Why do the Pod Save America hosts say Republicans lost the 2026 midterms?

The Pod Save America hosts blamed prices first. They argued Trump won in 2024 by promising to bring prices down, then raised them with tariffs and the Iran war, while spending his rallies on his home renovations instead of voters' costs. One host called the war with Iran a catastrophic decision that Democrats should answer by becoming the anti-war party again. They added that anti-trans attack ads lose force when gas costs six dollars a gallon.

• The hosts said Trump held about 28 rallies in the final month of the campaign.
• Trump's approval was 39 in the exit poll, according to the hosts.
• One host urged Democrats to withhold votes on the December 11 continuing resolution unless funding for the Iran war is cut off.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Pod Save America (2026-11-04). Read the whole episode summary →

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