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Laura Coates Live
Trump Campaigns In Mississippi As GOP Fears Senate Seat At Risk; Trump Responds To Obama's Cheesecake Factory Jab; GOP On Alert In Florida Amid Tightening Governor's Race. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired October 26, 2026 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN HOST, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, I mean, he's a pure populist. I remember Michael Wolff in "Fire and Fury."
Listen to this story. He told this story. It's long-winded, I don't have enough time to tell it, but it's Trump and they're on an airplane and they're leaving Florida, going to Atlantic City.
There's a model present. It's not Melania as far as I know.
And Trump wants to make a detour. And he says, let's go to Atlantic City. And the model says, what is Atlantic City? And he said, it's a place for white trash.
I'm just like them, except I have money.
LYDIA MOYNIHAN, CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK POST: He probably says McDonald's. Obama makes fun of Cheesecake Factory.
VAN JONES, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We don't have the time to explain all of this, but he's a fake, phony populist. He's the most elitist person. You're an elitist when you steal billions of dollars while you're supposed to be doing your job.
JOANNA COLES, PODCAST CO-HOST, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AT THE DAILY BEAST, FORMER CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER AT HEARST MAGAZINES: And smothering the White House in gold. Smothering it in gold.
SMERCONISH: Why are we not talking about the federal government plans to monitor polling locations?
DAVID WASSERMAN, SENIOR EDITOR AND ELECTIONS ANALYST, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: Because it's impossible.
There are far more polling places in this country than there are ICE agents or federal troops who could police or intimidate voters. So I think this is a fake concern.
SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, SALEM RADIO HOST, AUTHOR, FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: All polling places are already monitored. There are poll workers at every single polling place. Lot of them are volunteers. And by the way, we should thank them for their service because they do
good work for the American people.
SMERCONISH: Can we end on a provocative note? David Wasserman, tell everybody, who is going to single-handedly, potentially, determine control of the U.S. Senate? One U.S. Senator, who will that be?
WASSERMAN: John Fetterman from Pennsylvania.
SMERCONISH: Because, listen to this, go ahead.
WASSERMAN: If we had a 51-49 result on election night, and look, I think the more likely result, all these races are going to go the same way. But the median outcome would be 51-49 for Democrats, and he'd be the wild card.
He's got no path to re-election as a Democrat in Pennsylvania in 2028. He's got two congressmen who are chopping at the bit on the Democratic side to primary him. He would have an avenue if he switched parties and got Trump's endorsement.
But my prediction, he's going to serve up the last two years of his term as a Democrat who loves to antagonize other Democrats and enter the private sector afterward.
SMERCONISH: But if he became an I who caucused with the Rs, again, in a 51-49, he becomes the Angus King of the Bernie and single-handedly determines control of the U.S. Senate. Just something to fire away. A little Easter egg for the program.
Everybody, thank you for being here. Before we go, catch me every weekday morning, 9 A.M. Eastern Time, Sirius XM's POTUS channel, Saturdays, 9 a.m., here on CNN.
Thank you for watching "NewsNight." "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Good evening, everyone. Welcome to a special edition of "Laura Coates Live" Countdown to Election Night." Yes, we've got eight days to go. And tonight, President Trump is spending precious campaign time in one of the reddest states in the country. I'm talking about Mississippi, a state that he won by 23 points just two years ago. But now, GOP Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is facing an unexpectedly tough challenge from Democrat Scott Colom, and he will join me live in just a moment.
I've also got my panel here to continue the conversation and break down the latest twists and turns in the battle for Congress. We want you at home to join me on our coverage. Send us your comments and your questions at cnn.com/engagepolitics. We answer them live on air at this very hour.
Now, Trump is trying to pass off his campaign stop in Mississippi as no big deal. Take a close listen to what he's actually saying and maybe more importantly, how he's saying it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: You know I'm here because Cindy is doing great, but I just got to make sure. I can't take a chance. Sometimes, when you think somebody is doing so well, nobody votes. They all stay home. Oh, Cindy is great. She's going to do it. No problem. Let's stay home. And then bad things happen, Cindy, right? So, that's why I'm here. Just get out and vote.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: A lot of just in case for a race, he says, in the bag. And in another possible sign of how stark the midterm map has become for Republicans, he is dangling, and I mean dangling, yet another election season promise. And this one involves a seven-figure payout. One million dollars to anyone who reports a tip about voter fraud that leads to a conviction.
Now, first of all, I have to tell you, voter fraud, thankfully, is extraordinarily rare. And the White House also has not explained just exactly how this reward would even work. But it's the latest midterm pledge with a price tag.
[23:04:59]
Remember, you got the $5,000 Trump dividend checks if Republicans win the House and Senate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If we win the midterms, you're going to get the $5,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The only caveat is you have to spend that $5,000 in the United States of America. Let's have lunch at Mar-a-Lago, where for $5,000, you'll get one hamburger and a small dessert.
