>> CATHY: WE TURN OUR ATTENTION NOW TO NATIONAL POLITICS AND TUESDAY'S ELECTION RESULTS.

DEMOCRATS WON BIG ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IS THIS A TREND THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO MIDTERMS A YEAR FROM NOW?

DID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, NOW AT A RECORD 38 DAYS, PLAY A ROLE IN THE RESULTS?

LARRY JACOBS HEADS UP THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE AT THE U OF M'S HUMPHREY SCHOOL.

WELCOME BACK.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> Cathy: BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE RESULTS, EVIDENTLY, THE NEWS IS THAT AN APPEALS COURT HAS SAID TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, YOU GOT TO PAY S.N.A.P.

BENEFITS.

AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS SAYING, NOPE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE SUPREME COURT.

WHAT ABOUT THIS?

>> WELL, THIS IS BEEN KIND OF A WELL KNOWN PATH.

WHERE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN COURT.

THEY LOSE, LOSE.

AND THEN IT GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT.

AND WHAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN DOING IS SAYING, BASICALLY, WELL, YOU GO AHEAD WITH THAT, MR.

TRUMP.

WE'LL TAKE UP THE BIG CASE LATER.

AND SO THEY KEEP BLOCKING DECISIONS BY LOWER COURTS.

LOWER COURTS ARE REPORTING THAT THEY EEL DISEMPOWERED, BECAUSE THEIR RULINGS ARE BEING PUSHED ASIDE BY THE SUPREME COURT.

WELL, SEE, OBVIOUSLY S.N.A.P.

IS URGENT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING HUNGRY.

AND THIS IS THE FEDERAL PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME FOLKS WHO NEED FOOD.

SO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, I THINK IS TAKING A BEATING POLITICALLY, BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, VERY TANGIBLE, IT'S GETTING A LOT OF PRESS COVERAGE, AND PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO IT.

>> Cathy: AND OF COURSE THE ROLLING BACK OF FLIGHTS TOO IS SOMETHING THAT'S MAKING PEOPLE A LITTLE SWEATY PALMED.

>> PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT THANKSGIVINGS, ARE THINKING MAYBE I'LL BE STAYING HOME.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF TANGIBLE RESULT OF THE SCHOENBERG.

THE REPUBLICANS THOUGHT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD GET HAMMERED ABOUT IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DID RESEARCH AND THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD A GOOD ARGUMENT.

BUT NOW THAT THE ACTUAL CONSEQUENCES ARE COMING FORWARD, THE POLLS ARE SHOWING THAT DONALD TRUMP IS BEING BLAMED MOSTLY FOR IT.

>> Eric: BROAD AND DEEP WINS FOR DEMOCRATS.

2026 IS A MONTH AWAY.

THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY'S UP IN A MIDTERM.

ARE THESE RESULTS INDICATIVE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN A YEAR FROM NOW OR YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT LEAP?

>> I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S EDUCATED ANALYSIS, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, THERE WERE THREE HINGS THAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY NIGHT THAT ARE BAD NEWS FOR REPUBLICANS.

AND MY FRIENDS WHO ARE REPUBLICAN ANALYSTS, THEY'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING.

ONE IS THAT DONALD TRUMP'S UNPOPULARITY WAS A FACTOR IN NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA.

AND ELSEWHERE.

AND THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON.

USUALLY THE OUTPARTY GAINS IF YOU'VE GOT AN UNPOPULAR INPARTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

SO THAT'S SURPRISING.

THE ISSUE THAT IS HURTING DONALD TRUMP MOST IS INFLATION, AFFORDABILITY, THAT'S NOT GOING AWAY.

IN ADDITION, THERE'S OPPOSITION TO SOME OF HIS POLICIES, BUT IT'S REALLY THE KIND OF AFFORDABILITY ISSUE.

SECONDLY, WE SAW A HUGE INCREASE IN DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT.

AND THAT ENERGY WON'T GO AWAY.

THAT IS AN ENERGY THAT DONALD TRUMP IS FEEDING.

AND THE THIRD PART IS THAT THE VOTERS OF COLOR, HISPANICS, BLACK PEOPLE, WHO HAD OME OVER TO DONALD TRUMP IN 2024 AND LED TO A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A REALIGNMENT, THAT DISAPPEARED.

>> Cathy: I WONDER WHY?

>> WELL, I THINK PEOPLE LOOKED AT DONALD TRUMP AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING.

FIRST OFF, DONALD TRUMP SAID HIS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE INFLATION.

AND HE HASN'T TACKLED THAT.

HE'S GOT A LOT OF OTHER POLICIES HE WANTS TO WORK ON.

THEN THERE'S ALSO -- AND THE EXIT POLLS SHOWED THIS.

THERE WAS A SENSE THAT HIS IMMIGRATION POLICY, PARTICULARLY THE DEPORTATIONS HAD GONE TOO FAR.

AND THESE WERE, YOU KNOW, MAJORITIES OF PEOPLE SAYING IT.

SO THAT ALSO HURT HIM.

AND THEN I THINK THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, A REAL SENSE THAT THE DEMOCRATS MAY BE TURNING A CORNER AND BEING MORE ATTENTIVE TO ECONOMIC ISSUES, KIND OF WHAT PEOPLE NEED AT HOME.

>> Eric: DO WE BEGIN TO SEE THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE RUNNING IN 2026 BEGIN A LITTLE BIT OF ARM'S LENGTH FROM THE PRESIDENT, OR ARE WE NOT THERE YET?

>> I THINK EVERY REPUBLICAN RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS WONDERING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, LISA DEMUTH CAME OUT AND ANNOUNCED IN HER VIDEO ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN, HAS PROMINENTLY DONALD TRUMP IN IT.

AND MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A WHOLE LOT OF THAT MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE A DONALD TRUMP DRAG ON PARTICULARLY CANDIDATES WHO ARE IN COMPETITIVE RACES AS WILL THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE HAS A GOOD ARGUMENT.

I THINK TIM WALZ HAS GOT SOME REAL PROBLEMS HE'S GOT TO EXPLAIN TO VOTERS.

BUT WHAT TIM WALZ IS GOING TO DO IS, HE'S GOING TO MAKE THE REFERENDUM NOT HIM, BUT DONALD TRUMP.

>> Eric: YEAH.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE.