#TheFinal5: Trump 2024 and the GOP moving forward
As former President Trump announces his third bid for the White House, Republicans are charting a course ahead, including what could be a contentious battle for the nomination with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Barak Lurie is Jim's guest on "The Final 5."
#TheFinal5: Dems look ahead past midterm surprises
Even as control of Congress remains uncertain, Democrats are looking ahead past a midterm election where they sustained surprising wins and a smaller-than-expected loss on the House. Jonathan Harris joins Jim to discuss what's next and whether leadership changes are on the horizon.
#TheFinal5: Will Twitter survive Musk?
Thursday brought a breakneck series of events at Elon Musk's Twitter. Young Voices contributor James Czerniawski joins Jim to discuss.
#TheFinal5: As Virginia goes, so goes the nation?
Tuesday’s re-election victories by incumbent Democratic Congresswomen Jennifer Wexton and Abigail Spanberger may also point to a change in strategy ahead of 2024. Jim discusses the midterms, and also what’s next for Gov. Glenn Youngkin with Mica Soellner from the Washington Times on "The Final 5."
#TheFinal5: Making the case against Initiative 82 in D.C.
D.C. voters are set to weigh in on a measure to extend the city’s minimum wage of $16.10 an hour to all tipped employees, primarily restaurant workers. Mark Bucher, co-owner of Medium Rare, joins Jim on "The Final 5" to explain why he’s against the measure, but also why he believes the idea could have some eventual success in a different form.
#TheFinal5: Yesli Vega on Election Eve
In one of the most-watched Congressional races, Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega (R) is challenging incumbent Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D). She joins Jim on the eve of the election to lay out her agenda and why she thinks change is needed in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
#TheFinal5: Melik Abdul on the midterms
As a countdown continues to a midterm election that determines the balance of power on Capitol Hill, Jim talks with Republican strategist Melik Abdul on The Final 5.
#TheFinal5: Dems look at midterms
Thirteen days until the midterms, Democrats are facing the Herculean task of holding onto both chambers of Congress in a year where Republicans are traditionally favored to flip one or both chambers. Democratic strategist Kevin Walling joins Jim on "The Final 5."
#TheFinal5: Pandemic learning loss
A new assessment says America’s children suffered significant learning loss due to pandemic-related shutdowns and virtual learning. Former U.S. Education Secretary and Educational Trust head John King, who served in the Obama administration, joins Jim to take a look at the findings, where school leaders should focus on improvement, and whether he agrees with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s stance that decisions on the local level hampered those efforts.
#TheFinal5: Denver Riggleman and the 1/6 Committee, “The Breach”
Former Virginia Congressman Denver Riggleman, a Republican and member of the Freedom Caucus, is out with a new book (“The Breach”) detailing his work with the January 6th Committee. He joins Jim to talk about what he learned along the way, why he upset members of the committee with the book, and what he sees as the next steps for the GOP.
#TheFinal5: Lettuce outlasts Liz Truss; No match for Producer Loreto
Liz Truss resigned as leader of the Conservative Party after just 44 days in office. It's the shortest term ever for a British Prime Minister, but the writing was on the wall after her failed tax cuts shook financial markets. A head of lettuce may have outlasted the U.K.'s most recent prime minister via Daily Star livestream, but it was no match for our very own Producer Loreto.
#TheFinal5: POTUS in Pittsburgh
President Biden visited Pittsburgh to campaign on behalf of Senate candidate John Fetterman in his race against Dr. Mehmet Oz. What issues are on the minds of voters in the keystone state? Natalie Bencivenga is Jim's guest.
#TheFinal5: Michael Fanone on 1/6, “Hold the Line”
He’s been front and center as one of the strongest advocates for his fellow law enforcement officers after the Capitol riots, and now former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone is sharing his story in the new book “Hold the Line.” He joins Jim on "The Final 5" to talk about January 6th, what his life has been like after being attacked by pro-Trump rioters, and what he’d like to see happen to prevent another attempted insurrection.
#TheFinal5: Green energy boom means more energy to store
Forbes reports nearly $28 billion in new clean energy generation projects have been announced since Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the most comprehensive investment in the burgeoning green sector. But with all of that new energy, the energy storage industry has become just as vital. Key Capture Energy CEO Jeff Bishop is Jim’s guest on "The Final 5."
#TheFinal5: Doug Collins on Georgia Senate race
Former Congressman Doug Collins (R-GA) joins Jim on "The Final 5" to break down the first and only debate in the Georgia Senate race between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) and Herschel Walker (R), and why he believes issues like the economy will outweigh concerns over abortion rights statewide.
#TheFinal5: Rail strike still a possibility
Weeks after the White House attempted to broker a deal that averted a nationwide railworker strike, rank and file members are rejecting the compromise. So what will it take to avoid a walkout that could have devastating effects on travel and commerce? Young Voices contributor Andrew Donaldson joins Jim on The Final 5.
#TheFinal5: New poll on teaching LGBTQ issues in schools
Teaching LGBTQ+ matters in America’s schools has been a hot-button issue, including in Maryland ahead of the 2022 gubernatorial election. Emily Guskin from the Washington Post joins Jim on "The Final 5" to take a look at new findings from a poll conducted in conjunction with the University of Maryland.
#TheFinal5: All eyes on Georgia ahead of midterms
After flipping blue in 2020, the midterms will be a test for Democrats. While incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock faces former NFL player Republican Herschel Walker for a full term, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is in a rematch against Democrat Stacey Abrams. Polls show Warnock and Kemp leading. Georgia State University political scientist Dr. Anthony Michael Kreis is Jim’s guest on "The Final 5."
#TheFinal5: Inflation and the midterms
Another key inflation indicator is set to be released on Thursday. The Consumer Price Index for September comes out this week, but the effects of high prices for consumers continue to take a toll. Yahoo Finance contributor Kevin Cirilli joins Jim on "The Final 5" to look at the potential impact on the midterm elections.
#TheFinal5: Better living through psychedelics? NAVY seal says it’s possible
A former Navy SEAL and his wife are on a crusade to open Washington’s eyes to the potential benefits of psychedelic drugs as a healing tool for returning veterans. Marcus Capone and his wife Amber founded VETS, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, a group dedicated to assisting combat vets pursue the same treatments that he says helped save his life. They join Jim on "The Final 5" to talk about their quest.