(LAUGHTER)
I shouldn't say that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Might be true. In Kansas, though, he is promising to make permanent year-round sales of a special type of fuel. Again, say with me, if the Republican incumbent wins.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: With Roger Marshall in the Senate, we will make year-round E15 permanent. But if Adam Hamilton is in, I'm not doing it. That's it. I'm only doing it for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: And in North Carolina, he has tried to link compensation for veterans and families exposed to toxic water at a marine base, Camp Lejeune, to Republicans winning Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If we win the House and the Senate, I am directing the Department of Justice to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible. So, if we don't win, there's no money. If we do win, you're getting it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: But there's one price tag I haven't mentioned yet, and that's the political cost of Trump losing a Senate seat in a deep red state like Mississippi.
Here to respond to the president's rally tonight is Mississippi Democratic Senate nominee, Scott Colom. Thank you for joining us, Mr. Colom. The president attacked you. He called you a disaster. He mocked your name. Are you worried that his visit tonight is going to give new motivation for Republicans to get out to vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith?
SCOTT COLOM, MISSISSIPPI SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Not at all, Laura, because the reality is Mississippians have been betrayed. They will promise America first, and they're getting Mississippi last. They will promise lower grocery prices on day one. The only thing that happened on day one is we got the largest sale tax in decades, and it's got prices through the roof.
They will promise no more endless wars. We're back at war with no end in sight. We've got diesel that's hurting our farmers. Diesel prices are hurting truckers.
We will promise the release of the Epstein file. Well, the only thing that happened is the president started protecting pedophiles, and Cindy Hyde-Smith let him.
And all we're getting is corruption out of D.C. That's why they're worried. That's why they're lying. But you can't pay for gas with lies. You can't pay for grocery with lies.
COATES: You know, you chatted with voters who are waiting in line for the Trump rally tonight. What did you learn? Did you -- did you convince any of them to change their minds, knowing that they're at a rally for Trump, but to vote for you?
COLOM: Yes. Listen, there was one person who, you just showed, took a selfie with me. Let me tell you how that happened. We were chatting as a group, and one of them recognized me from the ads. And I said, listen, you know, some of those ads are full of lies. Whenever they're talking about the candidate and they aren't talking about you, the voters, or the issues that are affecting you, then you know they're lying. And this guy said, man, he's right about that. And he's like, listen, can I take a selfie with you? Because you're my type of guy. Took the selfie with him.
And, you know, the voters out there, they want to fight it on the issues. They were talking about gas. They were talking about grocery. There was a farmer out there that said the tariffs have been terrible. And, you know, they just want somebody who's going to look out for America first.
And the reality is that the president and Cindy High Prices, that's what I call her, because that's all we get from her, is high prices, she's betraying us.
COATES: In an interview with "The Washington Post," a Trump supporter, Janet Middleton, who was seeing you visit her community, says, this is her words, you're an all-right guy, and she'd love to see you run as a Republican. But Janet won't vote for you. She worries your victory would hand Democrats control of the Senate. So, how do you convince voters like Janet or the person in line wanting to take a selfie with you that you're the type of guy, you're a good person, but they are party-captivated?
COLOM: Yes. I mean, there are some Mississippians that don't feel like the Democratic Party is looking out for their values. And I've just got to communicate to them that I've got their values and vision in mind. I believe in a secure border. I think the president has done a good job in that. I believe in protecting Second Amendment rights. You know, I think the president has done a good job when he's -- you know, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime. He does good when he looks out for the working class.
What I don't support is when he betrays the working class, when he does stuff like, you know, hurt our farmers, hurt the people that believed he would release the Epstein file.
So, what I would tell that voter is you need someone that's going to hold the president to his promises, and that's what they'll get with me.
COATES: You mentioned President Trump.
[23:10:00]
He wants people to pretend he's on the ballot. Obviously, your opponent is the one on the ballot. But do you believe that Mississippi voters associate her directly with Trump?
COLOM: You know, I think she's uniquely disqualified. I mean, she does not campaign. She hasn't done a town hall in six years. She refuses to debate me. Whenever she does a news interview, she makes a gaffe. I mean, look at tonight. They put her on the rally. President Trump called her up there, wanting her to speak. She had nothing to say. She said, listen, he's the best president ever. He looked at her opera league. She went back. And that's because she's got nothing to run on. She's got nothing to say to the voters.
And so, you know, that's another reason why I'm going to beat her, is because she's uniquely bad. I'm uniquely good. I'm uniquely fighting for the issues that matter. Anybody that supports that, go to scottcolom.com, because we're about to flip the sip.
