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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Trump-Backed Candidates Win Big in Arizona Primaries; U.S. Completes 11th Night of Strikes against Iran; Zelenskyy Fires Military Chief Following Widespread Protests; New York Mayor Mamdani Reiterates Criticism of Netanyahu; 6,600 Non-Citizens Mistakenly Added to Voter Rolls in New Jersey; Future of Democratic Party Takes Center Stage in Michigan. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired July 22, 2026 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: -- was like, this new administration discussion doesn't make sense in our writers' room, but maybe it will, who knows?

I'm going to tell you, I would want a reboot of "Reservoir Dogs." That would -- what, full disclosure, I was in an all-female cast of "Reservoir Dogs," called "Reservoir Female Dogs." The word was exactly there. I was Miss Orange so have a great show. I'm casting.

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: There's so much more I want to know more about that, but --

COATES: I know.

MICHAELSON: But I guess we'll have to do that for another night, Laura. Have a good one.

COATES: Bye.

MICHAELSON: It's tough to get back on track after that.

Let's start THE STORY IS right now.

And THE STORY IS election night in America. Arizona's high stakes primary, where Trump backed candidates are sweeping the nominations. We're live in Scottsdale.

THE STORY IS threats and attacks. The U.S. completes yet another new strike against Iran as the Pentagon chief seeks more funding for the war.

And THE STORY IS Ukraine's president replacing the country's military chief after days of protests and public anger.

Welcome to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

We begin in Arizona where it is another election night in America. Candidates endorsed by President Trump there are winning big in the House and governor's primaries. We can bring up our favorite music. CNN can now project that Trump-backed Congress member Andy Biggs will win the GOP governor's primary. And look at the margin there. Over 70 percent of the vote. He's defeating moderate David Schweitzer by a wide margin, who is leaving his House seat to do this race. Biggs will take on incumbent Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in November.

The president's picks also prevailing in two key House primaries. CNN projects former NFL place kicker Jay Feely will win the Republican contest in Arizona's First Congressional District. And former county sheriff Mark Lamb will advance to the general election in the conservative leaning Fifth Congressional District.

CNN's Steve Contorno is live in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Andy Biggs party.

Steve set the scene for us. Talk about the energy there. I mean, this is a huge margin for Andy Biggs. And give us a preview also of what's ahead, what could be one of the closest races in the whole country.

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's a massive, massive win. And it just shows the power of President Donald Trump's endorsement. It really, really, really throws this race and turned it into an Andy Biggs show and neutered the rest of the field.

I have to tell you, having spent some time on the ground here in recent days, you didn't even really get a sense that the other candidates were mounting much of a campaign at all against Biggs. They have spent very little money. The airwaves are almost empty of any ads other than ones being run by Biggs and his now confirmed opponent in the fall, Governor Katie Hobbs.

And that matchup is going to be one of the marquee races in the country this year. Hobbs is, by many accounts, the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent governor in the country. There are 300,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats here. Donald Trump won this state just a few years ago, so Republicans have reason to feel optimistic. Hobbs only won her seat by less than a percentage vote.

But Republicans have struggled with candidates who look an awful lot like Andy Biggs. Kari Lake, the outspoken former TV broadcaster, has twice lost with Trump's endorsement. Blake Masters lost a U.S. Senate seat in 2022. He also had a very contentious background, very outspoken. Andy Biggs has tried to moderate himself a little bit, not on policy, but on his substance or on his style.

He is someone who has embraced John McCain. That is not something you heard past Republicans do. He is trying to talk about ways that he has kept his conservative credentials while crossing the aisle. Democrats, though, have a lot of ammo to show just how conservative his record is. It includes voting against expanding Medicaid in Arizona, pretty strict views on abortion, as well as trying to help Donald Trump overturn the 2022 election. That is going to be a key issue in this race.

MICHAELSON: Yes, it's going to be fascinating, that race. Meanwhile, let's bring in the conversation. Jeremy Duda, who is one of Axios' reporters working in Phoenix. This

is his full time gig reporting on Arizona politics, knows it so well. Let's talk about the First Congressional District. We can maybe bring up the results in that particular race.

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This is one of 18 seats in the entire country that the Cook Political Report describes as a toss-up. Give us some brief context on what's next in this race. We see Jay Feely advancing on the Republican side, former NFL kicker. And then we'll look at the Democratic results as well. Talk about this race.

JEREMY DUDA, REPORTER, AXIOS PHOENIX: We're still waiting -- as you mentioned, we're still waiting to see how things shake out on the Democratic side. On the Republican side, you know, Jay Feely, he had Donald Trump's endorsement. Looks like that was certainly enough to carry him to victory over an opponent who was actually, probably, you know, a very MAGA, very conservative opponent, very much -- someone who's very much supported by kind of the Trump MAGA base.

But, you know, NRSC got involved. They endorsed Feely. They were looking ahead, I think, to the general election. As you mentioned, this is just one of very few competitive seats in the country, and it's very difficult to imagine either party actually winning control of the House without winning the First Congressional District.

