Why Senate Control Matters Most

On Election Day, Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor walk through what they’re watching on voting day and in the weeks after. The focus is religion, politics, and the echoes of January 6th, including how an electoral loss could be framed as illegitimate before results are even certified. What they cover: DOJ election monitors. The DOJ has reportedly sent about 1,000 monitors to counties with large Black and Democratic populations, including Shelby County (Memphis) and Prince William, Fairfax, and Charlottesville in Virginia. Taylor says the pro-democracy side has prepared with its own monitors and lawyers on call, and that the tactic is predictable. The bigger risk would be an attempt to seize ballots. Black turnout surge. They cite a Politico piece reporting that over a quarter of Black Southerners had voted six days before the election, a rate above the overall electorate. In 2022 Black turnout trailed by three points at the same stage, and in 2024 by six. They tie the surge to anger over redistricting efforts in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Taylor adds that Mike Madrid predicts four or five of Texas’s five redrawn districts could flip Democratic, and says he saw unusually heavy turnout at his own polling place. Delegitimization campaigns. Taylor describes a shift from ordinary attacks to claims that candidates are illegitimate or “not real Americans.” He points to Trump’s rhetoric about Abdul El-Sayed (Michigan), the attacks on Mary Peltola (Alaska) over the two-Dan-Sullivans ballot issue, and the “fake Christian” attacks on James Talarico. His worry is that propaganda built up over time creates pressure not to certify results or not to seat winning candidates. Predictions and warnings. Onishi predicts a media push between now and January 3 saying that Peltola, El-Sayed, and others can’t be seated. Onishi predicts a Democratic House majority in the 225 to 245 range and argues Republicans have written it off. He says the Senate is where the real stakes are: impeachment, Supreme Court vacancies, and confirmations. Taylor notes a pending effort, filed by Rep. Thomas Massie, to impeach Pete Hegseth, and that Trump couldn’t replace cabinet officials without Senate cooperation. Texas and Talarico. Both hosts argue a Talarico win would be a major symbolic blow to the religious right, because he speaks Christian language fluently and in a pluralistic way. They also cover why El-Sayed (potentially the first Muslim senator) and Adam Hamilton in Kansas matter. Taylor says they could provide a playbook for faith-forward Democrats. Tucker Carlson, Iran, and Chris Murphy. They discuss a Carlson post claiming Trump may be days from a nuclear strike on Iran’s “Pickax Mountain,” and Sen. Chris Murphy’s warnings about Iran escalation. The Intercessors for America report. Taylor explains IFA’s ties to the New Apostolic Reformation, including its live prayer call during the January 6th riot. . The hosts argue it seeds a narrative from the ground up, mirroring the top-down lies that preceded January 6th, and note the report’s own language about a “demonically inspired” coup. If you enjoy our work, please subscribe. Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com Books mentioned: 📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ 📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour 🔗 axismundi.us www.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months www.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!

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