COATES: Former President Obama, he endorsed you earlier this month. And you've campaigned with the former vice president, Kamala Harris. And Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to join you on the trail, I understand, tomorrow. Why are you embracing national Democrats that many Mississippi voters seemed to have rejected in the past?
COLOM: Well, here's the reality. I'm trying to bring attention to the issues that matter. Let me give you an example. You know, our junior senator, Cindy High Prices, she voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill that brought billions of dollars to the state of Mississippi, but she loves to go to the ribbon cuttings and brag about the money because she doesn't expect Mississippians to know that she voted against it.
Now, if I did a press conference outside one of those projects, nobody would come. You know why I know that, Laura? Because nobody came. I did some.
(LAUGHTER)
But if I bring Pete Buttigieg now and I have him say, listen, I helped bring the money to expand Amtrak back to New Orleans, and then your junior senator voted against it, so the question is, why does Pete Buttigieg care more about transportation and infrastructure in Mississippi than Cindy High Prices? And I'm bringing attention to the issues that matter because I'm not going to let her run her high.
COATES: Well, you have about seven days to go until the voters will come out and tell you what they think. Scott Colom, excuse me, thank you so much.
COLOM: Thank you for having me. God bless.
COATES: I want to meet my panel, former advisor to the Biden White House Press Office, Yemisi Egbewole, CNN political commentator Shermichael Singleton, former national security official during Trump's first term, Miles Taylor, And editorial board member for "The Washington Post," Carine Hajjar. Glad to have all of you guys here.
First of all, let's talk about for a second the fact that the president of the United States is in this very red state, Mississippi. He seems to be conveying that it's in the bag. He's just there so that nobody makes the mistake of thinking that she's so safe that you don't turn out to vote. Is that a stretch or a strategy?
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I mean, look, there's a large African-American population that doesn't traditionally vote in the higher numbers that they're capable of voting. And when you look at a lot of focus groups and survey data, African-American voters are angry at the president, and they're turning out a lot of the anti-DEI stuff, a lot of the loss of work for Black women, and particularly at the federal level.
COATES: So, you think Trump is worried about that?
SINGLETON: I would actually be worried about that, particularly in the south where most African-Americans reside. And so, I think Democrats, you just talk to a candidate that has been very effective at talking to African-Americans about some of their plight and some of the issues that they have with Washington.
Engaging those voters, turning them out should be a concern for Republicans, particularly, Laura, when we wasted the 24, 25 percent of Black women that we got in 2024. We wasted that support.
COATES: I want to hear from you. I have a question for you. I want to hear what you have to say about it, too, Miles. If Scott Colom pulls off, this is one of you, if Scott Colom pulls off an upset in Mississippi, will that make the Democrats take the south more serious and start paying more attention to the south? Why don't you try to address that?
MILES TAYLOR, AUTHOR, PODCAST HOST, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF AT DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: Yes, well, maybe. I mean --
(LAUGHTER)
COATES: Great answer, Miles.
TAYLOR: I can't avoid, though, saying that this is just politically bad, bad, bad, bad, bad for the president of the United States, that this is where he's spending his time right now. I mean --
COATES: The president or Republicans more broadly?
TAYLOR: Both. The light is blinking red for them. I mean, we were talking just a little bit ago during commercial break that this is the anti-corruption election. We have now seen Fox polls and AP polls and Reuters polls and Gallup polls all show that Americans say corruption is the number one issue or among their top issues.
I did the analysis a week ago. I think we were the first to say this is the first election since polling began in the 1930s that this is the top issue for American voters, not even in 1974 after Watergate was corruption number one, the economy was, and you're seeing that affect the deep red battlegrounds the president should be defending.
I'm going to give you a number, Laura. I'm going to break some news tonight because right now, we just released on corruptionland.org a documentary about corruption in Washington. We did a back-of-the- envelope assessment and found that the top 100 instances of corruption in the past two years total $377 billion.
[23:14:59] So, when you hear the candidate talk about Americans dealing with high prices, they then look at, well, where's the money going? It's getting traded among insiders in Washington. Their taxpayer dollars are being misappropriated. Democrats, Republicans, and independents are waking up to that.
COATES: I mean, that's got to be a long documentary on corruption in Washington, D.C. I'm going to tell you that right now. Carine, what do you think about --
TAYLOR: It kept changing right until the final cut.
CARINE HAJJAR, EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER AT THE WASHINGTON POST, FELLOW AT STEAMBOAT INSTITUTE: Agreed that corruption is -- I'm hearing it from voters on the ground, too. This is trickling down. But it's not just where Trump is tonight. Where is J.D. Vance?
COATES: Yes.
HAJJAR: Kansas, Montana. We're talking about a lot of red states that voted for Trump, double-digits. And it was interesting to hear Scott Colom bring up issues that Trump ran on and voters feel he has not fulfilled his campaign promises on. He brought up Epstein. He brought up agriculture. He brings up the economy.