MICHAELSON: And so in terms of like, what's going to be the issue that drives that race, Jeremy?

DUDA: Hard to say. I mean, obviously, you know, economy, affordability, these are all huge issues here. I think just, you know, in many ways, it very well may end up being kind of a referendum on, you know, the Trump administration. You know, this is a district that's kind of gone back and forth between, you know, in those presidential races. I think it went for Biden in 2020. It went for Trump in 2024.

And, you know, David Schweikert, the congressman who decided to forgo reelection to run for governor here, you know, he always had some pretty tough races in this district. This is going to be difficult. I think we're going to see a lot of money from both sides. This is going to be one of the biggest races to watch in the country.

MICHAELSON: Yes. We're looking at the Democratic numbers now for the first time. Amish Shah ahead. But that race still too close to call.

Let's go back to Steve for one more with you. And just in terms of, have we seen Andy Biggs yet? Has he spoken to the crowd? And if so, in terms of his message, we know that in the last few days he's moderated a bit because of the dynamic you're talking about? Maybe candidates going too far. What is sort of his main message now?

CONTORNO: We haven't heard from him yet. We are told that he is waiting for some other races to be called and some more ballots to be counted before he comes out and addresses this crowd. He was really closely watching the races for attorney general and secretary of state to see if the candidates that he had aligned with were going to be moving ahead with him. But you're right, he has sort of been trying to change -- to bring a different approach to this race.

You know, Kari Lake, for better or worse, drew a lot of attention to herself, and it helped her raise a lot of money. It helped her with the base and energizing them, but it really turned off the voters in the middle of the state, those McCain Republicans, and led to really hundreds of thousands of people voting for the Democrat in the Senate race two years ago and voting for Donald Trump.

And so there are, you know, hundreds of thousands of ballots up for grabs, potentially, of people who have split their ticket. And Andy Biggs knows that, his campaign knows that, and realizes that he's going to have to try to appeal to those people, not tell them to get the hell out of the party like Kari Lake did.

MICHAELSON: And a reminder why that secretary of state race matters so much is because who knows what's going to happen? Arizona clearly a swing state. And if there are questions about the election in Arizona, the governor and secretary of state, that really matters as well and could be pivotal in a few years' time.

Steve, Jeremy, thank you both for your reporting from Scottsdale. When Biggs comes out, we'll bring that to you live a little bit later.

But turning now to the war with Iran, U.S. Central Command announced the military completed its 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps says it responded with a counter-assault. President Trump says that the U.S. will be hitting Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, an underground nuclear site, quote, "pretty soon." But Iran is warning that a U.S. attack on its nuclear facilities would expand the war across the region.

Meantime, the conflict has cost $37.5 billion so far, according to the U.S. Defense secretary, although experts tell CNN the bill is likely much higher. Pete Hegseth and the Joint Chiefs of Staff testified before Congress seeking additional billions of dollars in funding for the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): Do we have the ability to destroy whatever is underneath Pickaxe Mountain?

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: A lot of -- Senator, a lot of our capabilities are classified. But if anybody in the world can reach anything on this, on God's given -- God's green earth, it's the United States military, the most powerful military in the world. It's all about options and tradeoffs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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MICHAELSON: Joining me now is Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador and assistant secretary of state. He served as a U.S. ambassador for five presidents, including Democrats and Republicans.

Mr. Ambassador, thanks for being with us. Why the focus on Pickaxe right now? And do we have a sense of how effective these strikes have been?

CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA AND IRAQ: Well, I think it's essentially going back to the roots of the thing. I think President Trump has realized that getting back to just a situation where Hormuz is open, it was open before the war, isn't really enough of a war game. So he's gone back to the issue of destroying their nuclear capability.

Pete Hegseth, who does not do very well when he testifies or when he frankly opens his mouth, is now suggesting that we can destroy everything. And, you know, the real question is, is any of this true? And so I think there's a -- there was not a lot of credibility for the administration early on in this. And I think there's even less right now. But essentially, the idea is to go back to the roots and go after Iran's nuclear program.

MICHAELSON: Well, to your point about Secretary Hegseth, while on the Hill today, Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia used some of his past statements and asked him about them. Here's some of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): Mr. Secretary, you stated we had, quote, "achieved every single objective." Was that an accurate statement four months ago?

HEGSETH: The main objective of this was to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Their main sites were obliterated.

OSSOFF: So just to review, you will not answer whether your statement made on the 14th day of the war that Iran's military had been, quote, "destroyed and made combat ineffective," was a truthful statement to the American people as you sit here and ask for tens of billions more for the conflict?

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): The senator's time has expired.

HEGSETH: It's a historic and effective military campaign against the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

OSSOFF: Won't answer the question.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: What do you make of that exchange and also sort of the broader question about war funding? At the end of the day, is the Trump administration going to get the money that they need?

