Shawn Farash arrives for Friday’s Cut Sheet and the political pace jumps. Charlie Hatcher defeats incumbent Andy Ogles in Tennessee despite Trump backing Ogles, opening a debate about crossover voters and whether Republican primaries should be closed. Shawn tells his own New York primary-registration story, then we move to Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed defeats Haley Stevens for the Democratic Senate nomination. CNN’s race odds, Mike Rogers’ chances, working-class voters and the possibility of Democrats staying home or crossing over carry us into the next hour.
Michigan remains front and center as we look at El-Sayed’s coalition, progressive victories and the risks Democrats face when left-wing nominees advance in competitive states. Mike Rogers’ use of 9/11 enters the debate, as do El-Sayed’s political associations, Dearborn and Hamtramck politics and incendiary audio played from a Michigan gathering. We then discuss Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel saying antisemitism and harassment leave her uncomfortable attending a Democratic Party gathering, followed by a broader argument about Jewish voters and party loyalty.
Mark Penn’s 5% crossover theory becomes the next question: how many Haley Stevens voters move to Rogers, how many stay home and how many vote for El-Sayed anyway? Van Jones’ comments lead us into the way younger candidates reach voters through social platforms, but Shawn pushes back against campaigns that mistake views and impressions for votes. We argue that actual field work still matters, with Scott Presler, man-on-the-street interviews and face-to-face conversations serving as examples, before a caller backs the case for targeting low-propensity Republican voters.
Shawn gives examples from Tennessee and West Virginia where knocking on thousands of doors beats candidates with far more money. From there, an Amazon driver tossing a package starts Nick’s latest attempt to ban Amazon from his household, which somehow ends at Sephora, QVC and Toni Brattin’s accidental live-TV slip. A $20 burrito restarts the affordability discussion as we debate instant-gratification spending, credit cards, debt, coffee purchases and Nick’s $4,000 golf clubs. Carrie Underwood’s 14th straight Sunday Night Football season closes the hour with the crew wondering why some viewers want a change.