COATES: Right.
HAJJAR: And so, when you're seeing Republicans in these places where there is, you know, deep red support, it seems to me a sign that Republicans are saying, please hold on, bear with us. We failed you on the issues that we promised to follow through on and give us a little more time.
COATES: Is there a path for him in Mississippi, do you think? I mean, incumbents clearly are on the chopping block for a lot of voters in general on both sides. Do you see a path in Mississippi?
YEMISI EGBEWOLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO BIDEN WHITE HOUSE: I think if Democrats had invested in the infrastructure before this instead of scrambling, Scott Colom would have a very different situation. It wouldn't feel so uphill.
I want to really bring it back to the south. As a southern Democrat, I've gotten to see Georgia change from having a David Perdue, a Johnny Isakson as senators, a Sonny Perdue as governor, and we've totally transformed.
At the federal level, Georgia is still a Republican state. But you look at Mississippi, had a supermajority, it shrunk. Brandon Presley ran for governor last year, comes within three points. They have more elections coming up, especially next year. This is the time to make a strong investment in the south because you have really exceptional candidates coming up.
COATES: And what does that look like, just money into the different campaigns or something different? EGBEWOLE: Full support for the state party. I mean, Stacey Abrams may have lost the gubernatorial, but what she did was she made investments from her campaign in the state, really raising up that grassroots base. And now Georgia, I think, is a state we don't lose as much sleep over.
COATES: More to talk about here, for sure. Everyone, please, stand by.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He said this isn't a cheesecake factory. Can you believe it? Which is a very successful company.
COATES: The cheesecake factory has just entered the chat. President Trump responding tonight to that viral attack line from President Barack Obama. The question is, did Trump just make Obama's point? That's next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COATES: Well, by now, you might have already seen this jab from President Barack Obama taking one at President Trump over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What's up with the gold?
(LAUGHTER)
He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: You know, that clip has now racked up millions of views on social media, a reference to the president's revamp of the White House and Oval Office, of course, with gold ornaments.
But President Trump was not laughing along with the joke. In fact, he spent a little near 10 minutes at his rally tonight responding to Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He came in yesterday, and he made a speech. And part of his speech was to say, isn't it terrible that Donald Trump spends a lot of his time -- very little time. I do it very good. I'm really good at real estate and fixing things. Donald Trump spends a lot of his time fixing up the White House. Isn't that a nice thing to do? He said this isn't a cheesecake factory. Can you believe it? Which is a very successful company.
We have the most beautiful marble. It's not money. It's peanuts. We built the most magnificent ballroom you've ever seen. It's under construction. It's ahead of schedule. Barack Hussein, he didn't talk about that. He really didn't talk about all that. He talked about the ballroom that -- he spends all his time thinking about the ballroom. That has to be pristine. And I would try and explain that to a guy like Obama, but he wouldn't understand.
I report to you that it is in better shape than it has ever been. It looks beautiful. Our country must have a beautiful, pristine -- it's a symbol, the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Wow! Are there other things to talk about, Mr. President? You know what? My panel is here. Let me give you all a topic, as they say, on this. First of all, why is he so -- I mean, it is almost -- my question is not rhetorical, but it is. Why would this be the focus? You watch people behind him. They're not leaning. They laughed initially or they wanted to address it. But why focus so much on this?
EGBEWOLE: Because it's his only dig to try to get to the working class. It is the only way to distract from the fact that he has made $2 billion, that he has employed people like Secretary Bessent that are doing little pop-ins to the cheesecake factory and popping out worth half a billion dollars and saying, this is really the bastion of the working class.
Let me tell you something. The cheesecake factory is like a fancy night. I really think if you want to get at the working class, if you made fun of the Waffle House, we would be understanding each other a little bit more.
But to him, I also think that there's a personal animosity when it comes to how loved and favored Barack Obama is and what a rhetorician he is as well. There is like an obsession that the president has with Obama that he cannot get over.
[23:25:02]
TAYLOR: When you see those two clips side by side, we've all gotten that adage before in politics, when you're explaining, you're losing. When you're explaining for 10 minutes and you're taking the joke so poorly, it does the whole job for you in the opposite way you wanted it to.
What struck me about Obama's clip, look, this comes from someone who spent a decade working against Obama's politics on Capitol Hill and beyond, but the humor works. It lands. It lands so well. We know that throughout history, that when wannabe autocrats fail, they fail the worst when their opponents are able to poke fun at them and they can't take the joke. SINGLETON: We'll see if it lands. I mean, where was Obama when he made those comments? He was in Michigan. Why? Because El-Sayed is struggling with Black voters in and around Detroit. We'll see if those remarks turn out Black voters and mobilize them to believe that Democrats actually care about their issues and not what's going on with Palestinians and Jewish Americans.
