Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on Mike Johnson’s defense of Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera despite the gun YouTuber’s grotesque comments about women and children—and the stark contrast with how Democrats police their own candidates. They also dissect Donald Trump’s proposed $5,000 payout if Republicans retain Congress, then debate the administration’s lack of urgency as AI insiders warn of catastrophic risks and Johnson invokes competition with China to resist rapid regulation.

Tim Miller breaks down two political moments from the weekend that caught his attention. First, he takes on the backlash from a Texas Republican candidate over viral photos of Indian American students celebrating a football game at the University of Texas, and why Republicans should be forced to answer for openly racist rhetoric from a candidate for statewide office.
Then Tim turns to the Alaska Senate race and the debate between Mary Peltola and Dan Sullivan. He highlights Peltola’s argument that the Iran war is driving up fuel costs for Alaskan fishermen and families, as well as a viral debate moment when Sullivan has to look to Peltola for his answer during a yes-or-no question.
To get tickets for upcoming Bulwark events—including our show for Springfield, OH—go to https://thebulwark.com/events.
Relevant Links:
Bo French’s posts about UT students / John Cornyn’s response:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/cornyn-bo-french-ut-students-tweet-22429931.php
Bo French’s previous controversial poll:
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article309580905.html
Alaska Senate fisheries debate — Mary Peltola vs. Dan Sullivan: https://www.c-span.org/program/campaign-2026/alaska-us-senate-candidates-debate-fisheries-industry/685130
Kansas Senate debate — Roger Marshall vs. Adam Hamilton:
https://www.kwch.com/2026/09/10/candidates-kansas-governor-us-senate-debate-live-kansas-state-fair/

Bill Kristol and Richard North Patterson trace how America went from a seemingly conventional political system to Trump’s second term, where the institutions and powerful people expected to serve as guardrails have often failed to stand up to him. They look at the GOP’s transformation, economic insecurity, the capitulation of business and legal elites—and why the millions of ordinary Americans showing up for “No Kings” and other grassroots resistance give them reason for hope.

Tim Miller takes a closer look at Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, whose record as a doctor is under new scrutiny after a New York Times investigation found that he sued more than 700 patients over medical debt, with 81 ultimately arrested after missing court dates. Plus: Marshall’s views on healthcare and vaccines, his support for Trump’s Iran war and tariffs, and his record of going along with the president even as Kansans face higher costs.
Related Links:
The New York Times: “A Doctor Sued 700 Patients for Debts; 81 Were Arrested. Now He’s a Senator.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/us/politics/roger-marshall-obgyn-doctor-debts.html
STAT: “Two months ago, this doctor was delivering babies. Now he’s at the nexus of the Obamacare fight”
https://www.statnews.com/2017/03/03/roger-marshall-kansas-obamacare/
The Kansas City Star: “Roger Marshall calls Kansas cabin home. Official trips took him near $1.2M Florida house”
https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article292974104.html
The Beacon: “Why 30 hospitals in Kansas and 12 in Missouri are at risk of closure”
https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/01/08/why-30-rural-hospitals-in-kansas-and-12-in-missouri-are-at-risk/
The Bulwark: Sam Stein and Tim Miller interview Adam Hamilton
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sam-stein-and-adam-hamilton-trumps
Watch more in Tim's series about the worst Republicans running in the 2026 midterm: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdXT8ySfDKu0

Sam Stein and Sonny Bunch unpack Sonny’s experience covering the Republican Party’s bizarre midterm convention in Dallas where they almost didn't let him in the arena.
Sonny walks through the convention’s strange credentialing saga, the overwhelming focus on Donald Trump, and an event that seemed less like a traditional party convention and more like a celebration of Trump himself. From Trump memorabilia and a pledge to the president to a convention floor united around Trump, Sonny explains what the GOP looks like up close and why the party appears to have no identity beyond Donald Trump.
They also discuss the surprising prominence of Charlie Kirk at the convention, JD Vance’s appeal to Kirk’s legacy while defending Trump’s Iran policy, and the one issue that actually appeared to divide attendees.