ABOUT THIS EPISODE
New York 21 Primary Quiz, DC’s Rising Progressive, and AI Deepfakes in Texas Politics
Host Kodie, joined by Arthur and Joe, previews midterm updates with a quiz on New York 21 candidates’ debate positions, contrasting Democratic stances on ICE and war powers with Republicans’ deference to Trump, and noting personal attacks between Republican contenders Anthony Constantino and Robert Smolin. With the NY-21 primary on Tuesday, June 23, the panel discusses the possibility of both Republican candidates staying on the November ballot via independent lines and questions prediction markets favoring Constantino. Joe highlights DC Council member Janeese Lewis George’s primary win and detailed, union-backed platform as she heads toward the mayoralty. The episode then examines AI political ads, including a Citizens for Sanity deepfake targeting Texas candidate James Talarico without an AI disclaimer, outlines uneven state deepfake laws, and critiques federal efforts to challenge state AI regulation.
00:00 Show Setup and Agenda
00:55 NY21 Candidate Quiz
03:03 Debate Moments and Takeaways
08:34 NY21 Primary Update
11:39 Voting Logistics and Sign Wars
15:14 DC Spotlight Janeese Lewis George
17:58 Website Narrative and Policy Deep Dive
23:32 Endorsements Unions and YIMBY Talk
25:12 DC Election Outlook and Socialist Mayors
26:12 Socialism in America
26:50 DSA Mayors and Cities
27:18 California Redistricting Stakes
28:16 LA Mayoral Showdown
29:29 Oregon and Governor Races
31:14 Top Two Primary Explained
34:33 Satirical Truth AI Ad
36:43 Texas AI Attack Ad
39:17 Backlash and Legal Risks
45:45 Deepfake Laws and Loopholes
46:56 Satire Versus Propaganda
50:05 Wrap Up and Next Episode
Resources for this episode -
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/53573/20260616/ny-21-democratic-candidates-debate-ahead-of-june-23-primary
https://www.wktv.com/news/republican-candidates-for-ny-21-face-off-in-debate/article_8dae01c9-267c-41b1-a3db-f67753fffbbc.html
https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/cbs6-to-host-ny-21-gop-primary-debate-constantino-agrees-to-participate-sticker-mule-smullen-stefanik-republican
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/53554/20260612/constantino-leans-into-trump-support-business-record-in-ny-21-republican-primary
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2026/06/17/4-races-to-watch-in-new-york-2026-primaries-for-congress
https://www.wamc.org/news/2026-06-10/ny-21-candidate-profile-democrat-blake-gendebien
https://www.cityandstateny.com/prediction-markets/races/ny-21-republican-nominee
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/creepy-ai-ad-texas-senate-race_n_6a287216e4b0d7105b0e33cf
https://dailycaller.com/2026/06/09/exclusive-trump-aligned-group-campaign-james-talarico-texas-senate-race-transgender/