We'll see if President Obama, being in Michigan, somehow secures support for Jewish Michiganders who do not believe that El-Sayed represents their views or will protect them in the United States Senate or believes in the statehood of Israel. That's why he was there.
And so, I think it's great to talk about Obama's oratory skills and to laugh about how cheered the crowd was and rallying behind the former president, but does it move the needle fundamentally for a candidate who's struggling with two core groups that he needs to win, particularly African Americans? I'm not sure yet.
COATES: Well, we'll see, actually right now, that the president was in Michigan over the weekend and repeated a string of Islamophobic attacks against the candidate, Abdul El-Sayed. Will this land?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm here to keep a jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member from becoming a United States senator, and that's the fact.
(APPLAUSE)
We're not going to let that happen.
If Abdul and the Democrats win, they will open the floodgates and invite hordes of jihadists to our shores, creating a nightmare of violence and terror until you cannot even have a Christmas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Carine, do you think that this lands with Republican voters in a place like Michigan, let alone the fact that the president is campaigning, saying, pretend I'm on the ballot, obviously in other places as well? Will this land, do you think?
HAJJAR: Actually, he's playing right into El-Sayed's hand here because El-Sayed has started to say, you know, as people are questioning, you have Republicans like frantically looking for a Muslim Brotherhood membership card, right? And he's able to say, why are you -- why are you guys asking that question? Why are you paying attention to me this way?
And he's conflating, in some cases, actual prejudice and Islamophobia and sort of the type of rhetoric you're seeing with Trump, and then very valid reasons about the people he associates with, the problematic policies he champions, choosing to campaign with somebody like Hassan Piker, the things he said about Israel, his response to things like the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. So, if anything, Trump is really helping El-Sayed here by laying the path there for him to say, oh, they're just focusing on my religion. And really, voters should have valid questions about El-Sayed's radical associations with people like Hassan Piker and his policies.
COATES: You also have focused a great deal on national security. And, obviously, Republicans in the past have used this as a kind of feather in their cap to talk about national security interests. Now, we can obviously disagree whether this, in fact, is really about national security or something else. But is this tactic likely to be successful in 2026, given the messengers?
TAYLOR: Unfortunately, I think the jury is out. I would like to say it's obvious. Lindsey Graham was the one who said in 2016, if we elect a race-baiting, xenophobic bigot, we will lose and we deserve to lose. That's basically what Lindsey Graham said. Donald Trump thinks it's politically advantageous.
I'll tell you, Laura, in 2016, when Donald Trump said Muslim ban, I was one of the Hill staffers on the Republican side. They sent up to try to give the candidate, Donald Trump, an alternative policy and say, Muslim ban is not what you want. What you want is to screen out radical, violent jihadists from the immigration flows and protect America.
And at the time, I naively thought, you know, he's probably just -- he doesn't know these issues enough. He's saying something really inartful and racist like Muslim ban. I no longer believe that anymore. Donald Trump meant what he said when he said Muslim ban.
Now, Donald Trump is getting to be Donald Trump. And the question will be, without people to paper over his deficiencies, is he right that, politically, this benefits him? And I think it tells us a lot about who we are if these attack lines actually work in Michigan.
COATES: Well, candidate Mike Rogers is also talking about similarly and hoping that that will -- obviously not to the same extent that President Trump is, but he thinks it's a winning argument.
[23:29:58]
SINGLETON: Yes. I mean, look, again, I go back to my point about Jewish residents in Michigan. You've had, I believe, 60 or 70 rabbis who came together that issued a statement against El-Sayed from all across the country that said, your response as to where you stand on Israel are unsatisfactory for us. We do believe some of your views are radical. We are worried about Jewish Americans in this country and the policies you've supported, the individuals you've surrounded yourself with, and what that means for voters in your state that you must represent.
COATES: Look how you have articulated that.
SINGLETON: Well, I mean, I'm not a ready warrior.
(LAUGHTER) I wish I were ready.
COATES: You've articulated it in a way that was not the way the president of the United States thought it was appropriate to do so.
HAJJAR: Well, you've made a really great point here because if Republicans were being precise, they could highlight these more problematic associations, more problematic stances that El-Sayed takes.
COATES: Which he has -- he has defended himself on many of these times.
HAJJAR: Defended himself. They're not sufficient. He doesn't defend himself well. It's really hard to defend standing up there and stumping with Hassan Piker or trying to rationalize, for example, the almost attack in your home -- of a synagogue in your home state.
EGBEWOLE: I think a lot of Democrats would like him to come a bit off of the defense and understand that voters do have questions because they are hearing a lot of this rhetoric on the T.V. and to respond in a way that feels less contentious.
COATES: Well, one viewer has this question or a comment. Fear is a motivator. Does your panel believe that the Republicans' fear message will resonate this cycle?
