Battleground Politics With Lauren Mayk

Politics
News Commentary

Philly
NBC Philadelphia
Politics
PHiladelphia
NBC Phila
Lauren Mayk
NBC10

From voters to politicians, NBC10's Lauren Mayk explores the dynamics and decisions happening in one of the country’s key political battlegrounds - Pennsylvania - along with New Jersey and Delaware.

Philly Dem Party chair Bob Brady discusses 2024, shifting city politics

Lauren Mayk sits down with Philadelphia Democratic Party chair and former Congressman Bob Brady to talk about Philly and PA’s role in the 2024 presidential race, the emergence of the Working Families Party, and shifts in the city's politics.

In this episode:

1:30 - Biden and the Philly area

5:15 - Bringing Philly coalitions together

9:38 - Shapiro and Kendra Brooks

10:57 - 3rd party candidate concerns?

12:02 - Trump support in Philly

15:16 - Biden and energy sector unions

16:21 - Is Biden too old?

18:42 - When will Bob Brady retire?

21:15 - Importance of the Philly suburbs

The latest on Pennsylvania state politics with reporter Marc Levy

Changes are underway in Pennsylvania, where there is a new governor, a power shift in the General Assembly and the possibility of an earlier 2024 primary. Lauren Mayk sits down with AP reporter Marc Levy to discuss the latest developments with Pa. state politics.

In this episode, they discuss:

:50 - Lauren and Marc’s connection

3:05 - The political state of Harrisburg

5:15 - Pennsylvania budget

7:28 - Will Josh Shapiro run for president?

12:00 - Earlier primary date for Pa.?

15:55 - Poll staffing challenges

20:24 - Casey and Fetterman

23:00 - Waiting on McCormick?

24:50 - A shift in power in Pa.?

28:07 - Can the GOP get Pa. voters back?

Understanding Pa.'s 2024 GOP voters with poli sci prof Christopher Borick

As GOP presidential candidates court voters in early voting states, Lauren Mayk talks to Republican voters in Battleground Pennsylvania, and political science professor Christopher Borick, the director of Muhlenberg College’s Institute of Public Opinion.

Cherelle Parker, Philly's potential next mayor, discusses police, Sixers arena and more

In Episode 4 of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, she talks with Philadelphia's Democratic candidate for mayor Cherelle Parker about a wide range of issues facing the city.

Included in their conversation are Parker's views on the search for a new police commissioner, the shooting of Eddie Irizarry, and a recent controversy involving her staffers and an email that was accidentally sent to a Philadelphia news publication.

Here's a full breakdown of the episode.

1:40 - Potential police commissioner candidates?

5:10 - Eddie Irizarry shooting

6:46 - What’s Parker’s stance on stop and frisk?

8:59 - Should the Sixers arena plan go forward?

13:05 - Supervised injection sites

17:00 - Democrats, GOP and Working Families Party

19:35 - The influence of labor groups

21:44 - Should Philly families have access to lifelong scholarships?

24:44 - What change could Parker bring to Philly?

27:00 - Staff email controversy and reporter access

Kristen Welker, 'Meet the Press' moderator and former NBC10 reporter, talks 2024, current political landscape and her Philly-area roots

In Episode 5 of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, 'Meet the Press' moderator and former NBC10 reporter Kristen Welker talks 2024, the current political landscape, her Philly-area roots and Pennsylvania’s role in the upcoming election cycle.

Welker also talks about the division in U.S. politics, women who mentored her throughout her career and what it was like covering the Philadelphia region as a reporter with NBC10.

Here’s a full breakdown of the episode:

:47 - Becoming the new 'Meet the Press' moderator

2:43 - Dealing with the current media landscape

3:52 - Important political voices for 2024

4:57 - Chaos in Washington?

6:40 - Division in U.S. politics

8:00 - How important is Pennsylvania in the election cycle?

9:30 - What was it like growing up and reporting in Pennsylvania?

10:57 - What was it like covering politics in the Philly region?

13:22 - Casey vs. McCormick

15:42 - Will voters show up on Election Day?

17:12 - Women who mentored Kristen throughout her career

Former GOP Rep. Charlie Dent speaks on ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

In Episode 6 of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, former GOP congressman Charlie Dent, who represented Pennsylvania’s 15th congressional district from 2005 to 2018, shares his thoughts on the recent ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Dent also weighs in on potential candidates to replace McCarthy and whether or not bipartisan support for a new speaker is actually realistic.

Here’s a full breakdown of the episode:

:46 McCarthy ousted

2:15 Finding a new speaker after McCarthy

5:31 What does Washington think of McCarthy being gone?

7:20 Is bipartisan support for a new speaker realistic?

9:20 What mistake did McCarthy make?

11:18 Is there enough political will for a bipartisan agreement?

12:31 Is Brian Fitzpatrick a potential candidate for speaker?

14:41 An unprecedented situation

15:06 Does Charlie Dent want to be the new House Speaker?

David Oh talks crime in Philly, Sixers arena, future of the GOP and Green Beret controversy

In Episode 7 of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, Philadelphia's Republican candidate for mayor, David Oh, discussed a wide range of issues, including crime in the city, the search for a new police commissioner, stop and frisk, the proposed 76ers arena, the future of the GOP and accusations that he falsely claimed to have served in the Green Berets.

