Overview of Morning Wire from The Daily Wire
This episode covers the political aftermath of a major Democratic wave election, with Ben Shapiro warning Republicans not to misread the results. The discussion focuses on why GOP losses happened, what Democrats may do next, how the 2028 presidential field is already taking shape, and why a Supreme Court case on religious schools in Colorado could become a major First Amendment ruling. The show also highlights several ballot measures where conservative priorities performed well, even in states that voted blue.
Key Takeaways
- Republicans suffered a major setback, but the results were not uniformly bad for conservatives.
- Ben Shapiro argues the GOP lost because of three overlapping issues:
- unaffordability
- chaos
- corruption
- Democrats may overread the election and push aggressively on policy ideas like Medicare for All and defunding ICE/DHS, which Shapiro thinks could backfire.
- Some conservative ballot initiatives did very well, especially on:
- voter ID and election integrity
- property tax relief
- limits on transgender participation in school sports
- The Supreme Court appears receptive to arguments that Colorado cannot exclude religious schools from a public preschool program simply because of their faith-based beliefs.
Ben Shapiro’s Warning to the GOP
Shapiro says the Republican Party should not treat the election as a simple one-issue rebuke that can be fixed with a single policy shift.
What Republicans got wrong
He argues the party would be mistaken to believe the defeat was only about one issue such as the Iran war or another isolated controversy. Instead, he says the loss reflects a broader voter reaction to:
- higher costs of living
- a sense of political disorder
- concerns about corruption
What Democrats may get wrong
Shapiro predicts Democrats may interpret the victory as a mandate to pursue sweeping, far-left policies all at once. In his view, that could include efforts to:
- expand single-payer health care
- defund immigration enforcement
- slash homeland security funding
His core warning: both parties often mistake electoral wins for blank checks, and that usually leads to backlash.
2028 Republican Primary Outlook
The show also looks ahead to the emerging 2028 presidential contest.
Ben Shapiro’s read on the field
- J.D. Vance is seen as the early favorite, partly because he is the sitting vice president and the likely “anointed” Republican successor.
- Marco Rubio is viewed as unlikely to run, since he is portrayed as risk-averse and in a weaker strategic position.
- Ron DeSantis and Ted Cruz are both expected to seriously consider entering the race.
Broader GOP challenge
Shapiro says the bigger problem for Republicans is that the electoral map itself looks tougher:
- several red or purple states are drifting left
- Democrats may now have a plausible path to a very large Electoral College majority
- a Republican nominee will face an uphill battle regardless of who runs
Ballot Measures: Conservative Bright Spots
Despite Democratic wins in state and federal races, several conservative ballot initiatives succeeded.
Election integrity measures
The biggest recurring theme was voter ID and election-security measures passing even in states that elected Democrats.
Notable examples:
- Ohio: voters approved a constitutional voter ID requirement
- North Carolina: voters expanded voter ID to all forms of voting, including mail ballots
- Kansas: approved a citizens-only voting amendment
- Arkansas, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Alaska also passed similar election-related measures
Tax and fiscal measures
Several states also backed conservative fiscal proposals:
- Florida: passed a major property tax cut
- Tennessee: voters approved a measure limiting future legislative action on property taxes
- Colorado: a tax-related proposal is still being counted, with a measure on the flat tax system narrowly ahead
- California: a controversial billionaire tax measure is currently trailing
Ranked-choice voting
- Alaska was still voting on whether to repeal ranked-choice voting, with repeal slightly behind at the time of the report.
Transgender Policy Ballot Measures
The episode notes that voters in multiple states appeared receptive to conservative messaging on transgender issues, especially in schools and sports.
Major developments
- Washington: a measure barring biological males from K–12 girls’ sports was leading
- Arizona and Nebraska: similar measures were expected to pass easily
- Colorado: related measures on school sports and minors’ gender-related procedures were also competitive and likely to succeed
Main implication
The segment argues that voters, including in blue states, may be increasingly skeptical of transgender policies affecting:
- girls’ sports
- school rules
- medical procedures for minors
Supreme Court First Amendment Case: Colorado Religious Schools
The episode closes with a major Supreme Court case involving whether Colorado can exclude religious schools from its universal preschool program.
What the case is about
The case asks whether a state can:
- create a public funding program for private education
- but then exclude religious schools from participating
Oral arguments
According to the guest from Alliance Defending Freedom:
- several justices appeared skeptical of Colorado’s position
- Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch reportedly raised strong concerns
- the Court seemed likely to view the state as treating religious schools differently from secular ones
Why it matters
The case could reinforce or extend recent Supreme Court rulings saying states cannot discriminate against religious institutions simply because they are religious when offering public benefits.
Bottom Line
This episode frames the election as both a warning and an opportunity for Republicans:
- warning, because the GOP faces deeper structural problems than one policy dispute
- opportunity, because conservative ideas on taxes, election rules, and social issues still resonate with many voters
At the same time, the Supreme Court case on Colorado’s preschool program could become another major victory for religious-liberty advocates if the justices rule against the state.