Well, to your larger point about the idea of the defense and beyond, what is your reaction, guys? The idea that you do have people realizing that fear is a motivator. We talked about it as a strategy in the past, whether you agree with it or not. But the fear message more broadly, is that going to resonate?
TAYLOR: Republicans have got to pick which fear they want to stick to because it keeps backfiring on them. The president and his team wanted to make this election about the fear of socialism. And then the president of the United States promised everyone $5,000 checks if he voted for him. And then the president of the United States took more stakes in different companies around the country. And the president of the United States rewarded his business interests and his oligarchs.
They're having a really hard time making the case about socialism when they're hosting the Chinese president at the White House and bringing in all the top business leaders in the United States and hugging the Chinese Communist Party. That's not working. So, he's shifting tacks to fear about jihadists. I don't think they can land on a message to actually make the fear stick.
COATES: We have more to come. I want to hear everyone's response. So, please, stand by.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID JOLLY, FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE, FORMER FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE: The problem in this environment isn't that I used to be a Republican, it's that Byron Donalds still is one, because the reality is people are exhausted by this president's Republican Party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Democrat David Jolly pulling no punches in Florida's governor's race as he suggests he's in a position to beat Congressman Byron Donalds. So, why is that race so tight? You know what? I'll ask Congressman Donalds about that and much more next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOLLY: People are worried about the economy, frankly, in Florida, a little exhausted from the culture wars and the continued lessons arguably from our Republican candidates that say if we just stay divided a little bit longer, somehow, life will get better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: That's Florida Democrat David Jolly making his case for why he thinks he's got a shot at the governor's mansion. That's despite Florida's track record is a reliably red state. The polls suggest it's an uphill battle but that Jolly may be within striking distance of his opponent, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds. Now, if Donalds wins, he would be the first Black governor of Florida and the first Black Republican governor anywhere in this country.
COATES: Joining me now is Republican nominee for Florida governor, Congressman Byron Donalds. Welcome back to the program, congressman. As we just talked about, your race seems to be close. Your opponent, David Jolly, says it's close because -- quote -- "people are exhausted by this president's Republican Party." He's associating that with you. Do you think that's the reason this race is close?
REP. BYRON DONALDS (R-FL), FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: No, I don't. I think, look, you have two new people on the ballot, and so everybody is having to take the time to go see the voters. We've been crisscrossing the state of Florida, talking to voters nonstop. My campaign team and I, we've knocked over two million doors in this campaign to be Florida's next governor.
And what the people of our state are concerned about, they want to lower insurance premiums in our state. That's why my plan lowers insurance 20 percent for Floridians.
But I'll tell you, above all else, as I talk to the voters all through Florida, they want Florida to continue to be the best state in America. So many people have chosen our state over California, over Illinois, over New York, New Jersey, and so many other blue states because they're tired of Democrat governance in those states. They want to live in a commonsense state. That's what Florida has become, and that's why we're going to win on November 3rd. COATES: Which is strikingly interesting, that you are close given the track record of it being a very red state and that voters in Florida have overwhelmingly chosen Republicans, at least, in the statewide offices, including when it came to the presidential election. But I take your point, the voters must decide next week.
But, as you mentioned, the issues that are very important to you and voters in Florida, one of the big issues this election is, of course, high costs, affordability. Pick any synonym you want. But some of that is tied to President Trump's actions in Iran, which he has defended, and he now says America is getting richer because of the spike in oil prices. Listen.
[23:39:56]
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TRUMP: So, our country is making hundreds of billions of dollars because of what has happened in the Middle East, because they're coming to Texas, and they're coming to Oklahoma, and they're coming to Louisiana, and they're taken that oil.
I could just see the fake headlines. President Trump is talking about all the money they're making while people are suffering at the pump. That will be the headline. But I said, I don't give a damn. I'm going to say it. We're making a freaking fortune. Our country is getting stronger and stronger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: He's right. That will likely be the headline because, as you mentioned, affordability is very top of mind. Do you think that the voters in Florida that you were trying to appeal to would see it the way the president does in terms of the gas prices, well, being something to downplay?
DONALDS: Well, look, I will tell you, talking to people in our state, we want to see lower gas prices. Everybody wants to see that. I want to see that as well. Obviously, we can't let the Iranians have a nuclear weapon.
But when it comes to the economics of the great state of Florida, even though people want to see those prices come down just like I do, there are things that the governor of Florida has control over, and that's why our campaign has been laser-focused on lowering the cost of insurance in our state, making sure that we low property taxes --
COATES: Well, hold on. I don't want to cut you off. I want to dig in.
DONALDS: But Laura, there's more. Laura, there's more. Hold on a second.
COATES: I want you say the rest --
DONALDS: Sure. Go ahead. COATES: -- but I want you to clarify this point because I think it's an important one, because you -- I don't want to gloss over what I think the voters would really want to hear from, and you can finish your point, congressman, please.