Oh also spoke about the deadly police shooting of Eddie Irizarry, building trust between police and the community, and the city’s ghost gun and gun shop lawsuits.

Here’s a full breakdown of the episode:

1:30 – Crime in Philadelphia

3:33 – Looting in the city

5:16 – Who would David Oh pick for police commissioner?

7:10 – Deadly police shooting of Eddie Irizarry

9:02 – Building trust between police and the community

11:15 – Philly’s ghost gun and gun shop lawsuits

12:25 – Proposed 76ers arena

15:33 – Can Republicans hold their seats in City Council?

18:36 – Green Beret controversy

25:50 – Who will David Oh support in the 2024 presidential race?

29:15 – David Oh speaks on his military service

Pa. GOP Chair explains why Republicans are now embracing mail-in ballots

In the latest episode of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, Pennsylvania Republican Chair Lawrence Tabas talks about why his party as well as former president Donald Trump have recently embraced mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 election. Meanwhile, political consultant Mustafa Rashed discusses whether the GOP change will alter the tactics of Democrats.

Here’s a full breakdown of the episode.

1:17 – How Republican voters are reacting to the ‘Bank Your Vote’ campaign

2:22 – Why Trump changed his stance on mail-in ballots

3:05 – How can Republicans catch up with Democrats on mail-in ballots?

4:36 – Changing the minds of Pennsylvania Republican voters

5:56 – Is Lawrence Tabas comfortable about mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania?

6:36 – How Republicans developed the ‘Bank Your Vote’ campaign

7:21 – Are Republicans getting pushback on mail-in ballots?

8:16 – What would the GOP consider a success for mail-in ballots?

9:50 – How are Democrats currently approaching mail-in ballots?

11:11 – Do Democrats need to handle mail-in ballots differently?

12:30 – The importance of Philly’s General Election

14:10 – The impact of local organizations on mail-in ballot voting

15:30 – GOP voters beginning to embrace mail-in ballots

16:30 – The future of mail-in and early voting in Pennsylvania

Carolyn Carluccio and Dan McCaffery speak on heated and critical race for Pennsylvania Supreme Court

In Episode 9 of Battleground Politics, NBC10’s Lauren Mayk speaks with Republican Carolyn Carluccio and Democrat Dan McCaffery about their heated and expensive race for Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court. The race between both candidates has gotten plenty of attention outside of Pennsylvania due in part to the possibility that the Pa. Supreme Court could see cases involving abortion and elections in the future. Democrats hold the majority on the court and the race won’t change the balance of power. But if Carluccio wins, it would cut the margin down to only one justice.

Here's a full breakdown of the episode:

Republican Carolyn Carluccio

:50 - How and why the race has become heated

1:18 - How else should judges get selected if we didn’t elect them?

1:45 - Why Carolyn Carluccio is a Republican and her political alignments

2:15 - Carluccio responds to allegations that she wiped anti-abortion language from her website

3:15 - Pa. Pro-Life Federation endorsements and Carluccio's stance on abortion access

5:25 - Judicial activism

6:40 - Election laws in Pennsylvania and voting by mail

8:47 - 2020 election

10:46 - Possibility of changing Pennsylvania’s constitution

11:40 - Why Carolyn Carluccio wants to be on the Pa. Supreme Court

Democrat Daniel McCaffery

12:25 - The race has become national and heated

14:05 - Why Daniel McCaffery is a Democrat

15:03 - Democrats and abortion rights

16:17 - What McCaffery could do while on the court to protect abortion access and women's rights

18:01 - Judicial activism

19:15 - Responding to attack ads, scandal accusations

21:55 - Constitution as a living document and what that means

23:01 - Debate over election laws

24:12 - Handling mail-in ballots

25:05 - Pennsylvania’s constitution potentially amended by voters, Supreme Court

Kendra Brooks on the rise of the Working Families Party in Philly

The Working Families Party has been gaining power in Philadelphia and recently won two City Council seats.

Kendra Brooks was elected in 2019 as part of the Working Families Party and then reelected in November along with Nicolas O’Rourke.

In the latest episode of Battleground Politics, Lauren Mayk spoke with Brooks about how they did it, what’s ahead in City Hall and what she and her supporters will do in 2024.

Here’s a full breakdown of the episode:

1:00 – How will City Council be different with two Working Families Party members?

2:51 – What issues would Kendra Brooks like to take on in the next year?

4:40 – Relationship with Democratic Mayor-Elect Cherelle Parker

6:28 – Why is Kendra Brooks not a Democrat?

8:38 – What’s next for the Working Families Party?

10:28 – Will Working Families Party voters support President Joe Biden in 2024?

12:02 – Are Working Families Party voters satisfied with President Biden?

14:18 – Is there anything President Biden needs to do to win over non-supporters?

15:08 – Does Kendra Brooks support President Biden?

15:30 – What did Kendra Brooks learn from the primary?

17:56 – What conversations helped the Working Families Party appeal to voters?