On the road to both his terms in the White House, President Trump carried Michigan. So, this is a possible Republican Senate pick-up. Four Democrats are in the race, the best-known being Rep. Haley Stevens (D) Michigan, who has represented the 11th Congressional District for the past six years. State Senator Mallory McMorrow is nipping at Steven’s heels in most polls. Five Republicans are running, including former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Michigan), who lost a U.S. Senate race here in 2024 by fewer than 20,000 votes. Trump might be a significant factor if he runs in what’s shaping up to be a toss-up in Michigan. Recent polls between Rogers and Stevens are essentially tied.
“First in the Nation Upset?” – Iowa prides itself on its first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, but this mid-term election may cause some drama. Sen. Joni Ernst (R) Iowa, announced her retirement after two terms. Iowa is usually one of the battleground toss-up states in presidential elections, so this could be a possible Democratic pick-up. Five Democrats are in the primary, with the top three raising just over a million dollars apiece, so that could make it competitive. So far, three Republicans have filed, with the best-known being Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) Iowa, who has been in Congress for five years. She has far outpaced her Republican challengers by raising more than $3 million, and no one else is even close. President Trump also endorses Hinson.
“The Trump Bellwether” – How is he a factor? Who has he endorsed, or not endorsed? Those questions loom with the general election just 11 months away. If the economy surges and immigration problems abate, then those items could help Trump and fellow Republicans. But if the affordability of food, shelter, and health care continues to be a problem, that could boost Democrats. Trump has already endorsed Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race. But in Georgia, Trump remains mute. The three-candidate field of the GOP primary features Rep. Buddy Carter (R), Rep. Michael Collins (R) Georgia, and former Tennessee Football Head Coach Derek Dickey. A Trump endorsement in a tight three-way primary could prove decisive. In many respects, 2026 is a legacy ballot for Trump nationwide.
“Kennedy Center Cancellations” – The controversy over the renaming of the Kennedy Center as the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is not going away. Numerous groups that booked events there have now cancelled. The most recent was a jazz group, “The Cookers,” cancelling its New Year’s Eve concert. Saxophonist Billy Harper said on the Jazz Stage Facebook page that he, “would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.” Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee, called the cancellations a “political stunt.” He also plans to sue musician Chuck Redd, seeking one million dollars in damages for cancelling a Christmas Eve show.
“Another Kennedy Family Tragedy” – Friends, relatives, and supporters of the Kennedy family are carrying heavy hearts this weekend. 35-year-old Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy, passed away. She died from complications of leukemia at the age of 35. On Tuesday, the Kennedy Presidential Library released a statement saying, in part, “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.” Schlossberg, who was an environmental journalist, was often critical of her cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. In one recent essay, she said, “I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers.” So far, there is no comment from RFK, Jr.
“Out With the Old; In With the New!" – Speaking of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., one of his initiatives is gaining ground. As of New Year’s Day, five states have now banned people from using SNAP benefits (aka food stamps) to buy sugary goods, such as soda and candy. The states are Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia. Watch for other states to enact similar bans in 2026 and beyond, as obesity and diabetes skyrocket, especially among kids. I remember doing a story on this subject when I was a reporter in Rhode Island. An ice cream truck operator in Cranston posted a sign on her van saying, “EBT Cards Accepted here!” The objections poured in! When I interviewed her, she said, “Poor kids deserve treats, too!” Secretary Kennedy issued a statement saying, “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create.” This will be a midterm campaign issue in 2026, in many more states.
“Trump Off with the Guard” – President Trump is backing off on his National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, after recent court decision, but the fight is far from over, Trump said on social media, “We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!” In the meantime, National Guard troops remain on the ground in Washington, DC and Memphis, TN. The U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether the troop deployments are legal. In the meantime, Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) of West Virginia says guard troops from his state will be in Washington, DC, until the end of February, if not longer.