DONALDS: Sure.
COATES: But the idea of having these two things be true, no nuclear weapon, gas prices, you mentioned what a governor could do, could what the governor could possibly do override the impact wherein chief is able to do by having a war?
DONALDS: I believe so. I'm going to give you another example. Let's talk about housing costs. We know that 30 percent of the cost of a new home is government permitting and -- permitting costs and permitting timelines. It's not a roof. It's not sheet rock. That's just government policy and processes on the local level and actually at the state level.
So, my plan is to reform permitting and planning in the state of Florida to drive down construction costs. When you talk about affordability, they're looking at everything, not just one item.
COATES: You would be, if elected, the first Black governor of Florida. You would also be the first Black Republican governor of any state. And earlier this year, you told me your campaign is -- quote -- "not really about my race," but you seem more open to talking about it now while trying to win over Black voters. What has changed?
DONALDS: Well, actually, a lot of the press talks about it. And now that we're in the general election, yes, I've been going to all voters in Florida. You know, political consultants, they like to get to just 50 plus 1. I'm trying to get the support of all Floridians.
So, yes, I do talk to Black Floridians, I talk to Hispanic Floridians, white Floridians, and I talk about the same policies no matter what room I'm in because it doesn't matter if you live in Overtown or Little Haiti or if you live in Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola where I was this morning, everybody wants to drive down the costs in this state.
But the other thing they also want to do, Laura, they want to make sure that Florida continues to be a commonsense state that values law and order, backs our law enforcement officers, and makes sure that our children have a true shot at the Florida dream. This is why in my education plan --
COATES: You're not politically naive. You`ve been successful running and being elected as a member of Congress. So, the idea of political ads or negative political comments and beyond, totally not foreign to you.
But there are some people who support your campaign, who have made racist comments about some Black Democrats. Laura Loomer happens to be one of them. She has called Angie Nixon, who is running in your state, things like a Ghetto, black, communist 'B' word. She has done it multiple times.
Are you tolerating that from your supporters? Are you speaking out about that?
DONALDS: No. What we are focused on is something very clear. We want Florida to continue to be the best. And look, when you're in campaigns, like you said, people get called a lot of things. I've been called a lot of things by people on the left, everything from an Uncle Tom to a coon and things like that. I never really hear Democrats come to my defense on those matters.
And so, I think the voters of Florida are going to decide this election in another eight days. On November 3rd, I think Florida is going to speak loud and clear once again that they reject the insanity from blue states. That's why so many people have chosen Florida.
I will tell you something really quick, Laura. When I do events all across Florida, I ask people, who was born and raised in our state, and you get about 10 to 20 percent of the hands in the room go up. These are people, like my wife, multiple generation Floridians. They love this state. They want Florida to continue to be Florida.
But then we also see the people who've come from blue states, and they're sick of that governance, they're sick of the crazy policies, they're sick of the big government policies that have actually made their lives tougher and made their communities and their states less safe, and that's why they choose Florida.
[23:45:03]
COATES: Well, they're also sick of racism. They're also sick of comments that they believe belittle or paint with a broad stroke. And just as the comments, I'm assuming, were offensive to you, that you say have been made, wouldn't it be something in behoove a governor to condemn those things, to uplift Florida to the level that you would like it to be?
DONALDS: Listen, I don't want anybody to be targeted with racist rhetoric or antisemitic rhetoric. I don't tolerate those things. And as governor, the party that I am leading is a party, number one, that has always been focused on tolerance and making sure that everybody has access to opportunities regardless of their background, regardless of their party, regardless of where they come from and how they've actually been able to matriculate in the United States. And so, if you're going to talk about what the leadership looks like coming from me, you're going to see that we treat everybody with respect.
Even the other day, I had a bunch of protesters at one of my rallies. Obviously, they were supporting other people on the ballot. I went up and I actually talked to them, and I engaged them, tried to have respect for them even though I know we have vehement disagreements. And so, that's the type of governor I will be.
I'll be very clear. I don't tolerate racist rhetoric. I never have. I don't tolerate antisemitic rhetoric. I never have. I'm going to be a leader in the great state of Florida that's going to respect all people even when we don't agree on policy, even if we have disagreements on rhetoric, but I'm going to be a governor for all of Florida.
COATES: If you are so intolerant, does that mean that you condemn what Laura Loomer has said?
DONALDS: What I condemn is I don't condemn going after people just because of how you feel or you want to stereotype them. I don't support that kind of stuff.
COATES: You don`t condemn that?
DONALDS: But I also -- but I also want to be clear. Listen, Laura. I've always condemned that type of rhetoric. It never comes out of my mouth. I don't appreciate it when it happens. I think it coarsens our politics and it actually allows people to build up walls between them. But I will tell you that that type of rhetoric, quite frankly, it's far too common in our politics today.
