Overview of The Rest is Politics US: “Polls Open - Is America Done with Trump?”
This election-day episode is a live preview of the coming results and a broader verdict on Donald Trump’s presidency and the MAGA movement. Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci discuss what the vote could mean for control of the House and Senate, whether Trump still has enough political pull to help Republican candidates, and whether this night marks the beginning of the end of MAGA. The conversation also covers Trump’s surprise Election Day announcement on Israel aid, voter suppression concerns, turnout trends, and the likelihood of a post-election governing stalemate.
Main Themes
Election as a referendum on Trump
- The hosts frame the midterms as a de facto referendum on Trump, not just a normal congressional election.
- Their central question: Has America had enough of Trump/MAGA?
- They suggest the election may reveal whether voters still respond to Trump’s brand or are increasingly exhausted by it.
The economy, especially prices, is the real issue
- They argue the race is being driven less by ideology and more by everyday economic pain, especially inflation and gas prices.
- Their view: this election is about whether voters feel materially better off than they did two years ago.
- They see that issue as the same one that hurt Biden and is now hurting Trump.
MAGA fatigue and a possible “vibe shift”
- Both hosts think there are signs that even some Trump-aligned voters are becoming disillusioned.
- They describe a possible return of “Republican-first” voters who are not loyal to Trump personally.
- The phrase they keep returning to is that this may be less about legislation and more about a political mood shift.
Key Discussion Points
Trump’s Election Day announcement on Israel aid
- They discuss Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will end the $3.8 billion aid/subsidy arrangement for Israel and move toward Israel buying arms directly.
- The hosts see this as a strange and highly political move on Election Day.
- They interpret it as aimed partly at Michigan voters and as an attempt to neutralize Israel as a campaign issue.
Trump’s closing message was seen as dated and off-target
- They mock Trump’s final campaign appearance focused on the reflecting pool and drainage, comparing it to his old “Wollman Rink” self-mythology.
- Their criticism: the message was about Trump proving he can “fix” things, but it felt outdated and irrelevant to voters.
- They believe it was the wrong topic on the eve of such a consequential election.
Voter suppression and election “dirty tricks”
- They talk about long lines, polling-place closures, and other tactics that make voting harder, especially in Black neighborhoods and student-heavy areas.
- They note that these tactics are not new in U.S. politics.
- Their view is that these efforts can sometimes backfire by motivating turnout rather than suppressing it.
Turnout may be too high for manipulation to work
- They repeatedly point to strong early-voting numbers.
- Their sense is that high turnout could blunt efforts to influence or suppress the electorate.
- They also note that voters often resent obstacles to voting and respond by showing up anyway.
The U.S. election system creates confusion and delay
- They explain why American elections are so slow and messy:
- different state rules,
- different mail-ballot counting timelines,
- and decentralized administration.
- Their conclusion is that the federal structure makes the process inconsistent and creates space for misinformation and suspicion.
Possible results and implications
- Katty says she expects Democrats to take the House.
- Anthony is open to Democrats making gains more broadly, while noting the Senate may still remain difficult.
- If Democrats win the House, they argue there will be little meaningful legislation, especially since Trump tends to govern through executive action rather than Congress.
- They predict gridlock rather than a legislative breakthrough.
Notable Takeaways
“This is a vibe shift”
- One of the strongest ideas in the episode is that the election may represent a shift in political atmosphere, not just seat counts.
- Even without major policy changes, a Democratic win could signal that Trumpism is losing its grip.
Trump’s personal brand may no longer be enough
- The hosts suggest Trump may still inspire loyalists, but not necessarily broad electoral enthusiasm.
- They think his direct involvement could hurt some Republican candidates rather than help them.
Non-MAGA Republicans are still hard to find
- They discuss the difficulty of identifying major Republican leaders who are genuinely independent of Trump.
- Names mentioned as possible exceptions include:
- Nikki Haley
- Chris Christie
- Glenn Youngkin
- Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger as anti-MAGA figures
- But their broader point is that the GOP remains deeply shaped by Trumpism.
What to Watch For Overnight
- Whether Democrats take the House, and whether they can also win the Senate.
- Whether turnout remains high enough to overwhelm suppression efforts.
- Whether Trump tries to challenge or undermine results if the night goes badly for him.
- Whether Republicans begin to split between MAGA loyalists and more traditional conservatives.
- Whether this election is remembered as the start of MAGA’s decline.
Final Note
This episode is mostly a high-level, real-time political conversation rather than a results show. The hosts are setting up the overnight coverage and framing the election as a potential turning point for Trump, the Republican Party, and American politics more broadly.