The Rachel Maddow Show

Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, an attorney and education advocate, discusses her competitive governor’s race, public schools, affordability, and shifting Latino voters. Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon, a grassroots organizer, shares how she is challenging entrenched Republican leadership through statewide organizing. Rachel Maddow examines Democratic opportunities, Trump’s mounting desperation, and a senator’s curious unpaid cookie bill.

Stacey Abrams, voting-rights activist, author, lawyer, and Fair Fight Action founder, joins a lively Texas political special. She discusses Georgia’s competitive governor’s race, her long-term strategy for expanding voter participation, and modern voter suppression. The conversation also explores election resilience, democratic endurance, journalism, and the road to rebuilding government.

Ari Melber, a lawyer and journalist focused on law and politics, joins Al Sharpton, civil rights leader and National Action Network president. They discuss Texas voting rights, redistricting, economic anxiety, coalition-building, and the fight for democratic participation. Sharpton also explores shifting political alliances, broken promises, and how turnout and community can reshape Congress.

Ari Emanuel, the influential entertainment executive and Endeavor co-founder, discusses his memoir, relentless dealmaking, and relationships with powerful figures. He explains backing a UFC event at the White House, weighs democratic concerns surrounding Donald Trump, and praises his brother Rahm’s political credentials. He also opens up about therapy, marriage, anger, media power, and an astonishing wellness routine involving live worms.

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbusch, president and CEO of the Interfaith Alliance, discusses the “Vote Is Sacred” 15-state bus tour. Topics include faith communities defending voting rights, preparing for election interference, and building unlikely coalitions against threats to democracy. The conversation also explores how small, morally driven protests can grow into powerful movements, from anti-apartheid action in Dublin to resistance against immigration detention facilities.

Amid rising tensions with Iran, veteran FBI counterterrorism officials are demoted, followed by a massive breach exposing employee data. U.S. and Russian officials reportedly move to loosen human oversight of AI-powered weapons. A First Amendment lawsuit challenges White House press restrictions, while investigative reporting on Russian election interference draws bizarre deepfakes and disinformation attacks.

Jameel Jaffer, a civil liberties attorney and Knight First Amendment Institute leader, joins a timely discussion on press freedom under attack. Topics include Trump’s White House press bans, First and Fifth Amendment challenges, media solidarity, and why government propaganda cannot replace independent journalism. The conversation also turns to ICE violence and protests demanding accountability in Austin.

Marc Elias, voting-rights attorney and founder of Democracy Docket, discusses the Supreme Court’s mail-ballot ruling and the continuing fight over election access. The conversation also explores Trump’s escalating election tactics, No Kings Day, and threats to democratic participation. Investigative reporter Brett Murphy details a Russian oligarch’s lavish financing of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding and the questions surrounding it.

Greg Werkheiser, co-founder of Cultural Heritage Partners, champions historic preservation and public-interest law. He discusses the coalition challenging Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, an Obama-era bunker that undercuts its security rationale, and threats to the National Historic Preservation Act. The conversation also examines Washington’s historic character and the legal fight against vanity-driven renovations.

A sharp takedown of chaotic leadership and how repeated mistakes are costing U.S. credibility and allies. Military mishaps, risky spectacle uses of resources, and trade pushback from Canada get examined. A victorious newsroom legal fight and a surprising local school board shift show consequences playing out at many levels.