What I want us to get back to are just the commonsense policies that people can agree on. In Florida, those commonsense policies are based in conservative policy. Conservative policy is the policy that allows parents to decide where their children go to school. It allows for law enforcement to be supported. It allows for limited government. It allows business owners to thrive and families to thrive. That's the leader I'm going to be as Florida's next governor.
COATES: Seven days to go. Congressman Byron Donalds, thank you.
DONALDS: Thank you.
COATES: A lot of questions coming in from you at home on our cnn.com/engagepolitics page. Keep sending them in. We'll be answering them here live next.
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COATES: All right, my favorite part, that time of night where we invite all of you to join the conversation. So, let's start answering some of your questions. You've got a lot of good ones. If you still want to be a part of it, go to cnn.com/engagepolitics.
And guess what? My panel is back with me to go through it. Here's a question, everyone. OK, first one, does Trump really think Americans care about his remodeling projects when they are struggling? Hmm. Carine?
HAJJAR: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
I actually think he does. I mean, when he's responding to President Obama's, you know, cheesecake factory jab, he seems genuinely wounded. And I think that the president actually -- we might not agree on his aesthetic choices, but I think he really does care about them.
And it's funny because all the people who are complaining about all the time he spends on design and interior design and all of this seem to be the same people who are complaining about all the time he spends on policies they don't like. So, maybe there's some tactical maneuvering that can be done there.
COATES: Well, we'll see. He talks about being good at that. He wants everyone to know, but there's a war. Number two, shouldn't we be asking what Mike Rogers is doing to get the Muslim vote? Well, you brought up Michigan. Go ahead.
SINGLETON: We shouldn't take any vote for granted. Many Muslim residents of Michigan are business owners. You listen to the Democratic candidates' pronouncements about the role of government and higher taxation and more compulsory force over what small businesses can and cannot do, spreading the wealth around.
I think there's a pocket of Muslim business owners that say, wait a minute here, I may actually vote for the Republican candidates. So, we should reach out and target and engage with those voters. Absolutely.
COATES: Well, President Obama remains one of the most popular figures among Democrats years after leaving office. Will Trump have the same lasting influence among Republicans? What do you think?
EGBEWOLE: I think for Republicans that want to maybe end up in the same house that he has remodeled, he will have a lot of influence because he's going to have to give his stamp of approval. But I think that Majority Leader John Thune is going to breathe a sigh of relief when Donald Trump is out of the White House.
HAJJAR: I also wonder how many other Republicans -- if we're going to see behavior just shift if he does become a lame duck, you know, and Democrats take Congress, are Republicans going to speak out more the way that you see, for example, Thom Tillis speaking out more because he's not running again? That's what I'm really curious to see in the next, I guess, few weeks. We'll find out.
COATES: What do you think, Miles?
TAYLOR: Look, a guy who builds monuments to himself over and over has a sneaking suspicion people aren't going to love him in the long run. And so, he's got to put his name on every building, on every monument possible. Look, Barack Obama left office with an approval rating in the mid to high 40s. Donald Trump is likely to leave office with an approval rating in the 20s. He ain't going to be anything like Barack Obama when it comes to presidential legacy.
COATES: All right. Here's a new question. Does your panel believe the Alaska situation is the first round of many to come in an attempt by the Republicans to alter the midterms?
[23:54:59] Of course, they've got two of the same candidate names, and they're hoping to be able to stop the certification in some way around that based on potential confusion which -- by the way, it's a secret ballot. If you vote for a different candidate that came as a win doesn't mean that you voted incorrectly or that it should be changed, but what do you think?
SINGLETON: The secretary of state said, like, there's only one purpose that this guy is on the ballot. It is to sow confusion among the electorate there. And so, I think we should be concerned. Now, I don't think we should prematurely file lawsuit. We should wait and see what the results are.
But I am concerned that there are some voters that may say, well, wait a minute, is this the right guy? Is this not the right guy?
COATES: But it says incumbent and Republican next to his name in the ballot.
SINGLETON: Look, common denominator here. That's all I'm saying.
COATES: So, no faith in that?
SINGLETON: I just worry about it.
EGBEWOLE: I love that they doubt Dan Sullivan. Mary Peltola has been one of the highest earners for Democrats. She has done a great job of differentiating herself from the national Democrats. She has even said, I don't need help from the lower 48, I can handle this all by myself. She run a great campaign. I'm not surprised that they're going to try to pull everything out to stop her.
COATES: We'll see. Thank you so much, everyone. You can stream my show live on the CNN app. And if you haven't heard, we're now streaming in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Scan the Q.R. code on your screen or go to CNN.com/allaccess to learn more. And thanks for watching. "The Story Is with Elex Michaelson" is next.
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