Overview of Left, Right and Center
This episode (KCRW’s Left, Right and Center) examines early voting dynamics in the Texas Senate primaries and what intraparty fights reveal about each party’s strategy heading into the midterms. Hosts and guests discuss the Democratic primary (Rep. Jasmine Crockett vs. State Rep. James Tallarico), the Republican primary (Sen. John Cornyn vs. AG Ken Paxton with Wesley Hunt in the mix), a listener’s question about cross-party primary voting, then pivot to bipartisan housing legislation in Congress and a culture moment about U.S. Olympic athletes and President Trump’s response.
Democratic primary in Texas: Crockett vs. Tallarico
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Context:
- Democrats want to flip John Cornyn’s Senate seat. Early Texas voting is imminent.
- Jasmine Crockett: outspoken progressive, has drawn controversy for a December Vanity Fair remark (she called Hispanic Trump-supporting voters “slave mentality,” which generated backlash). She embraces an “edgy” style meant to channel anger and rawness.
- James Tallarico: more subdued, emphasizes big-tent politics and church/state separation. He faces an allegation (from social media) that he called former opponent Colin Allred “a mediocre Black man” while praising Crockett — he hasn’t explicitly denied the comment but has expressed respect for Allred.
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Key takeaways from the panel:
- The dispute signals a broader Democratic debate over the role and prominence of identity politics vs. an economics/labor-focused message.
- Primaries act as labs for style and strategy: Crockett’s combative, identity-forward approach may energize a base but could be “divisive” in general election polling; Tallarico’s economic-populist, pro-labor message may be more attractive to swing voters.
- Internal Democratic tensions: some see last year’s losses as a rebuke of identity-first strategies; others see identity politics as non-negotiable principles.
Republican primary in Texas: Cornyn vs. Paxton (and Wesley Hunt)
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Context:
- Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is challenged by state AG Ken Paxton (a Trump ally) and state Rep. Wesley Hunt.
- Cornyn briefly lost favor with Trump over bipartisan work (notably a gun bill) but is trying to re-align with the president (“President Trump and I can pick up where we left off”).
- The GOP split is between establishment/strategic continuity and insurgent/MAGA voices.
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Panel perspective:
- There’s limited daylight ideologically between Cornyn and Paxton on many issues; the contest often becomes about character and electability rather than broad policy differences.
- If both parties nominate firebrand candidates (e.g., Crockett vs. Paxton), the general election would likely be unusually rancorous and unpredictable. More moderate-sounding nominees could produce a quieter general campaign.
Listener question: Should a voter “shop” primaries?
- Situation:
- Texas has open primaries. A listener who leans conservative but dislikes the current GOP behavior wonders whether to vote in the Democratic primary to help nominate a more moderate Democrat.
- Panel advice:
- Will Swaim: Vote for the candidate you genuinely prefer; consider electability and who can win the general.
- Liz Brunig: It’s a complex decision; voters in deep-red states have long faced trade-offs (influence the opposing party’s nominee vs. register preference).
- Overall: Don’t overplay tactical primary shopping — weigh representation and electability.
Bipartisan housing legislation in Congress
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Bills mentioned:
- House: Housing for the 21st Century Act (passed by the House).
- Senate: Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act (passed in the fall).
- There is meaningful overlap, so a reconciled, bipartisan housing bill could reach the president’s desk.
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Panel analysis and competing prescriptions:
- Will Swaim (conservative view): Root problem is supply constraints—local NIMBYism, zoning, and regulatory barriers. Federal subsidies to boost demand would worsen prices; the solution is to remove red tape and let development increase supply.
- Liz Brunig (left/progressive view): Supports measures that loosen regulations in targeted ways but wants public/affordable/social housing options and worries about profit-driven development worsening affordability. Skeptical of framing that small investor activity (Wall Street hedge funds buying single-family homes) is the main driver: investment-firm purchases are a small share (<3%) of overall market.
- Both: Agree that housing affordability is a serious, generational problem with social consequences (delayed family formation, population shifts).
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Practical points raised:
- Trump’s proposed ban on large investment firms buying single-family homes likely would have limited impact.
- Effective reforms likely require state and local zoning reforms and permitting changes to increase supply.
U.S. Olympic athletes, free expression, and presidential criticism
- Incident:
- Freestyle skier Hunter Hess said representing the U.S. brings “mixed emotions” given current politics; President Trump responded on Truth Social calling Hess “a real loser.”
- Panel reaction:
- Guests condemn the petty tone and say athletes aren’t obligated to endorse every U.S. policy. Criticism of athletes for nuanced statements about representing their country is inappropriate; the president’s attacks are seen as thin-skinned and unhelpful.
- The panel also notes how politics bleeds into sports coverage, complicating fans’ ability to focus solely on athletics.
Notable quotes
- Jasmine Crockett (debate): “I will do the edgy things…the things that the political consultants will never tell you to do. Because right now people are hurting.”
- James Tallarico (campaign stop): “The job of a leader is to try to lower the temperature…my job is to get all of us to keep our eyes on the prize, which is uniting as Democrats to beat the Republicans in November.”
- Sen. John Cornyn (campaign video): “President Trump and I can pick up where we left off.”
- Hunter Hess (Olympics): “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now…wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”
- President Trump (response): Called the athlete “a real loser.”
Main takeaways and implications
- Primaries matter: they’re testing grounds for styles and themes (identity vs. economic populism on the left; establishment vs. MAGA on the right). Nominee choices will shape both message and electability going into November.
- Democrats face an internal debate over identity politics vs. broader economic/populist appeals. How they resolve it will affect candidate recruitment and campaign strategy.
- Republicans are wrestling over loyalty to Trump and whether insurgent figures with baggage are electable statewide.
- Housing is one of the few areas where bipartisan momentum exists in Congress—its political and practical success likely hinges on how much the final bill focuses on supply-side reforms and state/local zoning issues versus demand-side subsidies.
- Culture moments (Olympics, athletes’ statements) continue to be politicized, with presidential reactions shaping media attention and public sentiment.
Actionable recommendations (for listeners)
- If you’re voting in a state with open primaries, decide whether you’re prioritizing: (a) choosing the candidate you most align with, or (b) tactical influence over the opposing party’s nominee — and weigh electability.
- For housing advocates: focus local pressure on zoning/permitting reforms and support measures that increase supply, as federal subsidies alone may be inflationary.
- Watch primary outcomes as a preview of each party’s fall strategy: firebrand nominees signal a different campaign dynamic than more centrist picks.
Producers’ note: the episode featured Elizabeth Brunig (The Atlantic) on the left and Will Swaim (National Review/California Policy Center) on the right, hosted by David Green.