
Matt Britton: The Age of AI Influencers
In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Jeremiah Owyang, General Partner at Blitzscaling Ventures, to discuss the rise of…
Thought Leader: Matt Britton
Former President Trump is facing waves of blame after key Republican candidates lost in midterms.
The big picture: There was no red wave. As of this morning, control of the Senate is undetermined, but appears to be leaning toward Democrats. The House is headed for a very narrow GOP majority, but is also uncalled.
Why it matters: Regardless of the reality with GOP primary voters, Republican elites — and other anti-Trump Republicans — sense blood in the water. There’s an increased likelihood of a larger, more boisterous primary field competing against Trump in 2024.
What happened: Many of former President Trump’s handpicked candidates were defeated or struggled in otherwise winnable races — a lineup of underachievers.
The intrigue: Trump’s planned rally at Mar-a-Lago next Tuesday, where he’s expected to announce a 2024 presidential campaign, now won’t come after a GOP landslide.
What he said: Trump said in a TruthSocial post on Wednesday that the election “was somewhat disappointing,” but “from my personal standpoint it was a very big victory.”
Between the lines: Trump constrained his party’s coalition in states where he showed up. In Pennsylvania, Senate victor John Fetterman won independents with 57% of the vote, Hispanics with 67% of the vote and women with 57% of the vote, according to exit polling.
By contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ resounding re-election was one of the few bright spots for Republicans.
What to watch: DeSantis wants to run badly and will argue he has similar beliefs to Trump — but can deliver much bigger, broader wins.
The bottom line: Trump’s promotion of candidates outside the political mainstream — or celebrities without political experience — proved to be costly for Republicans. DeSantis’ Florida model offers Republicans an alternative path. But Trump won’t let the party move on without a fight.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had been expected to take the stage of his election-night party at a D.C. hotel as early as 10 p.m.
At 1:59 a.m., McCarthy finally declared from the stage: “It is clear we are going to take the House back.”
Editor’s note: This version updates results.
Matt Britton: The Age of AI Influencers
In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Jeremiah Owyang, General Partner at Blitzscaling Ventures, to discuss the rise of…
Thought Leader: Matt Britton
David Frum: America’s Pro-Disease Movement
In this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses how misinformation, distrust in science, and extremist rhetoric are fueling a deadly…
Thought Leader: David Frum
Vice President Michael R. Pence: The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award
The 2025 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award® will be presented to Vice President Michael R. Pence for putting his life and career on the line to…
Thought Leader: Mike Pence