Mark Halperin’s reported monologue reveals what political insiders in both parties say about the state of the 2026 midterm elections, asking whether Republicans have waited too long for the political environment to turn in their favor, and what it will take to change the trajectory. Then, Michael Knowles joins to give his preview of the midterms and look ahead to the next Republican presidential race, including what a Vice President J.D. Vance versus Sen. Ted Cruz showdown for the 2028 GOP nomination would look like. SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP Ro Body: Visit https://ro.co/nextup to see if you qualify for FDA-approved GLP-1 treatment options and get started. #sponsored Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin sits down with media entrepreneur and Complex founder Rich Antoniello for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of the media business. Antoniello explains why legacy brands are losing their hold on audiences, what separates successful new media companies from the rest, and how Fort Nash is betting on the growing influence of country music and Southern culture. Plus, he breaks down why so many media companies get video wrong, why YouTube subscribers are far more valuable than other social media followers, and what it takes to build a lasting media brand in an increasingly fragmented world Ro Body: Visit https://ro.co/nextup to see if you qualify for FDA-approved GLP-1 treatment options and get started. #sponsored Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin sits down with MIT professor and Future of Life Institute co-founder Max Tegmark to examine the enormous promise — and potentially existential risks — of artificial intelligence. Tegmark explains why he believes AI needs stronger government guardrails, why the race with China shouldn’t be used as an excuse for unchecked development, and what it will take to keep increasingly powerful technology under human control. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin is joined by Steve Robinson, the Editor-in-Chief of The Maine Wire and Leland Vittert, host of the “On Balance with Leland Vittert” to examine the political, economic, and media forces reshaping the country. Robinson breaks down the surprising changes unfolding in Maine, exposing organized crime, massive fraud, and cultural shifts hitting the state. Vittert explains why midterm candidates are now avoiding tough interviews and reveals which voters could decide the battle for Congress. Ro Body: Visit https://ro.co/nextup to see if you qualify for FDA-approved GLP-1 treatment options and get started. #sponsored Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin's reported monologue features the ultimate insider’s guide to how the political landscape will change in the final weeks before Election Day, with the key known unknowns laid out based on the secret plans of both parties. Then, Robby Starbuck explains why corporate America is abandoning DEI and assesses Republicans’ chances of holding the both chambers of Congress. Plus, Drew Holden joins to take a closer look at White House press coverage, and how the media is covering the civil war inside the Democratic Party. SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP Ro Body: Visit https://ro.co/nextup to see if you qualify for FDA-approved GLP-1 treatment options and get started. #sponsored Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin sits down with former Trump White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley to break down what President Trump will be looking for in his next press secretary. Gidley explains why trust, loyalty, toughness, star power, and chemistry with Trump are essential — and weighs in on the names being floated to fill the role. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin’s reported monologue explores why the fate of President Donald Trump’s legacy hangs in the balance, from the economy and AI to China and foreign policy. He’s joined by Larry O’Connor and Kevin Walling to debate the controversy surrounding Natalie Harp and the media’s treatment of prominent women in the Trump administration compared with their Democratic counterparts. Plus, in "Mark the Mailman", Mark examines Abdul El-Sayed’s political appeal and the risks he poses to Democratic Party. SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Chapter: For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (262) 454-0503 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter. *Paid Partnership*” Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin’s reported monologue shares his latest reporting on Jon Ossoff’s rising profile and whether the Georgia senator could emerge as the next leader of the Democratic Party. Then, Evan Barker joins Mark to explain why she defected from the Left and why she says they're betraying the party. Plus, Robby Soave explains how Democrats could still squander their opportunity in the 2026 midterms, and Jessica Reed Kraus grades the styles of some of America’s most prominent political figures. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Chapter: For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (262) 454-0503 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter. *Paid Partnership*” Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

In this bonus episode of Next Up, Mark Halperin sits down with New York Post writers Lydia Moynihan and Rikki Schlott for a wide-ranging conversation about AOC’s political strategy, the debate over freezing her eggs, and whether distancing herself from the excesses of the progressive left could strengthen her national ambitions. They also examine the growing populist backlash against Flock cameras and Palantir and debate the tensions between innovation, security, and privacy. Plus, Moynihan and Schlott assess the state of New York City and what Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist experiment could mean for the rest of the country. Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d

Mark Halperin’s reported monologue reveals both parties’ ultimate midterm messaging strategies on the main terrain: the economy. Fierce South Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews joins to make her case, laying out her views on health care, gun control, her Democratic counterparts — and Taylor Swift. Katie Pavlich then weighs in on AOC’s future and Professor Robert Pape explains why Iran’s drone arsenal makes reopening the Strait of Hormuz a tall task. SelectQuote: Compare top‑rated life insurance options. Visit https://SelectQuote.com/mark to get the right coverage at the right price. Chapter: For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (262) 454-0503 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter. *Paid Partnership*” Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code NEXTUP Follow Next Up with Mark Halperin on all social platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nextuphalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin Connect with Mark Halperin on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin X (Twitter): https://x.com/markhalperin Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-with-mark-halperin/id1810218232 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/2f0n8G4xqUo8aGxbbbtRjH%3Fsi%3D8e4ff54000cc438d