PBS NEWSHOUR: David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including this week’s midterm primary results. <\/p>\n
AMNA NAWAZ, PBS NEWSHOUR: Let’s go to Florida first, the Democratic Senate primary. That’s where we saw the Democratic Socialist candidate Angie Nixon beat the former Army intelligence officer Alexander Vindman. Folks will remember Vindman as a key player in President Trump’s first impeachment trial. He was a witness. He was a whistle-blower serving on the National Security Council at the time. Jonathan, Democratic voters say again and again they want a fighter. The candidate who literally stood up to President Trump lost this race. Why? JONATHAN CAPEHART, MS NOW: Well, I think for several reasons. One, the money that Vindman had, it was like something like $ 16 million, $ 17 million, and state legislator Angie Nixon had less than a million. So to me that says money was not a factor here. When Democrats say they want a fighter, sure, Mr. Vindman, yes, he fought, literally went up against President Trump in trying to hold him accountable. But Democrats are also talking about someone who will fight for them, someone who’s going to give expression to their anger about what’s happening, whether it’s the war or high prices, high gas prices, inflation, or just the wrecking ball the administration’s taking to just democracy. And Angie Nixon, state legislator who has been in the trenches there in Florida, working really hard, talking to people, she went out and asked for people’s votes, and they gave it to her. I mean, one thing to keep in mind, she joined the Democratic Socialists of America just a few months ago. And since winning the — winning the primary, she is putting a lot of distance between herself and the radical parts of the DSA agenda. Will — does this mean that she even has a chance? It is unclear. But compared to Democrats in the past going up against Republicans in a deep red state like Florida, we will see if she actually — she might have some kind of a chance. I don’t rule her out. NAWAZ: David, what do you think? BROOKS: If she wins, I will know nothing about politics. So… Which is entirely possible, let’s face it. I think she — her victory was impressive. A, I think she was just a better campaigner. B, a lot of the other DSA candidates won really well with college-educated university towns. She did well in the poorer areas. And so that’s something — that’s a little break for DSA. And I think it also shows that a lot of voters are moving on from Trump. And they’re thinking the economic issues are really beginning to eclipse their dislike of Donald Trump, and he’s never going to be on the ballots, we hope, any time soon. And so I think that the affordability, the insurance rates, the gas prices, the grocery prices, these are the big issues now. And DSA, whether you like their policies or not, they’re big policies. And the mainstream Democrats, by and large, have not matched those. One thing you admire about DSA is, they don’t back down from their positions. Like — last, a couple of weeks ago, they did a — they commemorated Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday. If you have got a candidate in Florida and you’re commending Fidel Castro, you are being pretty out there with your political views.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n