Why does Rahm Emanuel say Democrats must court Republican voters before 2028?

Rahm Emanuel says flipping red seats in 2026 took Republican and independent votes, so Democrats must keep that coalition to win in 2028. He points to a Kansas senator who used to be a Republican and to Neil Bush endorsing James Talarico in Texas. He argues Joe Biden promised in 2020 to unite the country but spent much of his term uniting the party, and that it cost him.

• Emanuel contrasts his pocketbook pitch with Kamala Harris's 2024 focus on democracy.
• Emanuel declines to name a favourite 2028 candidate, predicting a wide-open primary.

▸In their words

“Swing voters in swing states, swing presidential elections.” Rahm Emanuel · at 25:09 — open in the transcript →

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

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