Hardball Today

Today at Noon, watch Hardball on Substack:

Violence! Has it entered American politics for good? The killings of Minnesota Democratic leaders raise the question again.

For years, we’ve seen high-profile violent attacks. In 2011, it was the shooting of then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. In 2017, there was a shooting at a Congressional baseball practice that left Rep. Steve Scalise and others injured. But since the Attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, there’s been an escalation. In 2017, there were nearly 4,000 direct threats against Members of Congress. There are now regularly more than 9,000 annually. Who can forget the attack on then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s husband? It isn’t limited to Members of Congress either. There were two attempts on Donald Trump’s life last year. A man allegedly attempted to murder the Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, and his family in their home in April. Is this the present and future of American democracy? I'll ask long-time Democratic leader Dick Gephardt, DCCC chair Suzan DelBene and former US Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone.

Have we entered a political time when violence comes with the political territory?

With all this chaos, can the Democrats win back the US House next year?

I will ask Dick Gephardt about the Democrats chances to take control of the US House of Representatives. Today, they are outnumbered 220 to 212, meaning it only takes a switch of five seats to win control, only five seats to split control of the US Congress between the “Trumpees” and the Democrats.

History shows that the opposition can pick up more than thirty seats in a first midterm. Can the Democrats do it? I’ll ask that same question to DCCC chair Suzan DelBene? Can they start this November by flipping the two seats the Democrats lost in 2024 in the Lehigh Valley and Scranton?

Hardball will also host Michael Fanone to discuss the long aftermath of the bloody January 6 attack on the US Capitol.