Faithful Politics

Votebeat Editorial Director Jessica Huseman returns to Faithful Politics to discuss the security of America's elections andthe challenges facing voters and election officials ahead of the 2026 midterms. We examine concerns about federal interference at polling locations, voter registration problems in Texas, turmoil within Georgia's State Election Board, and allegations of widespread noncitizen voting.
Despite growing public distrust, Jessica explains why election officials remain confident in the voting process and why many fears about election security exceed the actual risks. We also discuss misinformation, legal challenges, and why the biggest concerns may emerge after Election Day, when votes are counted and results are challenged.
Check out what Votebeat has to offer: https://www.votebeat.org
GUEST BIOJessica Huseman is the editorial director of Votebeat, a nonprofit newsroom focused exclusively on voting and election administration. She oversees reporting on election security, voting laws, voter registration, misinformation, and the challenges facing local election officials. Her newsroom investigates how election systems operate and helps journalists across the country access election experts through Votebeat's Election Expert Desk. A returning guest on Faithful Politics, Jessica brings detailed reporting and practical insight into the challenges facing American elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Democrats are favored to take back the House in the 2026 midterm elections, but does that mean the country is becoming more Democratic? And could Republicans still hold on to the Senate?
Kyle Kondik, Managing Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, joins Faithful Politics to break down the congressional election map and explain why 2026 could be an especially difficult year for Republicans.
We discuss Trump's declining approval ratings, the economic consequences of the Iran war, rising gas prices, and whether Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts will deliver the advantages they expected.
Kondik also explains why Democrats face a much harder path to winning the Senate, which states could determine control of Congress, and why even a decisive Democratic victory may say little about the 2028 presidential election.
We also examine the reliability of political polling, what early voting can and cannot tell us, and what voters should watch for on election night.
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Kyle Kondik is Managing Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the nonpartisan political analysis newsletter published by the University of Virginia Center for Politics. He also serves as the center's Director of Communications. Kondik specializes in American elections, congressional races, electoral history, and political forecasting. He is the author of The Long Red Thread, examining the Republican Party's electoral advantages in U.S. House elections, and The Bellwether, which explores Ohio's historical role in presidential elections. His analysis helps explain the electoral trends and competitive races shaping control of Congress.

Republicans are facing a difficult 2026 midterm election, and even traditionally conservative states like Texas, Kansas, and Iowa are becoming competitive. But if Democrats win, will it be because voters support their agenda, or because Americans are increasingly frustrated with both political parties?
Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, joins Faithful Politics to examine the races that could determine control of Congress and what is motivating voters heading into November.
We discuss Trump's declining approval ratings, the economy, the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, and why some evangelical voters may be reconsidering their political loyalties. Taylor also explains why Democratic candidates like James Talarico in Texas and Pastor Adam Hamilton in Kansas are openly embracing their faith to reach voters traditionally aligned with Republicans.
We also examine third-party candidates, redistricting, how Cook Political Report rates elections, and what the midterms could mean for the 2028 presidential race.
Websitehttps://www.cookpolitical.com
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Jessica Taylor is the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, where she analyzes congressional and gubernatorial elections across the country. Previously, she spent five years as a political reporter for NPR, covering presidential elections, Congress, and statewide races. Raised Southern Baptist in Tennessee, Taylor brings both political reporting experience and a personal understanding of conservative Christianity to her analysis of religious voters, the Republican Party, and the growing role of faith in Democratic campaigns.

Jeff Schoep spent 27 years in the neo-Nazi movement, eventually becoming the leader of the National Socialist Movement, one of the largest white supremacist organizations in the United States. After decades of promoting an ideology built around racial hatred, Schoep began questioning his beliefs following a series of unexpected encounters with people he once considered enemies.
Today, Schoep works to help others leave extremist organizations. He joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explain how he became radicalized, what kept him in the movement for so long, and the experiences that eventually led him to abandon white supremacy.
The conversation covers his involvement in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, his encounters with Black musician and activist Daryl Davis and filmmaker Deeyah Khan, and the personal consequences of walking away from an ideology that had shaped nearly every part of his life.
We also explore why public humiliation and confrontation can sometimes drive people deeper into extremism, how online echo chambers reinforce radical beliefs, and why curiosity, empathy, and what Schoep calls "relational dialogue" can create opportunities for people to reconsider deeply held convictions.
Schoep's experience also offers insight into America's growing political polarization and the challenges of reaching people whose beliefs have become central to their identity.BOOK
Book: American Nazi: From Hate to Humanity
Author: Jeff Schoep
Bookshop.org: https://a.co/d/06c3LRde
Schoep also discusses his forthcoming book, Exiting Extremism: The Redemption of an American Nazi Leader, which he expects to be published in early 2027.
GUEST BIOJeff Schoep is the founder and president of Beyond Barriers, an organization that helps people disengage from extremist groups, gangs, and other destructive movements. He previously led the National Socialist Movement, one of America's most prominent neo-Nazi organizations, and was involved in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. After leaving the movement in 2019, Schoep publicly renounced white supremacist ideology and began working in extremism prevention and disengagement. He is the author of American Nazi: From Hate to Humanity, which documents his journey out of extremism.

Can America confront its history of racism and political division without forcing everyone to choose a side?
Pastor, author, and Civil Righteousness founder Jonathan Tremaine Thomas joins Faithful Politics to discuss his book Make Straight the Path and his vision for what he calls "holy activism."
Jonathan shares how the 2014 Ferguson protests following Michael Brown's death transformed his understanding of the church's responsibility in moments of racial conflict. He explains the "radical middle," a commitment to pursuing justice and reconciliation even when it means challenging your own political community.
The conversation explores the similarities between the devotion surrounding Barack Obama and Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr.'s spiritual approach to nonviolent resistance, and the warning of Isaiah 58 about religious devotion without justice.
Jonathan also makes the case for an American truth and reconciliation process, drawing lessons from Rwanda, South Africa, and Canada. He explains why acknowledging historical injustice, building relationships across political divisions, and taking responsibility for repairing communities are essential to meaningful reconciliation.
BOOKBook: Make Straight the Path
Author: Jonathan Tremaine Thomas
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781400256754
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Jonathan Tremaine Thomas is a pastor, activist, author, and executive director of Civil Righteousness, an organization focused on racial reconciliation, community renewal, and faith based engagement. His work was shaped by his experience during the 2014 Ferguson protests following the death of Michael Brown. He advocates for what he calls "holy activism," bringing spiritual conviction into efforts to address injustice and political division. His book Make Straight the Pathexplores reconciliation, the radical middle, and the responsibility of Christians to help repair divided communities.