May 19, 2025 • 8 mins
Reagan Reese joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about next years midterm elections, and how the Republican party plans on trying to keep a hold of the house.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's bring in Reagan rees White House correspondent for the
Daily Call or an independent woman's foreign visiting fellow. Reagan,
good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Well, listen, I am fascinated by one of your articles
because normally the party in power in the White House
has a difficult time in the midterm elections, and so
the Republicans, especially trying to keep the House, have a
tough row to hoe. And so you have an article
(00:32):
that says they have a plan to win in twenty
twenty six despite the odds, despite the fact that if
the Democrats win, what four seats they take the House.
What is that plan?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, I mean, you don't have to look much further
than how the Democrats are right now.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
They're incomplete disarray. And so what this plan.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Really comes down to is using the weakness of the
Democrats and to exploit that to give them a leg
up in the twenty twenty six midterms, because right now
they don't have a leader. You know, they're embracing the
furthest left areas of leaders of their party, and they
(01:13):
are protesting their you know, bombing test la dealerships, scratching cars,
et cetera. And that is not appealing to the average voter,
those independents that the GOP needs.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
To win over support.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
And so we spoke to the White House, the RNC,
the NRCC, the NRSC, and a bunch of GOP consultants
about this strategy, and they told us that they are
looking to really get Democrats on the record right now,
embracing unpopular ideas, those eighty twenty issues like keeping men
in women's sports. They're looking to capture those protest moments,
(01:51):
those insane moments, and to keep all of this in
mind and to use this and to ads to exploit
this in twenty twenty six. And that is the way
to really just capitalize on DEMS being in disarray.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I think it really.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Also just begins with being very aware of how broken
the Democratic Party is.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And it's not always going to be broken. They always
figure it out.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And so being able to capitalize now while you can
it is key.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
To securing the twenty twenty six mid terms.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Are you at the gym, Reagan? You sound like you're
in a treadmill when you're talking to us.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Oh no, I'm just not. I'm walking to work.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
You're walking to work though, So when you say you're
walking to work, or you're going to the White House
or are you going to the Daily caller offices?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
A little bit of both.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So do you stop at the office first, then you
go to the White House? Is that what that means?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yes, our office is nearby. We uh trying to keep it.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
A little down on the low. Don't want people to
find out where we are. But we are near the
White House, so that makes it really easy for me
to bounce back and forth. But there is a nine
a m. Briefing this morning where Caroline Levitt is going
to three reporters.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I'm not sure why so earlier what it's going to
be about.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Oh wow, so we'll be looking forward to that. You
really got to get there. You don't have much time.
You have like eighteen minutes, No wonder, you're out of
breath while you're walking. Thanks for squeezing us in today.
To your point about the Democrats being in disarray, I
will tell you that last night in New Jersey they
had a debate among the five of the Democrats that
(03:31):
are running for governor, and the entire debate was about Trump.
The entire debate was about attacking Donald Trump. That seems
to be the only strategy they have. They're not for something,
they're against something.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
So, actually, just on the point of New Jersey, which
I think is really interesting, I spoke to a White
House official before.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Trump made an endorsement in New Jersey governor's.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Race, and he told me, you know, this official said,
look out for the president's endorsement in the New Jersey
governor's race. That will indicate whether or not we think
we can make a play essentially at New Jersey. And
so the President has endorsed in the New Jersey's governor's race.
And now I think that really indicates that the White House,
(04:23):
the GUP, the R and C is going to be
looking at securing New Jersey, which I think is a
really interesting area of the country for the MAGA pace.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
And I should have some reporting.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but
I should have some reporting coming soon on just how
seriously the R and C and the White House are
taking New Jersey. And that's something that everyone should follow.
And I think it's going to be an interesting state
in the twenty twenty six mid terms.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I agree with you one thousand percent, and I've covered
and got to know Jack Chitdarelli, who got the endorsement.
