Here’s a behind-the-scenes factoid about our sausage-making factory: When your hardworking (and very handsome) PJ Media scribes upload VIP columns, we’re supposed to avoid block quotes and outside embeds (YouTube videos and social media posts) in the first few paragraphs. Apparently, it screws up the preview screen.
And that’s a shame: I wanted to open this with a block quote from Aerosmith. (Pitch-perfect lyrics to set the tempo!)
Because, at this point, nothing will save the SAVE Act. There certainly won’t be a national overhaul of our voting systems before the midterms. There could’ve been, but that window came and went.
It’s late July, folks: We’re out of runway.
If the GOP overcomes historic headwinds, wins the midterms, and refills key congressional seats with MAGA true-believers, then sure, election reform is a possibility in 2027. But holy smokes, those are JB Pritzker-sized ifs.
Reality isn’t on our side.
(Interestingly, if Republicans do run the table and win the midterms, I’ll betcha a Diet Coke the mainstream media would then argue that MAGA’s victory “proves” that the SAVE Act isn’t necessary: “Clearly, the system already works. Stop being greedy!” Which’ll be followed by howling accusations of the GOP instilling a “permanent majority,” and thus all accusations of Trump being a fascist/dictator/Hitler were vindicated.)
Winning is better than losing; that goes without saying. Winning is everything. There are no participation trophies in policymaking.
[Okay, we’re about nine paragraphs down. Time to release the kraken!]
I know it’s everybody’s sin
You got to lose to know how to win—Aerosmith, Dream On
There’s PR power in a martyred cause. Been that way for centuries.
And a righteous martyred cause? You kiddin’ me?!
It can transform the world.
Since I’m a product of Western culture, I don’t know if it’s always been this way, or if the “suffering savior” motif is a Christian creation that’s bled into our psyche. (I’m open to feedback.) But either way, it’s an amazing PR asset in American politics.
Huge. Enormous! Nothing drives voters to the polls like moral outrage and righteous grievances.
The New York Times released a story yesterday: “Zohran Mamdani Knows He Has Political Capital. And He Intends to Spend It.” (The young mayor has tongues wagging over his looming threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.)
Mamdani won’t be the only one with political capital to spend.
2026 matters (a lot), but 2028 will be for all the marbles. Keep that in mind.
PRediction: President Donald Trump will blame our 2026 midterm loss on voter fraud — with the goal of winning the whole flippin’ enchilada in 2028.
‘Cause sometimes you’ve gotta lose before you win.
And by “the whole enchilada,” I’m not talking about a theoretical third presidential term. I mean President Trump will turn election reform into a rallying cry for the Republican base — and the 2028 nominee will make it a key platform issue. Election reform will be Trump’s post-presidential legacy, not his presidential reality.
What Ronald Reagan was to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the death of the Soviet Union, Donald Trump will be to election reform.
He can’t take us to the Promised Land himself, but through his wounds, we’ll be healed. It’s Trump’s destiny to eat the arrows and bring us to the precipice; it’ll be someone else’s responsibility to sign election reform into law.
PRojection: Pay close attention to 2026 storytelling devices/developments that allow Trump to advance the election reform football.
Historical headwinds are what they are. That — coupled with Trump’s polling numbers — makes it probable that the GOP will lose the House, and there’s about a 50%-50% shot we’ll also lose the Senate. Nothing is guaranteed, but that’s my best guess where things are headed.
The downside of the Dems winning the midterms is considerable: Bogus investigations, impeachment charades, and death-by-subpoena will be the Donkey’s SOP. Trump will have to rule via executive order (which he’s kinda-sorta already doing), since all Republican legislation will be dead on arrival.
But the upside’s considerable, too.
When the choice is between Republican governance and left-wing promises, Republicans are at a disadvantage. That’s because left-wing promises of equality, everyone receiving their “fair share,” and endless “free” government goodies will always be more enticing than the mundane realities of running the country.
Free healthcare, free education, free housing, and free food — and those evil billionaires will pay for everything?! Sign me up!
