Thursday Morning Politics: Primary Results and More Midterms News

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. [00:00] What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?  [29:31] Ultra-Processed Foods and Colon Cancer  [49:27] Ultra-Processed Foods Policy Proposals  If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here. Photo: Packets of chips are on display at a supermarket in Mumbai, India, on September 7, 2025. (Photo by Indranil Aditya/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D GA), senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and the author of The Crooked Places Made Straight: Reflections on the Moral Meaning of America (Penguin Press, 2026), draws on the book of Isaiah to offer lessons on the moral crises facing America, from gun violence to voter suppression and climate change, and how to address them spiritually and politically.   Photo: Democratic US Senate candidate Reverend Raphael Warnock arrives to speak at a rally at Garden City Stadium in Savannah, Georgia on January 3, 2021. The two candidates are competing in a runoff election on January 5th that will decide which party controls the United States Senate. (Photo by Logan Cyrus / AFP) (Photo by LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we enter the last weekend of early voting ahead of Tuesday's New York primary day, Ben Max, host of the "Max Politics" podcast and executive editor and program director at New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law, recaps the stories breaking out of competitive congressional races, the statewide comptroller race, and more.  Photo: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: New Yorkers participate in early voting at a polling site in Brooklyn on October 29, 2024 in New York City. As Election Day approaches on November 5th, millions of Americans are casting their ballots early at polling sites or drop boxes. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For Father's Day, listeners who didn't have a dad around growing up call in to talk about who taught them how to be a good dad.  Photo: Indian father Shailesh throws up his son, Harish, at a park in Amritsar on June 19, 2016, on Father's Day, a day observed in many countries to celebrate fathers and fatherhood. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP) (Photo by NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ahead of World Refugee Day, David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, reports from Ukraine on the conditions there, and the state of refugees worldwide as the US has pulled back so dramatically on humanitarian assistance. Photo: KYIV, UKRAINE - MAY 24: People hide in subway during Russian air attacks on May 24, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia massively attacked Ukraine on the night of May 24, using about 90 missiles of various types and approximately 600 drones. According to Zelenskyy, the main target was Kyiv. There were deaths and injuries because of the attack. Numerous architectural monuments were damaged, including the Kyiv Opera, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the Contracts House, the Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum, and others. The city’s civilian infrastructure was also affected: dozens of residential buildings, several schools, a water supply facility, and a market. (Photo by Andrii Khodkov/Apostrophe/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

William C. Rhoden, columnist for Andscape and former longtime sports columnist at The New York Times, talks about the New York Knicks' road to the 2026 NBA championship as the city hosts a victory parade. Then, Brian and William continue with special coverage ahead of the ceremony at City Hall, which you can watch in full here. Photo: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Fans wave a large flag that reads Believe during Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Saturday, June 13, 2026. (Katina Zentz/San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Barbara Barker, Newsday sports columnist and features writer, and Brittany Kriegstein, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, talk about the City's celebrations of the Knicks NBA championship, from the ticker-tape parade to the City Hall awarding of the Keys to the City. Photo: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani marches in National Puerto Rican Day Parade on 5th Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reid Epstein, national political correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the results in this week's primary elections, including how President Trump's influence was felt, and more news related to the midterm elections. Photo: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 17: Voting stickers are seen during the New York Primary elections at the Brooklyn Museum on June 17, 2025 in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City. Early voting is underway with the primary elections one week away, with NYC's crowded Democratic primary for mayor. There are other primary races for other city offices on the ballot as well, including City Council, comptroller, and public advocate. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the last few weeks of the Supreme Court term, Kate Shaw, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny, and a contributing opinion writer with The New York Times, breaks down the latest news including recent rulings and legal news on President Trump's $1.776 billion so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund." Photo: WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 11: The U.S. Supreme Court is seen on June 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court released rulings today in Keathley v. Buddy Ayers Construction, FS Credit Opportunities Corp. v. Saba Capital Master Fund, Ltd., and Abouammo v. United States. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times and the author of New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West (Crown, 2024), discusses the details of an agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.