WEBVTT

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INFLUENCE OVER THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS ABOUT TO FACE ANOTHER SET OF KEY TESTS. LOUISIANA SENATOR BILL CASSIDY IN

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KENTUCKY, CONGRESSMAN THOMAS SIE BOTH FACE TRUMP BACKED PRIMARY CHALLENGERS IN THE COMING DAYS. THEY'RE THE LATEST

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ARGETS IN THE PRESIDENT'S EFFORT THIS CYCLE TO OUST INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY THAT HE'S DEEMED INSUFFICIENTLY SUPPORTIVE OF

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HIS AGENDA. MOST RECENTLY, IN DIANA, FIVE OUT OF SEVEN REPUBLICANS WHO HAD OPPOSED THE PRESIDENT'S REDISTRICTING PUSH

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WERE DEFEATED IN THEIR PRIMARIES. LOUISIANA REPUBLICAN SENATOR BILL CASSIDY ORIGINALLY DREW PRESIDENT TRUMP'S IRE AS

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ONE OF THE FEW REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO VOTED TO CONVICT HIM DURING HIS IMPEACHMENT RIAL. AFTER THE JANUARY 6TH

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RIOT, CASSIDY FACES TWO CHALLENGERS IN TOMORROW'S PRIMARY RACE STATE TREASURER JOHN FLEMING AND CONGRESSWOMAN

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JULIA LETLOW, WHO HAS DONALD TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT, A FACT SHE'S TOUTED HEAVILY IN CAMPAIGN ADS.

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>> CASSIDY AND FLEMING NEVER TRUMPERS WILL NEVER, EVER VOTE FOR. >> I'M THRILLED TO GIVE MY

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COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT O YOUR NEXT UNITED STATES ENATOR FROM LOUISIANA, JULIA LETLOW.

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>> WELL, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS BACKING LETLOW, A TRUMP OLITICAL ADVISER RECENTLY TOLD NBC NEWS. THE PRESIDENT AND HIS

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ADVISORS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON DEFEATING KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN THOMAS MASSIE. THAT PRIMARY IS COMING UP ON TUESDAY, WITH

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MASSIE FACING A CHALLENGE FROM HIS TRUMP BACKED OPPONENT, ALLAN MASSIE. SPOKE TO MY COLLEAGUE JULIE TSIRKIN ABOUT

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WHY HE THINKS HIS RACE IS A REFERENDUM FOR HIS PARTY. >> I VOTE WITH THE PARTY 90% OF THE TIME, BUT THERE'S 10% OF

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THE TIME WHERE I THINK MY CONSTITUENTS ARE BETTER SERVED BY A DIFFERENT VOTE IF MORE PEOPLE WOULD SPEAK UP. AND I THINK THAT IS YOU'RE GETTING TO

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THE THE NUB OF WHY THEY'RE ATTACKING ME AND WHY THIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE RACE IN THE HISTORY OF CONGRESS IONAL PRIMARIES. IT'S

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BECAUSE THEY WANT EVERYBODY ELSE TO GO ALONG TO GET ALONG. AND IF THEY LET ONE GUY COME UP HERE AND VOTE HIS CONSCIENCE AND VOTE THE WAY HE CAMPAIGNED

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AND VOTE FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS INSTEAD OF RUBBER STAMPING THE PARTY MENU THAT DAY, THEN THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WHO ARE

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NCOURAGED TO DO THAT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M FIGHTING SO HARD. THIS IS A FIGHT WORTH WINNING. IT'S A NATIONAL REFERENDUM. THEY'LL BE INTERNATIONAL

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CAMERAS AT MY ELECTION DAY VICTORY PARTY BECAUSE IT HAS RAMIFICATIONS.

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>> CONGRESSMAN MASSIE'S RACE IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL KEY PRIMARY RACES WE WILL BE WATCHING ON TUESDAY. JOINING ME NOW IS THE

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PANEL KADIA GOBA, POLITICS REPORTER FOR NOTICE. CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST AND PRESIDENT OF SOLIDARITY

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STRATEGIES, AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST MATT GORMAN. HE IS ALSO AN NBC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING

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HERE. AS WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD INTO AN EXCITING SERIES OF PRIMARY RACES STARTING WITH SATURDAY NIGHT. K/D, LET ME

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START WITH YOU ON THIS CASSIDY RACE. HOW MUCH JEOPARDY IS HE IN? COULD JULIA LETLOW PULL OFF A WIN, OR IS THIS GOING TO GO

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TO A RUNOFF? HOW DO YOU SEE IT? >> YEAH. YOU KNOW, POLLING A MONTH AGO SUGGESTED THAT HE WASN'T DOING WELL. CASSIDY WAS

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ABOUT A FEW POINTS UNDER LUDLOW AS AS WELL AS FLEMING, HE'S DOING HE'S POLLING UNDER THEM.

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SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING. BUT AT HE SAME TIME, THERE'S ABOUT 22% OF VOTERS WHO ARE UNDECIDED.

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SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THAT 22% FALLS, RIGHT?

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LIKE HAS THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION AROUND GAS PRICES IMPACTED SOME OF THEIR DECISION? ARE THEY GOING THIS IS

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OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE A VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT OR AGAINST HE PRESIDENT, I THINK, AND IT WILL BE BETWEEN HIS ENDORSED

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CANDIDATE AND WHETHER OR NOT CASSIDY HAS A CHANCE. >> YEAH. AND WE'RE SEEING A SIMILAR DYNAMIC PLAY OUT WITH

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E RACE FOR THOMAS MASSIE SEAT. HE SAYS HE'S VOTED WITH REPUBLICANS 90% OF THE TIME. BUT BOY, IT'S HARD TO THINK OF

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A REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN WHO'S BEEN MORE OUTSPOKEN AND BROKEN WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ON MORE ISSUES PUBLICLY, THE EPSTEIN

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FILES VOTING AGAINST THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. MATT, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT RACE PLAYING OUT WITH GORANI? >> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK I

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THINK MASSIE'S IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. YOU CAN'T AT ONE MINUTE SAY ACCUSE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OF BEING, QUOTE, THE EPSTEIN ADMINISTRATION, AS THOMAS MASSIE HAS DONE. AND

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THEN THE NEXT BREATH BRAG HOW MUCH YOU VOTE WITH WITH DONALD TRUMP. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS. BUT LOOK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MASSIE HAD AN

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ADVANTAGE TO START RYAN'S. COME ON. I THINK, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BIG PRIMARY IN KENTUCKY BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE

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AS MUCH OF A COMPETITIVE SENATE RACE DRIVING A TON OF TURNOUT, ESPECIALLY IN MASSIE'S DISTRICT. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, MASSIE IS

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GOING TO BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. NOW, WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS IF HE GOES DOWN, WHAT DOES HE DO FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, FIVE

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MONTHS OR SO. THEY STILL ESSENTIALLY NEED HIS PRESENCE IN CONGRESS. >> YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR, CHUCK? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S

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NOTHING LIKE THE SMELL OF REPUBLICANS FIGHTING EACH OTHER IN THE AFTERNOON HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS DEMOCRATS LOVE THAT. LET ME EXPLAIN. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT EVERY

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DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT IN THIS PRIMARY IN KENTUCKY OR IN A PRIMARY IN LOUISIANA, WHERE THESE FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO BE SPENDING MONEY AGAINST EACH OTHER, THEY COULD BE SPENDING

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ON BEATING DEMOCRATS. SO IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE DEMOCRATS. THE NEXT POINT IS THIS MASSIE THING HAS BECOME THE MOST EXPENSIVE PRIMARY IN THE HISTORY OF KENTUCKY. AND THE

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LAST THING IN LOUISIANA, WE SHOULD REMIND EVERYBODY IS THAT IT'S A TOP TWO SYSTEM. THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THE INCUMBENT DOES NOT EVEN MAKE THE RUNOFF. RIGHT. THERE'S A LOT OF

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CRAZINESS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. >> WHAT ABOUT THAT POINT ABOUT HE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF THIS MAN AND THE CONCERN? AND I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME REPUBLICANS WHO