We have him in the air here quite often. If
you remember four years ago, he almost won. As a
matter of fact, on election night he was winning. It
was when the other ballots came in that he lost
the election, but it was extremely close, closer than a
(05:15):
Republican has come since Chris Christie. So an endorsement by
Donald Trump. We'll see what it does, but I'm glad
the White House is paying attention to this. I do
hope some money pours into the race and you're reporting
if you can find that out, would love to know.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, money is a big thing, and I just this
goes back I think to the Florida sixth election, that
race to replace Mike Waltz's seat. You know, we talked
in this piece about angry versus happy voters and who's
more motivated, and a lot of times it's angry voters
that are more motivated. And so does Pete run this
risk of ticking Democrats off so much that they basically loose. Oh,
(06:03):
they kind of pointed out that the money was a factor,
but happy voters actually will turn out if they get
the messaging correct.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Well, it's going to be fascinating. The New Jersey Goob
editorial race is going to be fascinating. We have no
idea who the Democrat is going to be because they're
all tied up in a bunch like in a clown car.
Let's talk about Pam BONDI for a second. I know
you wrote a recent article about her. There is are
some Republicans that are disgruntled with her because she's not
(06:35):
moving fast enough on some big cases. Have you heard that?
Have you talked to them? I know she came out
about fetnah you laugh, so I guess you have.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Oh yeah, I definitely think that she is in the
hot seat, and it's funny to me that she hasn't.
I think she's definitely under pressure, but she's not the
cabinet official that's received the worse backlash. But I do
think if she's not careful, the attention could quickly turn
to her.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Right, there's some huge cases they want charges on, and uh,
I guess you know, investigations take time. I understand that,
but I think that there has been some talk about
some big, big cases and they never seem to come
to fruition, and I think that is the frustration. So
(07:28):
we shall say, look, we're gonna let you get to
you where you're going because I'm just I'm starting to
worry about you mean, you're gonna break into a full
run in a second.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We don't want her to be late. I'm know, I'm
I you know.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
The job of being a White House correspondent, as we
talked about, is a lot of multitasking and being in
a million places at once, and so I try to
balance it all as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
But I'm almost there. I walk that as you can,
like a New.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yorker, so it's not as glamorous as everybody thinks being
Oh white help. Thanks a lot so much, Reagan reesay,
I appreciate your time. Yeah, Pam Bondy has been under
fire because she's been slow walking. I'm saying slow walking
as if she's doing it on purpose. I'm sure she'd
like to get the charges, but these things you have
(08:18):
to have the facts, you have to have an investigation,
because once you bring the charges, you want to win
or they are completely useless.
Let's bring in Reagan rees White House correspondent for the
Daily Call or an independent woman's foreign visiting fellow. Reagan,
good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Well, listen, I am fascinated by one of your articles
because normally the party in power in the White House
has a difficult time in the midterm elections, and so
the Republicans, especially trying to keep the House, have a
tough row to hoe. And so you have an article
(00:32):
that says they have a plan to win in twenty
twenty six despite the odds, despite the fact that if
the Democrats win, what four seats they take the House.
What is that plan?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, I mean, you don't have to look much further
than how the Democrats are right now.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
They're incomplete disarray. And so what this plan.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Really comes down to is using the weakness of the
Democrats and to exploit that to give them a leg
up in the twenty twenty six midterms, because right now
they don't have a leader. You know, they're embracing the
furthest left areas of leaders of their party, and they
(01:13):
are protesting their you know, bombing test la dealerships, scratching cars,
et cetera. And that is not appealing to the average voter,
those independents that the GOP needs.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
To win over support.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
And so we spoke to the White House, the RNC,
the NRCC, the NRSC, and a bunch of GOP consultants
about this strategy, and they told us that they are
looking to really get Democrats on the record right now,
embracing unpopular ideas, those eighty twenty issues like keeping men
in women's sports. They're looking to capture those protest moments,
(01:51):
those insane moments, and to keep all of this in
mind and to use this and to ads to exploit
this in twenty twenty six. And that is the way
to really just capitalize on DEMS being in disarray.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I think it really.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Also just begins with being very aware of how broken
the Democratic Party is.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And it's not always going to be broken. They always
figure it out.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And so being able to capitalize now while you can
it is key.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
To securing the twenty twenty six mid terms.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Are you at the gym, Reagan? You sound like you're
in a treadmill when you're talking to us.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Oh no, I'm just not. I'm walking to work.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
You're walking to work though, So when you say you're
walking to work, or you're going to the White House
or are you going to the Daily caller offices?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
A little bit of both.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So do you stop at the office first, then you
go to the White House? Is that what that means?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yes, our office is nearby. We uh trying to keep it.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
A little down on the low. Don't want people to
find out where we are. But we are near the
White House, so that makes it really easy for me
to bounce back and forth. But there is a nine
a m. Briefing this morning where Caroline Levitt is going
to three reporters.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I'm not sure why so earlier what it's going to
be about.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Oh wow, so we'll be looking forward to that. You
really got to get there. You don't have much time.
