Democrats spurn Harris

News · Heat 3.2 / 10 · 3 shows · 17m airtime

Politico reported on September 4, 2026 that Democrats in competitive races are rejecting Kamala Harris's support, with Josh Turek, Rob Sand, Mary Peltola, Adam Hamilton and Rebecca Cook distancing themselves. Harris told MS Now's Peter Alexander she backs candidates doing whatever they need to win, and will campaign for Aaron Ford in Nevada. Reporting since has focused on the candidates' own messaging: Turek's Senate ad says he will work with Trump on border security and drugs and opposes trans girls in girls' sports and taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgery, while Sand leads town halls in singing America the Beautiful and promises veto ceremonies for culture-war bills. The discussion is whether the question is a fair test for Harris alone.

How 3 podcasts covered it

Pod Save America, 2026-09-04 (33:15 to 39:10)
Adds the Democrats who spurned Harris
Picks up the Politico story on Democrats rejecting Harris's support and adds the names Playbook got: Kansas Senate nominee Adam Hamilton and Wisconsin's Rebecca Cook, who campaigns with Bernie Sanders. Harris's first acknowledgment, to Peter Alexander, and her Nevada trip for Aaron Ford are new.
The Bulwark Daily, 2026-10-26 (36:45 to 41:24)
Plays the Turek ad and debates its tactics
Plays the new Turek ad on transgender issues and Hamilton's answer on loving trans neighbors, then debates whether such ads are tactically justified with socially conservative undecideds. The Turek ad's specific content is new to the record; the rest is argument.
New angle: Turek's ad says he opposes trans girls in girls' sports and taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgery.
What Next, 2026-10-28 (25:30 to 31:27)
Plays the ad and debates red-state messaging
Plays the Turek ad and debates whether Democrats in red states should run on trans issues at all. Molly Jong-Fast calls the ads morally atrocious but argues Iowa is not wokeness territory; the substance stays inside the ad already on the record.