As Politico wrote Friday, “the Senate map suddenly looks a lot better for Democrats. But still not a slam dunk.” Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek sure hopes so, as he just announced his candidacy for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. You may have seen his splashy campaign launch video in which he crawls up stairs to knock on doors because he was born with spina bifida as a result of his dad’s exposure to Agent Orange. Josh and Jon discussed many parallel interests (in addition to shared initials), like running as a Democrat in a red state, VA accessibility and rural America. The JTs even get in some basketball chatter, as Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist for Team USA.

This conversation was recorded live on Substack!

As the fight over redistricting in Texas threatens to explode in states across the country, we dig into what’s ahead with former Housing and Urban Development Sec. Julian Castro, who also once served as the mayor of San Antonio. How far does this fight over gerrymandering go? What does it mean for the rest of the country? How will it impact the 2026 midterms? Plus, we chat about a proposal to put new limits on federal housing vouchers, ICE arrests, and the Trump administration deploying the National Guard to police the streets of Washington, D.C.

Former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh joins JT & MG to hash out the headlines over coffee. We talk about his transition from a moderate Republican to a Tea Party activist to an Independent and now, a Democrat. Plus, his proposal for a national strike to fight back against the Trump administration, his frustration with lawmakers, and his pitch for a Tester/Walsh 2028 ticket. Why Work Truck? Listen to find out!

The headlines about Jeffrey Epstein keep coming and we asked high-profile attorney Gloria Allred to help us unpack what’s happening. Gloria has represented dozens of Epstein’s survivors. What about that list? When did the allegations first come on her radar? How are the survivors holding up with so much renewed focus on Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell? What the hell is in those files? And will we ever see them released? We talk it out with someone who not only knows the case, but who’s also been an iconic player in our judicial system. Plus, Gloria raises her own questions about the case, including some we hadn't thought of.

As pressure mounts over the Epstein files, the Trump administration is leaning on an old target: former President Barack Obama. Ned Price, who served in various government roles related to national security and diplomacy, joins Grounded to discuss the latest accusations of treason being thrown at Obama from the Trump administration related to Russian interference in the 2016 election. What’s the end game? Where do previous investigations fit into the conversation? What do accusations like this mean for our national security and international relations? We break it all down.

How can the U.S. government best fund our military and defense? It’s not just a political issue—it’s a national security issue. On this episode dedicated to our defense budget and national security, we’re joined by former Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven and Kate Käufer, both of whom served as advisers to Jon Tester when he served as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Defense. We discuss how our current defense budget compares to years past, the big security risks facing us as a nation, artificial intelligence, and areas of hope looking ahead.

The focus on the Epstein files continues to intensify, despite President Trump trying to talk about literally anything else (enter the Washington Commanders). Longtime political analyst and independent journalist Chris Cillizza joins JT & MG to discuss what this means for MAGA as loyalists start saying things like, “Dangling bits of red meat no longer satisfies.” Could this be the “thing” that causes Trump to lose his base? Plus, Colbert, Hunter Biden and the further fracturing of legacy journalism.

Former Trump “fixer” Michael Cohen joined JT & MG for an unfiltered live conversation about the Jeffrey Epstein files, the fracture inside MAGA and what Donald Trump’s end game. The chat became lively many times, including when talking about Congress, beef with both political parties and the idea of a town hall in Butte, America.