You have like eighteen minutes, No wonder, you're out of
breath while you're walking. Thanks for squeezing us in today.
To your point about the Democrats being in disarray, I
will tell you that last night in New Jersey they
had a debate among the five of the Democrats that
(03:31):
are running for governor, and the entire debate was about Trump.
The entire debate was about attacking Donald Trump. That seems
to be the only strategy they have. They're not for something,
they're against something.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
So, actually, just on the point of New Jersey, which
I think is really interesting, I spoke to a White
House official before.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Trump made an endorsement in New Jersey governor's.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Race, and he told me, you know, this official said,
look out for the president's endorsement in the New Jersey
governor's race. That will indicate whether or not we think
we can make a play essentially at New Jersey. And
so the President has endorsed in the New Jersey's governor's race.
And now I think that really indicates that the White House,
(04:23):
the GUP, the R and C is going to be
looking at securing New Jersey, which I think is a
really interesting area of the country for the MAGA pace.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
And I should have some reporting.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but
I should have some reporting coming soon on just how
seriously the R and C and the White House are
taking New Jersey. And that's something that everyone should follow.
And I think it's going to be an interesting state
in the twenty twenty six mid terms.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I agree with you one thousand percent, and I've covered
and got to know Jack Chitdarelli, who got the endorsement.
We have him in the air here quite often. If
you remember four years ago, he almost won. As a
matter of fact, on election night he was winning. It
was when the other ballots came in that he lost
the election, but it was extremely close, closer than a
(05:15):
Republican has come since Chris Christie. So an endorsement by
Donald Trump. We'll see what it does, but I'm glad
the White House is paying attention to this. I do
hope some money pours into the race and you're reporting
if you can find that out, would love to know.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, money is a big thing, and I just this
goes back I think to the Florida sixth election, that
race to replace Mike Waltz's seat. You know, we talked
in this piece about angry versus happy voters and who's
more motivated, and a lot of times it's angry voters
that are more motivated. And so does Pete run this
risk of ticking Democrats off so much that they basically loose. Oh,
(06:03):
they kind of pointed out that the money was a factor,
but happy voters actually will turn out if they get
the messaging correct.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Well, it's going to be fascinating. The New Jersey Goob
editorial race is going to be fascinating. We have no
idea who the Democrat is going to be because they're
all tied up in a bunch like in a clown car.
Let's talk about Pam BONDI for a second. I know
you wrote a recent article about her. There is are
some Republicans that are disgruntled with her because she's not
(06:35):
moving fast enough on some big cases. Have you heard that?
Have you talked to them? I know she came out
about fetnah you laugh, so I guess you have.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Oh yeah, I definitely think that she is in the
hot seat, and it's funny to me that she hasn't.
I think she's definitely under pressure, but she's not the
cabinet official that's received the worse backlash. But I do
think if she's not careful, the attention could quickly turn
to her.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Right, there's some huge cases they want charges on, and uh,
I guess you know, investigations take time. I understand that,
but I think that there has been some talk about
some big, big cases and they never seem to come
to fruition, and I think that is the frustration. So
(07:28):
we shall say, look, we're gonna let you get to
you where you're going because I'm just I'm starting to
worry about you mean, you're gonna break into a full
run in a second.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We don't want her to be late. I'm know, I'm
I you know.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
The job of being a White House correspondent, as we
talked about, is a lot of multitasking and being in
a million places at once, and so I try to
balance it all as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
But I'm almost there. I walk that as you can,
like a New.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yorker, so it's not as glamorous as everybody thinks being
Oh white help. Thanks a lot so much, Reagan reesay,
I appreciate your time. Yeah, Pam Bondy has been under
fire because she's been slow walking. I'm saying slow walking
as if she's doing it on purpose. I'm sure she'd
like to get the charges, but these things you have
(08:18):
to have the facts, you have to have an investigation,
because once you bring the charges, you want to win
or they are completely useless.
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