Full Interview w/ Jonathan Martin - Trump Is DESPERATE To Avoid Democratic Congress & Third Impeachment

Chuck Todd welcomes Politico’s politics bureau chief Jonathan Martin to discuss the rapidly evolving political landscape as both parties grapple with structural weaknesses and Trump's continued dominance of the political conversation. The conversation covers the Democratic Party's primary calendar shake-up, with New Hampshire maintaining its first-in-the-nation status despite ongoing debates about Iowa's role, while examining how the party's focus on winning over traditional early-state voters may not address deeper issues with rural constituencies. Martin and Todd analyze Trump's economic challenges, from emerging tariff impacts to his desperate attempts to influence interest rates, alongside his strategic use of government power to shape elections and avoid potential legal consequences. The discussion shifts to key electoral battlegrounds, particularly the New Jersey gubernatorial race featuring Mikie Sherrill and her challenger Ciattarelli, which could serve as a crucial midterm bellwether. They explore the broader implications of weak party structures, redistricting battles that Obama has now blessed, and whether Democrats are ceding their traditional "adult in the room" positioning. Their discussion concludes with lighter fare about college football, including LSU's playoff aspirations and James Madison's surprising rise as Virginia's emerging football power, offering a perfect blend of serious political analysis and seasonal sports commentary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Jonathan Martin joins the Chuck Toddcast! 00:30 College football kicks off 02:30 Democrats debating where to host first primary 02:45 New Hampshire will be first primary state  05:15 Winning over NH voters doesn't solve Dems issues with rural voters  07:00 Iowa won't move back to first in the nation status  07:30 Democrats vacate endorsement of DSA candidate in Minneapolis 09:45 The two traditional parties are incredibly weak  10:45 Trump is creating a lot of noise, but can't distract from economy  12:30 Trump's ultimate goal is attention 24/7  13:15 Tariff impacts are starting to show up  15:00 Trump is desperate to bring down interest rates  16:15 Trump will use the power of government to affect elections  17:30 Texas redraw shows Trump is desperate to avoid third impeachment  18:45 Could Mike Johnson refuse to seat a new congress?  19:45 DOJ releases Ghislaine Maxwell testimony to appease base  21:15 DOJ's reputation will take years to recover  23:15 Democrats get no credit when being fair on redistricting  24:00 Obama gives his blessing to redistricting effort  24:45 Are Democrats ceding "adult in the room" status?  26:00 Biden overreached beyond his mandate  27:30 Redistricting will be a massive legal mess  28:15 Trump takes partial state ownership of major companies  29:45 Trump's endorsement is decisive in GOP primaries  31:00 Huge reliance on Scott Bessent to keep lid on Trump  33:00 New Jersey governor race will be a bellwether for the midterms  34:45 Mikie Sherrill bungled her answer on Mamdani 35:30 Trump is sympathetic to Ciattarelli  36:45 Ciattarelli has a Chris Christie quality to him  38:15 Sherrill would be the least "Jersey" governor  39:45 Will any Republican senators announce retirement?  41:45 Sherrod Brown's outlook in Ohio senate race  43:30 Brown's prize for winning is an election in two years  45:45 Democrats too focused on DC rather than states  46:45 Which college football games will you attend?  48:00 LSU needs to make a playoff run for Kelly to keep his job  50:15 James Madison becoming the football power in Virginia