Liberals have the upper hand when their policies are theoretical, because then the focus is strictly on how lovely their promises sound. (And if everything you know about history, economy, and politics is from TikTok videos, it sounds pretty dang great!)
But they lose elections when their policies become real, because the results NEVER match the promise.
At least now, Trump and the GOP will have a foil to run against. The contrast won’t be theoretical: President Trump is trying to rebuild the economy, preserve the American dream, stop Islamic crazies from acquiring nukes, and protect voters from election fraud. Good, common sense, 80%-20% platform issues.
Meanwhile, the Democrats are obsessed with destroying Donald Trump, dismantling free markets, and pushing socialism.
I’d rather win than lose. I’d love to go undefeated. I hate losing elections! Losing sucks!
But losing in 2026 will probably make it easier to win in 2028.
So keep an eye open for Election Day stories about weird shenanigans in blue states. Reports about DSA loons taking advantage of electoral turmoil. Statistically improbable outcomes. Illegal aliens and foreign nationals voting in our elections.
It’ll be our political currency in 2028.
PRaise: I’ve blasted myself as a “PRedator” a few different times, so it’s only fair to give myself a pat on the head when I (finally) do something right.
Yesterday, we broke a little news about why the Fox News Channel has been so reluctant to discuss voter fraud. It’s a story I’ve been sitting on for two years.
Fox News is an important asset to our cause. Despite my criticism, the political landscape would be a colder, darker place without FNC as a counterbalance to the rest of the mainstream media.
It ain’t the powerhouse it was five or ten years ago, but it’s still the most valuable platform in all of conservative media.
(Besides, my job requires me to work with the media! Picking a fight with Fox News isn’t exactly helpful to future clients. And most of my interactions with FNC have been very positive.)
Furthermore, I can understand why FNC avoids election fraud like the plague: NewsCorp is in the profit-making business; $800 million settlements are a REALLY big deal.
But NewsCorp is also in the news business — and that means it can’t secretly ban newsworthy topics!
FNC’s silence was allowing nitwit reporters like CNN’s “chief media analyst” Brian Stelter to bull[feces] the American people. Stelter actually said on-air:
And here’s maybe the best tell of all: Fox News did not spend much time on this after the speech. They moved on right away. Fox News barely talking about this speech this morning. That tells me some of Trump’s allies in MAGA media know this might not be a winning issue for him. [emphasis added]
I’m sorry, but if a lowly PR pro like me can figure out that FNC’s silence was less an editorial commentary on Trump’s primetime address — and more to do with legal/business directives from ownership and management — then so should’ve CNN’s “chief media analyst.” That was simply absurd.
It was so frickin’ egregious, either Stelter is deceitful or a dope. (Or maybe both. I report, you decide.)
I wish Fox News had stood up for itself and told the truth from the get-go. Honesty would’ve been a far smarter PR move than staying silent — and allowing others to “spin” FNC’s motives.
All it’d take is a couple of sentences: “After NewsCorp settled its lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News’ management made the editorial decision to avoid discussing theoretical forms of voting fraud. Our silence shouldn’t be interpreted as an endorsement or condemnation of any specific presidential claim. We look forward to carefully analyzing these fraud allegations, vetting the results, and sharing the information with Fox News viewers as quickly as possible.”
But one way or the other, the truth had to be told.
PRedator: Let’s give this one to CNN’s Brian Stelter. We haven’t raked him over the coals nearly enough.
He’s a propagandist who cosplays as a media analyst.
And that’s something you should keep in mind when he returns to your TV screen. While trying to expose FNC’s “best tell of all,” he inadvertently exposed his own ignorance and political bias.
We don’t always catch propagandists mid-shovelful. But Stelter was shoveling it awfully fast on CNN. It was sloppy, dishonest, and 100% untrue.
When someone shows you who he is, believe him.
Unfortunately, same goes to cable news networks, too.
Anyhoo, on a lighter note:
Keep dreaming!