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SAY WE ARE HAVING TO PUT MONEY INTO RACES THAT WE DON'T. >> 35 MILLION IN INDIANA. >> WELL, MASS VOTES. SO WE'RE SSENTIALLY PUTTING MONEY TO DEFEAT DEFEATED DEMOCRAT. IT'S

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A PRETTY BIG 10%. YOU JUST MENTIONED IT THERE. I MEAN PROCEDURAL VOTES. CONGRATULATIONS. SO AGAIN WE CAN DEFEAT THOMAS MASSIE THERE. I THINK THE OTHER PART IS, YOU

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KNOW CHUCK DOES MAKE A POINT ON THIS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT KASEY DOES NOT MAKE THE RUNOFF. I MEAN FLEMING

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HAS COME ON STRONG. LETLOW STRUGGLED TO START HER CAMPAIGN BUT HAS ESCALATED. AND AGAIN, FLEMING IS A FORMER CONGRESSMAN. AND OF ITSELF, HE'S NOT A

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NOBODY. HE'S HE ACTUALLY SERVED IN THE SEAT MIKE JOHNSON TOOK OVER FOR. SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO WATCH VERY CLOSELY. A LETLOW VERSUS FLEMING RUNOFF IS

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CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. WHERE CASSIDY. AGAIN, NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. >> LOOK, THERE'S SOME REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT HIS IS A SATURDAY ELECTION. IT'S A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

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THERE'S ONE PLACE DONALD TRUMP IS STILL A SUPERSTAR AND THAT'S IN A REPUBLICAN LOW TURNOUT PRIMARY. THAT MEANS THESE FOLKS LOVE DONALD TRUMP. THAT'S WHY

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IT'S NOT TOO GOOD FOR CASSIDY. >> K/D LET'S TALK ABOUT GEORGIA. A LOT TO TALK ABOUT THERE. WE'VE GOT THE SENATE RACE THERE.

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BRIAN KEMP, THE GOVERNOR SUPPORTING DEREK DOOLEY. HE'S THE FORMER FOOTBALL COACH WHO'S FACING OFF AGAINST TWO MEMBERS

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OF CONGRESS, THE RACE TO TRY TO UNSEAT JON OSSOFF, THE DEMOCRAT HERE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR?

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>> OBVIOUSLY, WHO IS THE NEXT CANDIDATE TO RUN AGAINST OSSOFF? LIKE, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE

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HAVE KIND OF POSITIONED

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THEMSELVES AS. YOU KNOW, SORRY.

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DOOLEY, BACKED BY THE GOVERNOR, RIGHT, IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE

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FAVORING DOOLEY. YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE

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WHERE COLLINS PULLS OFF. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF

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PEOPLE I TALKED TO WANT TO SEE A COLLINS RUN AGAINST OSSOFF, CLEARLY. BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM

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LIKE IT MIGHT. IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF IT GOES THAT WAY. IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT IT WILL. BUT I'M HEARING A LOT

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OF PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT HOW THIS GENERAL ELECTION

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MIGHT FACE OFF. AND I THINK MORE RESOURCES ARE GOING TO DOOLEY AT THIS POINT. >> AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME

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SOUND. LET'S LISTEN TO BRIAN KEMP AND DOOLEY TALKING ABOUT HIS RACE.

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>> IT'S TIME WE GOT SEND PEOPLE UP TO DC WITH SOME COMMON SENSE THAT REPRESENT OUR VALUES. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT I'M

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TELLING VOTERS IS GOING UP THERE FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, AND THAT'S TO WORK WITH OTHERS TO DELIVER RESULTS. THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN FAILING UP IN

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WASHINGTON, DC, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED A POLITICAL OUTSIDER. >> I HAVE A VERY STRONG BELIEF THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A POLITICAL OUTSIDER TO BEAT JON

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OSSOFF IN THIS RACE, JUST LIKE DAVE MCCORMICK DID IN PENNSYLVANIA. BERNIE MARINO DID IN OHIO. TENNESSEE HE DID IN MONTANA. THAT'S WHY WE'RE

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WORKING SO HARD FOR DEREK. >> MATT, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS? I MEAN, K/D HAS LAID OUT

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HE STAKES. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PLAYING OUT? IS THIS GOING TO GO TO A RUNOFF? >> I THINK IT'S VERY LIKELY TO

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GO TO A RUNOFF. THE FIGHT IS BETWEEN, I THINK, BUDDY CARTER OR DEREK DOOLEY. DEREK DOOLEY STRUGGLED FOR A TIME. HE HAD THE KEMP MACHINE BEHIND HIM.

