Big Take, Midterms 2026

Republicans in Texas, hoping to lock in more seats in Congress, kicked off a redistricting frenzy that saw several other states redraw their congressional maps. Today on the show, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg Texas Bureau Chief Julie Fine and Senior White House reporter Josh Wingrove to talk through why that gamble may not pay off.
Read more:
Trump Calls for Peltola to Be Banned From Alaska Senate Race
Joe Rogan’s Microphone Goes Quieter on Trump Ahead of Midterms
Economic Pain Turns Nebraska Into Unexpected Senate Battleground
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Host: David Gura; Guests: Julie Fine and Josh Wingrove; Produced by David Fox; Edited by Nicole Beemsterboer and Naomi Shavin; Engineering by Sean Carter.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the news that Elon Musk wants to merge Tesla and SpaceX, he has given $445 million to political races in the US midterms. That makes him one of the biggest-ever contributors in US history.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura talks to Dana Hull, who covers Musk, and campaign finance reporter Bill Allison, about the impact that money could have on some of the closest races, like the Texas Senate race.
Read more:
Musk Giving Tops $445 Million in Midterm Election Push for GOP
Musk Pours $158 Million Into GOP Super PAC for Texas Senate Race
SpaceX, Tesla Boards Study Possible $3.5 Trillion Merger
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Host: David Gura; Guests: Dana Hull, Bill Allison; Produced by Julia Press, David Fox, Julia Weaver; Edited by Naomi Shavin; Engineering by Sean Carter.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump is campaigning in Texas on Wednesday, rallying voters in a state that’s long been a Republican stronghold. His efforts in traditionally red states around the country show how surprisingly close many of these midterm races have become — and the outcome will determine if Trump’s party can hold onto the Senate and advance his agenda for the next two years.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Texas bureau chief Julie Fine and Washington correspondent Josh Wingrove join host Sarah Holder to break down the ultra-expensive, surprisingly competitive Texas Senate race and what it would mean for Trump’s presidency if he loses the Lone Star state.
Further Listening:
Can $700 Million Buy Republicans the US Senate?
Europe’s Debt Problem Is Back
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Host: Sarah Holder; Guests: Julie Fine, Josh Wingrove; Produced by David Fox, Julia Press; Edited by Naomi Shavin; Engineering by Sean Carter.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 midterms are on track to become the most expensive elections in US history, with Republican Senate candidates raking in hundreds of millions from PACs and Democrats riding a growing wave of individual donations. So who has the edge?
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bill Faries, who oversees Bloomberg’s midterm coverage, and campaign finance reporter Bill Allison join Sarah Holder to break down how each party is raising and spending cash and what it means for control of the Senate — and for the coming presidential race.
Read more: Shifting Senate Map Is Fueling Most Expensive Election Ever

Further Listening: Why Everyone Is Talking About High Diesel Prices
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Host: Sarah Holder; Guests: Bill Allison and Bill Faries; Produced by David Fox and Julia Press; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott; Engineering by Sean Carter.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diesel prices are hitting new highs, and voters aren’t happy. With the midterms approaching, the Trump administration is trying to find ways to curb fuel costs, including a potential US diesel export ban.
On today’s Big Take podcast: The political fallout of sky-high diesel prices. Bloomberg national economics reporter Mark Niquette and host Sarah Holder break down what’s driving up costs, why prices are hitting battleground states particularly hard and whether an export ban could backfire.
Read more: Record Diesel Prices Hit at Worst Time in Key Battleground States
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Mark Niquette Edited by Tracey Samuelson; Engineering by Alex Sugiura
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.