Black support for POTUS surges
A new poll from Hill/Harris-X says President Trump’s support among Black Americans has surged in the last month, nearly 9 points to 24% of registered voters. So what’s behind the jump? T.W. Shannon, a member of the Black Voices for Trump Advisory Board, joined Jim on The Final 5 to talk about the President’s gains, and what’s he believes could be resonating with voters.
Rural America Key For 2020
Much of the national focus is on swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, but 2020 could also present a battleground situation in rural America. Democratic strategist Isaac Wright joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain why.
Baltimore GOP House candidate speaks at RNC
Kimberly Klacik, the Republican candidate running in the race for Maryland's 7th Congressional district, just delivered a speech on the first night of the Republican National Convention. She chats with FOX 5's Marina Marraco about her first impression of night one and more.
DNC Night 4: Biden His Time
The curtain fell on the first all-virtual political convention last night as Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. Former Amb. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook thinks he hit a “grand slam,” but Young Voices contributor Nate Hochman believes Democrats struck a pessimistic tone during the four-day affair. They both joined Jim on The Final 5 to look back at the DNC, and ahead to next week’s Republican National Convention.
DNC Night 3: Kamala, Hillary, and Barack
Night three of the Democratic National Convention brought the party’s previous two nominees (one successful, one not as much), and the first solo appearance by Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Jim broke down the evening live with guests Titus Nichols and author of “Kickass Conservative,” Joy Villa.
DNC Day 2: Reaction from both sides
The all-virtual Democratic National Convention continued on Tuesday, with Dr. Jill Biden speaking, as well as former Secretaries of State John Kerry (a Democrat) and Colin Powell (a Republican.) But was there any common ground to be found? Troy Prestwood and Christy McLaughlin join Jim on The Final 5 to break down night two.
DNC Night 1: Why was John Kasich there?
While much of the attention in night one of the Democratic National Convention centered around speeches from Sen. Bernie Sanders and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Democrats curiously invited former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, to speak as well. Capri Cafaro served in the Ohio Senate during his tenure, including a stint as Democratic leader. She joined Jim on The Final 5 to look back at night one of the DNC.
A fresh look at the Equal Rights Amendment
Decades after the Equal Rights Amendment failed, there's a new push to revive the movement - especially after Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it and the Democratic-led House voted to extend the deadline. Dr. Julie Suk is the author of the new book 'We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment.' She outlines the argument for the ERA on The Final 5 with Jim Lokay.
Tick-tock for TikTok
President Trump’s call to shut down the popular social video app TikTok could set up a precedent for other companies doing business in America. Will Rinehart from the Center for Growth and Opportunity at the Utah State University joined Jim on The Final 5 to break down the President’s recent executive order, and how that could alter how the government handles private business.
Will newly-minted Dem ticket sway more local voters?
Hours after Joe Biden officially announced Kamala Harris as his running mate at a socially-distanced event in Delaware, the talk over strategy continues. How does the selection of Harris change the dynamic, especially for voters in Virginia? Jim Lokay talks about it with Democratic strategist Kevin Walling and former Republican congressional candidate Jeffery Dove.
Kamala Harris, race, and gender on the ballot
With Joe Biden’s choice for his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris will become the fourth woman to appear on a major party ticket, the third woman chosen in the #2 slot, the second woman chosen by the Democratic Party, and the first Woman of Color set to accept any such nomination. Criticism over her record has already begun, so how does her selection affect the politics of 2020 race? Ameshia Cross and Amanda Hunter joined Jim Lokay on The Final 5 to analyze the pick and what’s up next.
The case for expanded unemployment benefits
While the supplemental $600 benefit for unemployed Americans expired last week, the push is underway to reinstate the payments. But much like everything else in Washington, Democrats and Republicans are at a loggerheads at how to go about it. While Democrats are on board, and President Trump has signaled a willingness to resume the benefits, many Congressional Republicans are calling for it to be cut back or eliminated altogether. Abdallah Fayyad from the Boston Globe’s editorial board joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain why he believes it’s important to continue those benefits.
Rice could bring Biden bonafides, baggage
Obama-era National Security Advisor Susan Rice is said to be a potential front runner to become Joe Biden‘s running mate on the Democratic ticket. But while her resume, by many measures, is impressive, her tenure was also marked by the 2012 Benghazi attack. Kelley Vlahos from the American Conservative joined Jim to break down the pros and cons, and whether a Vice Presidential candidate makes a difference at all.
Rep. Ken Buck: 'Capitol of Freedom'
He’s been serving Colorado’s fourth congressional district since 2015, but GOP Congressman Ken Buck hasn’t been afraid to share his opinion on just about everything. He’s following up his last book with a new one, 'Capitol of Freedom,' tapping into his knowledge about the inner workings of the Capitol and relating artifacts of American history to current events facing the U.S. He joined Jim on The Final 5 to offer a sneak peek in the book, on store shelves August 4.
COVID-19 won't slow down the Census
In spite of the coronavirus, it is still all systems go for the 2020 Census. As the agency prepares to move ahead with the in-person portion of the decennial count of people across the country, it's adapting in the face of COVID-19. It's also reassuring people after recent moves by the White House to exclude some people from the final tally. Michael Cook joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain how they're going about their job.
DACA comes back into focus for Trump administration
Even as the Supreme Court upheld the legality of former President Obama’s controversial DACA program, President Trump plans to continue limiting access to the initiative, which gives undocumented Americans a chance at staying in the U.S. Immigration attorney Esther Valdes joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain.
Corruption running rampant in state politics
Statehouses across the country are being rocked by scandal and corruption, but are voters paying attention? From a $60 million bribery scheme threatening Ohio’s Republican House Speaker, and the allegations of corruption against Illinois’ Democratic speaker, Austin Berg from the Illinois Policy Institute joins Jim to talk about the confluence of state politics, political chicanery, and how that could affect coronavirus relief spending.
Why was RNC asked to stop using Reagan’s image?
A controversy erupted over the weekend when it was reported that the Reagan Foundation asked both President Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee to stop the promoting a coin collection featuring the commanders-in-chief. Reagan biographer Craig Shirley joined Jim on The Final 5 to explain what the controversy was really about, and how Presidents Trump and Reagan are similar, yet so different.
What is 'Operation Legend?'
President Trump has called for federal agents to be deployed to cities dealing with spates of violent crime, saying he’ll step in where he believes Democratic mayors have fallen short — although the mayors of some of those cities criticized the move as a government power-grab. Syndicated columnist Christine Flowers joined Jim from Philadelphia to talk about what this means for cities, as well as weighing in on the debate on Christopher Columbus statues across the country.
Trump, Biden, and racism
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden raised some eyebrows when he suggested President Trump was the first 'racist' elected commander-in-chief. Political analyst Ameshia Cross joined Jim on The Final 5 to break down the former Vice President’s allegation, and how race will figure into the 2020 race.