Texas Talarico freakout

Texas hasn't elected a Democrat for Senate since 1988. James Talarico has a shot, but Republicans have launched a full culture war to try to prevent it. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a campaign rally during his "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Tour" at the Galveston Railroad Museum in Galveston, Texas, on October 22, 2026. Photo by Mark Felix / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAGA-aligned conservatives, including Vice President JD Vance, are trying to rehabilitate Richard Nixon's image. That's evidence of where they want to take their party. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. Richard Nixon gives his well-known two-armed victory salute during a campaign stop in El Paso. Photo by Bettmann Archive via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's recent moves seem to pit the US squarely on the side of Russia rather than Ukraine. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Denise Guerra, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in over 90 years, but moderate pastor Adam Hamilton might break the losing streak. And his approach to religion could help Democrats around the country. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Kansas Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton addresses a crowd of supporters on Oct. 24, 2026 in Olathe, Kansas. Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What you gain, and what you give up, when you let AI agents take control. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Various examples of avatars for Muse, Meta's AI agent, during the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California on Sept. 23, 2026. Photo by Minh Connors/Bloomberg via Getty Images. If you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or email [email protected]. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between the Trump administration’s executive orders, lawsuits, and relentless rhetoric, it feels like voting systems in America are under constant threat. Is it working?  Editor’s note: Earlier in this episode, Sweren-Becker said that 26 courts had decided that the DoJ is not entitled to voter records. Oklahoma settled its suit, and the state agreed to provide its voter data. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Photo caption: President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The HHS secretary has pressured food companies like Mars, which makes M&M's, to stop using artificial dyes. Easier said than done. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. A close-up image shows a bowl of blue M&M candies. Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first midterms to feature AI slop ads are also on track to be the most expensive ever. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. A person holds a smartphone displaying President Donald Trump's Truth Social post featuring an AI-generated video of him interacting with a tiger, while a laptop screen in the background shows footage circulated on social media of William Chapman being attacked by a tiger at Britain's Yorkshire Wildlife Park, on October 14, 2026 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump's playbook to go after his enemies is evolving. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) at a press conference on efforts to reform the Department of Homeland Security on January 13, 2026. Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They promise you financial freedom with very little work, but these side hustles might just be the new pyramid schemes. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. A young woman struggling with budget planning and financial stress. Photo by Witthaya Prasongsin via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices