Sam Stein and Will Sommer React to the Most Disgusting Ad of 2026

Vivek Ramaswamy has dragged Amy Acton’s estranged mother into the Ohio governor’s race to smear her daughter — even though the mother’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was just 12. Now Trump and JD Vance are backing the attack, with Trump calling Acton “defective” and demanding Republicans fall in line. Will Sommer and Andrew Egger give their takes on the ad’s horrifying backstory and the shameless decision to turn Acton’s childhood trauma into a campaign weapon.Plus, Glenn Beck, Megyn Kelly, and Ben Shapiro twist themselves into knots defending the ad, while some Ohio Republicans struggle to explain how this is acceptable politics. As Trump attacks Gov. Mike DeWine for condemning the spot, the MAGA media machine faces a familiar choice: acknowledge the facts or defend their guy at any cost.

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s surprise visit to Israel days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s election and amid the possibility of new strikes against Iran. They also discuss the strain of sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and the damage Hegseth’s office caused to a historic globe once used by Dwight Eisenhower.Plus, Trump threatens to withhold compensation for victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune if Republicans lose the midterms.

Tim Miller sits down with David Mauricio, the newly minted Jubilee Surrounded star, to break down his viral clashes with MAGA debaters. Mauricio explains why he came out swinging, how Trump’s defenders struggled to answer questions about the president’s corruption, and why one debater’s attempt to question his citizenship backfired.Plus, Mauricio confronts woman who casually admits she was at the Capitol on January 6 while defending a pardoned insurrectionist who later sexually abused children.

Ben Parker and Michael Weiss dissect Steve Witkoff’s praise of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” and JD Vance’s defense of the Trump envoy, exposing the weakness and incompetence behind the administration’s Russia diplomacy. They examine how Trump’s desperation for a deal with Putin is leading to concessions on sanctions, undermining Ukraine, and rewarding Russian aggression. Plus, Michael explains how Russia’s growing cooperation with Iran threatens U.S. interests and why Trump’s approach is putting America’s global standing at risk.This episode is sponsored by the New York Times.

How do democracies fall apart, and why do the people who could stop it so often look the other way? CNN’s Dana Bash joins Sarah Longwell to examine the elections that changed history, including the fatal miscalculation that helped bring Hitler to power and its disturbing echoes in Trump’s Republican Party. They also explore how a handful of votes might have prevented Trump’s rise, why Democrats need to learn how to win, and which 2026 races could change American politics for generations.This episode is sponsored by the New York Times.Get Dana Bash’s new book, The Elections That Changed the World: Fifteen Pivotal Moments That Shaped How We Live, co-written with David Fisher:https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-elections-that-changed-the-world-fifteen-pivotal-moments-that-shaped-how-we-live-dana-bash/bcc71c1baa846304

Jonathan Cohn sits down with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to discuss his admiration for Barack Obama, the shortcomings of the Obama presidency, and the lessons he hopes to carry into the Senate. El-Sayed explains why he believes Obama made it possible for people like him to run for office, where he thinks Obama fell short on health care and other issues, and why Democrats need to stop assuming Republicans will negotiate in good faith.Plus, El-Sayed discusses standing up to Trump, why he believes Americans are less divided than they think, and his philosophy of fighting bullies without becoming one himself.This video is sponsored by The New York Times.

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsoredDonald Trump claims Russia has been “fine” in Ukraine, and Michael Weiss, who has witnessed Russian atrocities firsthand, is furious. Weiss and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos examine Trump’s increasingly alarming alignment with Putin, reports that Elon Musk interfered with Ukraine’s satellite defenses, Pete Hegseth’s refusal to release desperately needed Patriot missiles, and whether Trump now fits the intelligence definition of a Russian agent of influence.

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsoredSam Stein and Will Sommer break down the disgusting attack ad targeting Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, featuring her estranged mother accusing her of lying. When Acton was 12, her stepfather was accused of sexually abusing her and was indicted by a grand jury before he fled with Amy's mother. Acton’s mother also lost custody of both of her children. The ad appears to be connected to Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign, which has refused to disavow it. Sam and Will explain how the campaign’s smear tactics have backfired, how right-wing influencers rushed to amplify the attack, and why this could be a major political blunder for Vivek.Plus, a look at Vivek’s history of dirty campaigning and why this latest stunt could be a new low for Ohio politics.

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsored Will Saletan gives his take on the growing panic inside House Republican leadership as bad polls, shrinking campaign budgets, and vulnerable races threaten the GOP’s hold on Congress. Even friendly voices on Fox News are pressing Mike Johnson, Tom Emmer, and Steve Scalise on why Republicans are struggling ahead of the midterms. From Texas districts where Republican gerrymandering may be backfiring to rising frustration over fuel prices and the Iran war, GOP leaders are running out of explanations.

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsored Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol give their takes on Trump’s increasingly desperate push to save Republicans two weeks before the midterms. As Trump’s approval rating sinks and Democrats build a major polling advantage, the president is struggling to make the case for his party, resorting to racist attacks, religious bigotry, and bizarre defenses of vulnerable Republicans. Plus, Trump continues to side with Vladimir Putin as Russia escalates its attacks on Ukraine and Marco Rubio is left defending the White House’s actions on Ukraine as Trump’s pro-Putin rhetoric grows harder to ignore.