This week, it's all about historic firsts: for the first time in our seven-year history, we paid a visit to the historic Ben's Chili Bowl, a restaurant that's been serving their "original half-smokes" to hungry Washingtonians since 1958. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), who in 2017 became the first woman of color to be elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, knows Ben's well - she frequented the original location on U Street NW as a staffer for then-U.S. Senator John Kerry in the early 2000s.Join us for an in-depth discussion on Ayanna's journey to Congress, her advocacy for student loan relief, her view that the Supreme Court is "making history for all the wrong reasons" and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evangelical voters are likely to play a significant role in deciding whether former President Trump will capture the GOP nomination in 2024. Jon Ward, chief national correspondent for Yahoo! News, knows that voting bloc well. Ward's new book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Failed a Generation, is about his upbringing in an influential evangelical church. The book is a deeply personal account that details a painful estrangement between Jon and his family members as he sought to tell the truth in his reporting on American politics.This conversation was recorded on June 26, 2023 at The Roost food hall on Capitol Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and author Neil King, Jr. joins Major at The Grill at Harryman House in Reisterstown, MD. On the menu: a chat about Neil’s new book “American Ramble,” a chronicle of his 300+ mile walk from Washington, D.C. to New York City. Join us for a stroll through history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican former governor of Maryland has a lot to say about the 2024 race for the GOP nomination - a contest he says he will not join. But would he consider a third party challenge early next year? Governor Larry Hogan sits down with Major on the banks of the South River at Mike's Restaurant and Crabhouse in Riva, MD. Hogan dishes on Trump and the classified documents indictment, why he thinks Ron DeSantis' campaign is off to a rocky start and what election denialism means for the Republican party. Pull up a chair and Join us for crabs, hush puppies and good conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rhode Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins Major for pastries and coffee at Ted's Bulletin on Capitol Hill. Whitehouse goes deep on former President Trump's legal troubles and his own experience prosecuting a celebrity politician. Plus, a discussion about President Biden's age and the 2024 race, why Whitehouse wants ailing California senator Dianne Feinstein to stay in office and where things stand with Supreme Court ethics rules reform. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and former broadcast journalist Luke Russert joins Major at famed Capitol Hill watering hole Tune Inn for a discussion of Russert's new book, "Look for Me There," a memoir about losing his father and traveling the world. Russert recounts advice he got in 2015 from then-Speaker of the House John Boehner, who told him to leave network news and explore the world. Stick around for a chat between Major, Russert and Boehner on why the speaker offered that advice and why it was the right call for Russert. Boehner also offers his thoughts on the state of the Republican Party and its frontrunner for president, Donald Trump. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a whirlwind week in Washington with both chambers of Congress considering a bill to lift the nation's borrowing limit and avert potential default on America's debt. The House passed the bill Wednesday night and Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana believes the Senate will follow suit -- at some point before the June 5th deadline. But it's not clear exactly when or how. Cassidy explains the handful of sticking points for Senate Republicans. Stay for a longer conversation on the future Social Security and why Cassidy wants to lead on an issue that most politicians prefer to avoid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're wearing our nerd hats this week because, well...the news-of-the-day requires such attire! The ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan Boyle, joins Major for coffee at one of our favorite haunts, the Dubliner on Capitol Hill. The congressman dubbed this chat about debt ceiling negotiations the "nerdiest conversation I've ever had sitting in the [familiar, famed Irish pub]."Boyle is optimistic that a debt ceiling deal could be reached soon, but he admits that default is possible. "This is without question the most serious danger with that we have faced since 2011," Boyle said, referring to an early debt ceiling showdown that led to a brief downgrading of U.S. credit rating by Standard & Poor's.And sure, for those of you math-averse folks - this could be a daunting listen. But amid all the big numbers, there are lessons to be learned. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much has been made in recent weeks about the House GOP's 'five families' and Speaker Kevin McCarthy's efforts to unite these five ideologically-diverse caucuses in effort to strike a deal with the Biden White House on raising the debt ceiling. South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace recognizes how difficult it is for McCarthy to navigate the demands from each of the five factions, but she's content operating as a 'caucus of one,' an 'independent voice' marching to beat of her own drum.So, she has her own opinions on the debt ceiling negotiations ("it's been both parties that got us into this"), abortion ("you have [GOP members] that don't want to talk about birth control...which is crazy and scary at the same time") and her embattled House Republican colleague ("I want to see George Santos removed from Congress").We cover a lot of ground in this episode - don't miss Mace's takes on TikTok, ChatGPT and Elon Musk's Twitter.This conversation was recorded inside the South Carolina congresswoman's office on Capitol Hill on May 18, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state of Arizona is anticipating an influx of migrants seeking aslyum at the U.S. southern border following the expiration of Title 42 on Thursday, May 11. Just days prior to the end of the Trump-era public health restrictions, Major sat down with Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs to discuss her plans for addressing the fallout. Hobbs says, "there's a lot of frustration across the board that Washington isn't doing enough and taking this seriously enough."Asked whether she's "excited" about a Biden reelection campaign, the Democratic governor made it clear she's not yet ready to weigh in on the 2024 presidential election.And for our Arizona listeners, yes, we talked tamales. Hobbs recently vetoed a bill that would have expanded the law allowing street vendors to sell perishable homemade goods like the traditional corn-based Mexican dish.This conversation was recorded on May 5, 2023 at the McCain Institute's 10th Annual Sedona Forum in Sedona, Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices