The Conversation with Dasha Burns

Dasha sits down with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor, for a special midterms edition of the show.

As Republicans face headwinds over affordability and rising costs tied to the war with Iran, Donalds explains how he can support President Trump while still disagreeing with him. He says Trump doesn’t want “yes men” and that he’s “allowed to have my own viewpoint” on how to govern Florida.

Donalds also discusses immigration enforcement, state regulation of AI, his past comments on race and voting rights, and the future of the Republican Party.

Have thoughts for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at 202-643-1536.

In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, sits down with Dasha at a campaign office in Kansas to discuss why he thinks the race is competitive – and why he believes a moderate, bridge-building approach can win over voters in this deeply Republican state.

Hamilton talks about the cost of fuel and tariffs, the war in Iran, his appeal to Republican voters and the role of faith in politics. He also responds to criticism from Sen. Ted Cruz over his theology, discusses whether Democrats can win over evangelical Christians and weighs in on whether President Donald Trump is a Christian.

Check out our new POLITICO podcast “Decoded,” starting on Monday, October 5. It will be a daily brief on the people, power moves, policy battles and market shifts defining what’s next in global technology. Subscribe here: https://pod.link/politicodispatch

Have thoughts for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at 202-643-1536.

In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Gina Hinojosa, the Democrat running for governor of Texas, sits down with Dasha at her campaign headquarters in Austin to talk about why she believes the race against Greg Abbott is newly competitive — and the lessons Democrats should take for 2028.

In the interview, Hinojosa discusses her pitch to working Texans, her push for a $1,500 “corruption tax refund,” the fight over public schools, abortion access, immigration enforcement, Latino voters, data centers and AI, and what she thinks national Democrats should learn from her campaign.

Hinojosa argues Texas voters are entering a “post-partisan” moment, driven by frustration with both parties, corporate power and the cost of living. “Is this the billionaire’s world and we just live here?” she says. “That is the fight in America. It is the fight for Texas.”

Have thoughts for The Conversation? Text or leave us a voicemail at 202-643-1536.

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Mosca’s Restaurant for a wide-ranging conversation about President Trump, the future of the Democratic Party and whether he might run for president in 2028. Landrieu discusses why he believes Joe Biden should not have sought reelection, how Democrats lost working-class voters, the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America and what it would take to rebuild trust in American institutions.



He also reflects on post-Katrina New Orleans and the lessons Louisiana politics offers the rest of the country. Landrieu previously served as the White House’s infrastructure coordinator after two terms as New Orleans mayor.



Plus: Jonathan and Landrieu dig into Mosca’s chicken à la grande, oysters Mosca and other Italian-Creole specialties.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who lost his reelection bid to a Trump-endorsed challenger, joined Dasha to discuss the future of the Republican Party and reflect on how to make Congress more effective as he enters his final months in office.

Cassidy, a physician and chair of the Senate Health Committee, also addresses his vote to confirm HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the measles outbreak and vaccine policy, the influence of the MAHA movement, Social Security’s looming funding crisis and the need for congressional guardrails on artificial intelligence.

Have thoughts for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at 202-643-1536.