The Ass-Kissing Olympics Are Underway

The Ass-Kissing Olympics Are Underway

From The Lincoln Project by The Lincoln Project

June 5, 2026 · 33 min

About this episode

Rick Wilson discusses the implications of the upcoming 2026 midterms and the internal struggles within the MAGA movement.

The 2026 midterms are already coming into focus, and Republicans should be nervous. This week, Rick Wilson looks at what California and Iowa are telling us about November: voters care about the economy, affordability, and real-life issues—not the culture-war nonsense that dominates cable news. If Democrats can stay focused and resist the urge to wander off-message, they have a genuine opportunity to reshape the political map. Meanwhile, the MAGA movement is entering its succession-war phase. Trump's elevation of Bill Pulte is a flashing warning sign that the loyalist bench is running thin, while JD Vance and Marco Rubio battle to become heir to the MAGA throne. What follows when an authoritarian movement runs out of talent? Infighting, chaos, and a race to see who can flatter Dear Leader the hardest. The 2028 campaign has already begun—and the clown car is leaking oil. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com . You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

People in this episode

Host: Rick Wilson

Topics covered

  • 2026 midterms
  • Republican Party
  • MAGA movement
  • political strategy
  • voter concerns
  • infighting
  • authoritarianism

Keywords

  • midterms
  • Republicans
  • economy
  • culture war
  • political map
  • infighting
  • Trump
  • loyalists

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MAGA

Places: California, Iowa

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