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THERE IS A THOUGHT THAT IF HE CAN GET TO A RUNOFF, THAT'S WHERE IT ACTUALLY CAN MOBILIZE AND AND OVERTAKE COLLINS A LITTLE BIT. BUT I THINK THE

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QUESTION IS, CAN HE GET TO THAT SECOND POSITION? >> DEMOCRATS ARE PRETTY CONFIDENT IN JON OSSOFF RIGHT NOW, CHUCK. AND YET THE

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GOVERNOR CLEARLY PUTTING ALL OF HIS POLITICAL CAPITAL BEHIND HIS CANDIDATE. AND ONCE THIS GOES TO A GENERAL ELECTION, YOU

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ANTICIPATE WE'LL SEE THE SAME. >> THE NUMBER ONE GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISER IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS HAVE BEEN JON OSSOFF. THAT MEANS FOLKS HAVE BEEN GIVING

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HIM MONEY $5, $10, $20 AT A TIME. HE'S RAISED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND AS AN INCUMBENT, THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. GOING BACK TO THIS

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REPUBLICAN RUNOFF. I'LL GO BACK TO MY PREVIOUS STATEMENT OF DONALD TRUMP IS STILL VERY POPULAR IN THIS. AND IN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE THESE OUT OF THE

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RIGHT VOTERS AND IN A RUNOFF, IF IT GOES THAT FAR, IT'S JUST LIKE TEXAS. IT'S EVEN MORE OF THE RIGHT OF THE RIGHT. REGULAR FOLKS DON'T VOTE ON A TURNOUT.

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>> WHAT'S SO. >> FASCINATING ABOUT GEORGIA, MATT, ARE THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SOME OF THESE GEORGIA REPUBLICANS AND THE FACT THAT THAT IS ADDING

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THIS EXTRA LAYER TO SO MANY OF THESE RACES, INCLUDING THE GUBERNATORIAL. >> YEAH. I MEAN, LOOK, I THINK EMP AND TRUMP HAVE HAVE BURIED

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THE HATCHET OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST WO YEARS. >> RAFFENSPERGER. >> RAFFENSPERGER IS A DIFFERENT CASE, I THINK. AND AGAIN, AGAIN,

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WE'LL SEE. I BELIEVE HE'S RUNNING AS WELL, NOT FOR NOT FOR SENATE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT FROM OTHER POSITIONS. SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. YOU KNOW, AGAIN,

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I THINK THIS IS A RACE THAT REPUBLICANS RECOGNIZE THEIR THE UNDERDOG GOING INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION, BUT ARE HOPEFUL MAYBE THEY CAN MAKE IT A RACE AND SEE

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WHAT HAPPENS. >> WATCH THE SUBURBS AROUND ATLANTA, WATCH THE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN TURNOUT, SEE WHAT HE TURNOUT LOOKS LIKE COMPARED TO EACH OTHER. THOSE SUBURBS

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USED TO BE RUBY RED. THEY'VE TURNED PURPLE AND NOW LEANING VERY MUCH BLUE. THAT'S WHERE THIS ELECTION IS WON AND LOST IN NOVEMBER. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO

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WATCH IT ALL CLOSELY. THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT FRIDAY CONVERSATION. K/D CHUCK AND MATT, TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE

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LOUISIANA MIDTERM PRIMARIES WITH THE GREAT STEVE KORNACKI AT THE BIG BOARD, STARTING AT 9 P.M. EASTERN ON NBC NEWS.COM.

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AND THEN YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS. ON TUESDAY, I'LL BE JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, HALLIE JACKSON, STEVE KORNACKI, AND

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OUR TEAM OF REPORTERS FOR SPECIAL PRIMARY COVERAGE. AS THE RESULTS COME IN, MATT GORMAN IS GOI