John Heilemann welcomes David Axelrod, the former Senior Political Adviser to President Barack Obama and host of The Axe Files podcast on CNN Audio. As we approach the crucial midterm elections in early November, Axelrod offers his thoughts on the key races that may determine the fate of America's democracy going forward, including: whether or not recent political winds have shifted in favor of Republicans and what this means to their chances of taking over both the Huse and the Senate; the Democrats over-reliance on the issue of abortion and how they should change their messaging going forward to improve their standing with voters; the rise of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the possibility that she could be a presidential candidate one day; the effect John Fetterman's health is having on the Pennsylvania Senate race and whether he's vulnerable enough on crime to tip the outcome in Dr. Mehmet Oz's favor; will Black Democratic voters in Georgia show up in numbers large enough to keep Rafael Warnock's Senate seat secure from Herschel Walker; whether the Republican stalwarts Mike Lee and Chuck Grassley will safely hold their positions in the Senate; how Mandela Barnes should be attacking the Ron Johnson campaign in Wisconsin; that Kari Lake's performative abilities outstrip those of even Donald Trump; and the danger that the Democratic Party now caters too much to college educated metropolitans and has lost its touch with America's working and middle classes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.