AI threatens to upend campaign season
The impact of artificial intelligence on the upcoming campaign cycle threatens to upend politics as we know it, effectively dispensing with the old adage of "what you see is what you get." Oma Seddiq from Bloomberg Government joins Jim on "The Final 5" to explain where it's already being used, why it won't be going away anytime soon, and what Washington lawmakers are doing (and not doing) to put guiderails on the use of AI.
Mariela Roca makes bid for GOP nod in MD-6
The 2024 election is a long way off, but the domino effect of the retirement of Sen. Ben Cardin is opening up Maryland's 6th Congressional district. With Rep. David Trone (D) running for Senate, the race to succeed him is heating up, with Mariela Roca seeking the Republican nomination. Roca, who waged an unsuccessful primary campaign for the seat in 2022, joins Jim to explain why she's running again, and what may be different this time around.
Miles Taylor on Facing 'Blowback'
Miles Taylor was once "Anonymous," the former Trump DHS official who wrote a controversial op-ed about concerns within the administration. Now, he's the author of "Blowback: A Warning to Save Democracy from the Next Trump." He joins Jim with his take on 2024, the Republicans he thinks could make a difference, and more.
Rumblings of "No Labels" third-party bid roils 2024
Talk of a potential third-party presidential candidacy by the likes of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in 2024 was only ignited further this week when the group "No Labels" held a forum with Manchin and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R). Journalist Kevin Cirilli moderated the event at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, and joins Jim on "The Final 5" with some insight.
VA GOP focuses on absentee, early voting ahead of Election Day
With control of both Virginia's House of Delegates and Senate up for grabs in November, expect both Democrats and Republicans to focus on an all-effort to get out the vote. On "The Final 5," Virginia House of Delegates Republican Leader Terry Kilgore details the Virginia Republican Party's new "Secure Your Vote Virginia" campaign.
Trump pulling ahead in polls, fundraising in 2024 race
New numbers suggest that former President Donald Trump is holding steady when it comes to polling and fundraising for his 2024 re-election bid, even as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis racks up millions of his own. Luke Ball of Masonboro Strategies joins Jim on "The Final 5" to take a look at the race and the issues that Republicans are watching as the 2024 race unfolds ahead of the first debate next month.
Who's switching to Threads over Twitter?
Meta's Twitter competitor Threads has racked up well over 100 million new users in its first full week. But who exactly is making the switch? New research from Ipsos suggests the motivations for Threads users differ from Twitter. Cliff Young breaks down the numbers with Jim, plus has insight on whom Americans are pulling for in the rumored MMA fight between Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Elon Musk.
Biden's cursing, RFK's merch controversy
All eyes have been on the large GOP field for 2024, but Axios broke two stories about President Biden and his top challenger this week. Alex Thompson reported on both concerns about President Biden's apparent love of cursing, and what those around him say it actually indicates about the commander-in-chief. He also has more on a controversy involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign merchandise that bucks Democratic tradition for union-made goods. Alex joins Jim on "The Final 5" to explain.
Final 5 Theater presents: The RFK Jr. Fart Story
If you've ever wanted to see Jim Lokay slur the words "beer-fueled sex rocket," well, your dreams have come true.
Looking at the '24 race
Jim takes a look at the news of the day from the White House, and the shaping 2024 election, with political strategists Jack Kalavritinos and Kevin Walling.
Spanberger takes aim at Tuberville's military blockade
Senator Tommy Tuberville's blockage of more than 260 military nominees in protest over a Pentagon abortion policy is drawing fire from Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, whose 7th district includes Marine Corps Base Quantico.
DC Police Union Chair weighs in on emergency crime legislation
On FOX 5 DC’s “The Final 5 with Jim Lokay,” Gregg Pemberton said a package of proposals set to be offered by Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto follow a long string of measures championed by progressive factions of D.C. Council that he blames for a simultaneous rise in violent crime and a drop in police recruitment and retention.
Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and the power of sport
A new profile in the Washington Post details the intense rivalry and close friendship between tennis greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova – and delves into the way that sports transcend lives. Sally Jenkins, who wrote the piece and the new book “The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life,” joins Jim to explain why what you’re watching on the field can teach much more about real life than you might realize.
Controversy over federal public land proposal
A proposed rule that would give conservation groups more leeway in taking public lands off the table for energy exploration has drawn thousands of responses during a recently-extended comment period. The Bureau of Land Management would allow groups opposed to fossil fuel drilling to lease public land for conservation purposes. Benji Backer of the American Conservation Coalition tells Jim Lokay on "The Final 5" that politics don’t allow for much compromise.
Judge calls Biden collab with social media giants “dystopian”
Two state Republican attorneys general are declaring victory over the Biden administration after a federal judge ordered the White House to cease most contact with social media companies. At issue: pandemic-era meetings where administration officials pressured Twitter and Facebook to remove or censor false information about COVID-19 and election integrity, what the ruling deemed to be a threat to free speech. Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute joins Jim on "The Final 5" to weigh in.
Court cases raise questions over religious rights, free speech
In just five days, the Supreme Court put new guiderails on LGBTQ rights when it comes to the delicate balance of religious liberty, and a federal judge halted the Biden administration from huddling with social media companies. Political commentator and Public Interest Attorney Kaivan Shroff joins Jim to weigh in on why he believes they’re the wrong decisions and why the SCOTUS case should have never seen the light of day.
Political fallout from SCOTUS rulings
As the dust settles from Friday’s Supreme Court rulings taking aim at the balance of LGBTQ rights and religious freedom, plus President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, are Democrats looking to regroup? Democratic strategist Kevin Walling offers perspective on "The Final 5."
SCOTUS ends affirmative action for colleges
The era of considering race in college admissions is over after the Supreme Court ruled in two cases on Thursday. Young Voices contributor Rachel Chiu joins Jim to explain why she believes it can herald innovation in the process, plus whether it could signal change in other preferential programs, like legacy admissions.
SCOTUS rejects 'independent state legislature theory'
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to a Republican effort to grant unilateral power to state legislatures in federal elections. The ruling has a wide-ranging effect to everything from partisan gerrymandering to election regulations. Georgia State law professor Anthony Michael Kreis joins Jim on "The Final 5" to explain what it means.
Generational priorities and the 2024 GOP race
While some 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls are leaning into culture issues and other hot-button topics that are riling up their base, others are hoping a more optimistic approach might win over voters as they look ahead to a general election. Quill Robinson joins Jim to talk about the issues that could win the day for a new generation of voters.