GOP Congress Taps Out, Epstein Files, Redistricting, Midterms, JD Vance, & RIP Ozzy w/Eric Garcia

On this episode of Heard Tell, host Andrew talks with our friend and congressional reporter Eric Garcia who takes us beyond the headlines and inside the halls of Congress. Eric breaks down what Speaker Johnson shutting down the House for August recess really means, how much the "Epstein Files" is really affecting Washington, and how passing the One Big Beautiful Bill exhausted GOP political capital. Plus, the real reason redistricting in Texas is being pushed, what Mamdani's visit to congress means when compared to fellow New Yorker AOC, the "soccer mom" demographic on the political move, GOP spinning the OBBB fallout back home during recess to local media, JD Vance triangulating his 2028 persona and more. Plus, Eric and Andrew remember a lifetime of being fans as Ozzy Osbourne passed away just after taking his final performance bow.

All that and more on this episode of Heard Tell.

00:00 Intro/Congress goes for August recess early, Epstein Files, Speaker Johnson needs a reset, Democrats try to regroup

18:00 Redistricting and the Latino vote

30:55 Mamdani visits congress, Team Blue's eternal struggle to find "next big thing", midterms, AOC and "the squad" compared to Mamdani hype

44:05 Changing demographic of "soccer mom" swing voters, soccer moms, college educated white women

49:20 Sen Murkowski & Collins spinning OBBB fallout, how August recess means facing voters back home, midterm repercussions, GOP divisions from Epstein to lame duck Trump Admin, coming shutdown failure theater positioning, potential retirements

56:15 JD Vance starting to build his 2028 image and approach

1:02:20 Remembering Ozzy Osbourne

1:18:20 Real talk about disability and media

Eric's Black Sabbath episode of Political Beats

https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/political-beats/eric-garcia-black-sabbath/

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All that and more on this episode of Heard Tell.

--------------------

Heard Tell SubStack Free to subscribe, comes right to your inbox

https://heardtell.substack.com/

Questions, comments, concerns, ideas, or epistles? Email us [e-mail]

Please follow @HeardTellShow like the program, comment with your thoughts, and share with others.

Support Heard Tell here: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/4b87f374-cace-44ea-960c-30f9bf37bcff/donations

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