Veteran strategist James Carville thinks Democrats will take the Senate in 2026

[0:01] He's one of the sharpest voices in the Democratic Party who helped propel Bill Clinton to the White [0:05] House in 1992 and coined one of the most iconic phrases in politics. Stay focused. Talk about [0:12] things that matter to people. You know, it's the economy, stupid. We are joined now by the [0:19] raging Cajun Democratic strategist, Mr. James Carville, to break down the latest primaries. [0:25] So 34 years ago, you pointed out how important the economy was. Is it still the economy, stupid? [0:32] 34 years later? And if so, why does the president seem to be focused so much on on overseas issues? [0:41] Well, it always is. And people get frustrated by it. And people have economic interactions. I don't [0:48] know, 50 times a day from the time you get up in the morning, you go to the store, you get gas, [0:52] you order something online, you pay tuition, about a thousand different things. And he's bored with it [1:00] because he can't do anything about it. And he's in a trap because usually the issues that cause [1:05] bad economies are convoluted and sometimes out of your control. This is directly, he invaded Iran [1:11] and gas prices went up, I don't know, 56 percent, 56 cents. And so, yeah, he doesn't want to talk [1:17] about it. But he's not the only one in the conversation. The Democrats can bring it front [1:22] and center all they want. [1:23] And let's turn to your home state of Louisiana, the results of the GOP Senate primary. Of course, [1:28] Senator Bill Cassidy didn't even make it, make the runoff to defend his own seat. Were you surprised? [1:36] No, not really. I was a little bit surprised. One of the things that really happened was there was a [1:42] very high black turnout. This is the first time we've gone to Post since Calais. In a big election [1:48] tomorrow, I would point out to your viewers, is the Georgia Supreme Court. I'm going to be keeping [1:53] my own that. There are two seats. It's a general election. It's a statewide. It's the swingiest [1:58] swing state you can imagine. It's critical. And I think people would be well informed to pay [2:03] attention to what happens in Georgia tomorrow night. [2:06] And what does the result mean for someone like Thomas Massey Tuesday night in Kentucky? [2:10] You know, the guy is, he's, I'll say he is, he's not your typical Washington politician. [2:19] And they're bringing a lot of heat and a lot of money against him. My guess is, I have a lot of [2:25] friends in Kentucky. I was back at the Kentucky Derby, as you know. And that's the problem. My guess [2:32] is, I don't have any polling or anything, but generally the anti-Trump Republicans are losing [2:37] primaries. But if he loses, it won't be about that much, I don't think. He's a compelling [2:42] different guy. I'll give him that. [2:44] You've seen redistricting play out in Louisiana and across the South. Will House Republicans [2:49] come out ahead from this? [2:52] You know, it's a very good question. But when you're getting ready to have a monster year, [2:55] people are more and more confident that the Texas redistricting may end up hurting them. [3:01] And the thing you've got to remember, you can create the Supreme Court, unless you do [3:05] be as political and as racial as you want to be, but you can't create more Republican districts [3:10] unless you poach Republicans from other districts. And when you're facing a really bad year like [3:16] they're facing, the losses for this year, at least, may not be nearly as big as they think. [3:23] And remember this, the state legislature races everywhere in the country, and that's who's [3:28] going to determine redistricting after the 2030 election. So there's a lot going on underneath [3:35] the waterline here, is what I would say. [3:37] Do you still think the Democrats have a chance of retaking the House of Representatives in the [3:41] fall? [3:43] Well, I'd bet anything, yes. I think they're a prohibitive favorite. I actually do think, [3:48] if I look at current recent election returns in polling, I think they're going to take the Senate. [3:53] Really? [3:55] Oh, yes. Oh, I mean, definitely, if that time-Centra poll, I looked at it as a plus 10, [4:02] plus 11 generic. But I look back at all of the other ones, I don't see, we're going to win seats [4:10] like people have thought about. Like, we're going to win seats in Mississippi, probably Texas. [4:16] We'll keep Georgia and North Carolina. We're going to win Ohio. We're going to win Ohio. Yes, [4:21] Alaska for sure, almost for sure. They've had a good recruiting year. I'm very, very bullish on the [4:27] Senate. Very bullish. [4:28] The recent polling suggests that voters are frustrated with the president, but still aren't [4:32] happy with your party. Seventy percent of voters, 44 percent of Democrats are dissatisfied with the [4:38] party, according to one new poll. How do you turn those numbers around? [4:42] Well, I don't like the Democratic Party because they lost. And when you lose, people do not like [4:47] you. And people in a political party, for one reason, they want the party to win. The way to turn [4:52] it around is stay focused, stay on message, talk about the things that we were talking about earlier [4:58] in the show, and talk about the Epstein files. Never, ever forget that. That issue is not going [5:05] away, and it's not going to go away. And that way, you turn the thing around. But if they come [5:13] out and do well in November, then I'll have a positive attitude toward the Democratic Party. [5:17] But if you call me on the phone and says, Woody, you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion [5:21] of the Democratic Party? I can't stand them. They lost. I hate losers. [5:24] And former Congressman Barney Frank, who was a liberal icon in Congress, is out with a new [5:31] book arguing that the left of your party has embraced a, quote, vote-repelling platform on [5:37] immigration, policing, and other issues. What's your take? [5:42] If I had to name my five favorite politicians of my lifetime, Barney Frank would be in the [5:47] top five every time. I think he is one of the wisest people that I've ever been around, [5:54] spoken to, listened to. I think he's exactly right in the fact that Barney is in failing [5:59] health. He's 87 years old, and he's coming out like this. This guy is going down fighting. [6:05] He ain't going to take a knee until he's forced to. And I really think he's a valuable voice [6:12] late in his life. I hats off to Barney. [6:16] What do you think, lastly, the messaging needs to be from Democrats other than we're anti-Trump? [6:22] Well, the message from Democrats is, how has this worked out for you? [6:28] But, you know, it's one thing being anti-Trump. It's another thing that Trump is anti-consumer. [6:35] And again, I'll come back to it. I just don't think we can let the Epstein files go. It's too [6:41] compelling a story. There's too many unanswered questions. And, you know, sometimes when you're [6:46] the not-encumbered party and off you, like what hit us in 94, I'm not, I don't think we got to [6:52] beef a lot right now, other than we're against Trump. Now, come 2028, that's the time you have [6:57] to flush this out. But generally what I'm telling the Democrats is, don't just stand there and do [7:02] nothing. I mean, people, you're not going to get into, you don't want to get in the way of Trump [7:09] destroying himself and destroying Republican chances. But just, oh, you got to beef something. [7:13] You got to have a platform. You got to have three things you fall. No, not necessarily. [7:16] Then when 28 comes out, then we have different divisions and different parts of, you know, [7:23] constituency and party. That's the time to flush this out. But now it's not the time to be overly [7:28] aggressive. Yeah, well, let's raise the minimum wage. Let's cut, raise taxes on wealthy people. [7:36] Let's give working people a chance. Let's expand healthcare. Let's stop closing hospitals. That's [7:41] good enough to go. Go with that. James Carville, always appreciate the conversation. Thank you so [7:46] much for joining us. I love that Mr. Carville. Keep it formal.