Liam Donovan

Donald Trump comes in and actually doesn't even have a consistent set of preferences.

And so he just kind of mash buttons.

I think 22 is the example, kind of like 2012, where we realized this is unsustainable.

Republicans have to do something about this.

They figured that out, I think, in 2024, but in both directions, both the party and its leaders figured out how to work with Trump and his political operation.

And Trump figured out where he can be effective.

I'd argue that Trump and his political operation have done quite a good job this time directing traffic in a way that they hadn't previously.

It's what makes instances like Texas difficult.

to a lesser degree, Georgia notable.

So I actually think they've done a pretty good job there, but it makes the exceptions that much more boring.

I think that's right.

Each state, there's an interesting story we can get into in Louisiana, the most obvious.

But the fact that he is...

understanding that in Maine, Susan Collins is the only Republican who can win there and should win there.

And he's not mucking around there, right?

In the way that he is in, say, Louisiana.

Texas, I think, is a unique one in that it became a bargaining chip.

And in some ways, Senator Cornyn became collateral in this broader kind of tug of war.

I did.

What happened there between Trump and Cornyn?