HILL: Oh, I think usually administrations, when they go up and ask for money, which is essentially for our troops, are going to get the money. I think, I mean, because no one wants to be in a position of denying our troops what they need to do to defend themselves and to pursue their goals. But I think what we're seeing with Pete Hegseth is someone who simply doesn't have a lot of credibility, frankly, with anyone on the Hill right now.

And I think he's, you know, he's used lines before. He's trying to use them again about, you know, the strongest military. We all know that. And I think at this point, it's just not a lot of credibility. So it's, frankly speaking, rather painful to watch.

MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, today, President Trump welcomed the Lebanese president at the White House. This is the first Lebanese leader to visit the White House since 2009. What is the fact that this meeting is even happening tell you?

HILL: Well, whenever you have a meeting like that, you know, the staff will scurry around, gee, what can we give this guy? Because you want a deliverable. So I think that effort led to the idea of allowing commercial airliners to fly back -- to fly to Beirut from the United States. But essentially, I think it's important to see the Lebanese, after all a big part of the problem has been Hezbollah and the fact that the perception among the Lebanese, among the broader swath of population as represented by the government there is that, you know, they're being kind of neglected.

They're not being dealt with their concerns. They're not being taken seriously. So I think it's a good idea to meet him. But it's kind of sad to see the deliverable coming down to something that I kind of doubt commercial airlines are going to be that interested in.

MICHAELSON: Chris Hill, staying up late for us in Rhode Island with insights from somebody who's been inside the room where it happens so often throughout his career.

Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

HILL: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Speaking of the war with Iran, a U.S. official tells CNN that President Trump is expected to attend a dignified transfer of service members killed in the war with Iran. Four service members will be transferred to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday, but only two have been announced, First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan and Private Isabella Gonzales. They were killed in Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan.

Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad is also believed to have been killed in that same attack, and Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton was killed in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.

New U.S. tariffs have just taken effect on thousands of Brazilian imports.

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Officials announced that 25 percent tariffs last week after claiming some Brazilian policies have harmed American interests. Some of the items affected include beef, coffee, aircraft parts and more. Officials say they are open to negotiations with Brazil on that matter.

All this comes as Canada faces new 50 percent tariffs. They're set to take effect in 30 days, but Canada's prime minister is already taking steps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: We will look at all options in terms of how we would respond if they do come into effect. That's part of what we'll be discussing with premieres. Also in parallel, as I just said, that I'd spoken with the president. We agreed to intensify discussions. We'll begin that right away. And this is, you know, this is part of the negotiation. So the first objective is to get a comprehensive agreement that benefits obviously both countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Up next, democracy in action at a time of war. The latest changes in Ukraine's military leadership and why protesters have played a part. Plus, L.A. prosecutors start building their case against the singer known as D4vd. What we've learned from day one of that preliminary hearing.

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MICHAELSON: The preliminary hearing for the singer known as D4vd will resume here in Los Angeles in the coming day, and a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to move forward with a murder trial. Prosecutors accuse 21-year-old David Anthony Burke of killing and then dismembering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez last year. D4vd has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Celeste's family was present in court on Tuesday and for the first time saw photos of her body parts recovered from an abandoned vehicle. While they don't have to present all of their evidence during the preliminary hearing, prosecutors say they've connected the Tesla where Celeste was found to the musician. The L.A. County district attorney says his team can present enough evidence to more than satisfy the burden of probable cause. He also described the possible punishment D4vd faces if this goes to trial and he's convicted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATHAN HOCHMAN, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: D4vd will be facing a maximum punishment of life without the possibility of parole, or he is also death penalty eligible. The decision on whether or not to seek the death penalty has not been made at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Grim new details emerging in court about the killing of former British lawmaker Ann Widdecombe. Prosecutors revealed that the 78-year-old was struck 21 times with a hammer. They say suspect Joshua Kerry entered Whitcombe's home and then attacked her as she sat there eating lunch. Authorities say the assault lasted just two minutes. The 28-year-old Kerry was denied bail and will remain in custody ahead of a trial tentatively set for next June.

Britain's new prime minister says his government will work quickly to bring economic relief to voters. During Andy Burnham's first Cabinet meeting, he promised to tackle soaring costs of living in the U.K. and lower energy prices, which have been made worse by Russia's war in Ukraine. The prime minister is also reaffirming the U.K.'s steadfast support for Kyiv, which appears to have triggered an immediate response from Moscow.

A Russian naval vessel held a live fire exercise just a few dozen miles off the English Coast on Monday. The new Defense Ministry says Russia is playing with fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WES STREETING, BRITISH DEFENSE MINISTER: Firstly, we should see yesterday's events as performative and irresponsible. It's not the first time that Russia has behaved like this, and frankly, it's the tip of the iceberg of the daily threats that this country faces and our allies face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, Ukraine's president has fired that country's military chief. That shakeup follows days of protests and public anger over the recent ousting of the country's popular defense minister, whose reforms and innovations were often at odds with Ukraine's military establishment, including the former commander-in-chief.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think really this is a generational shift, and it's another

moment, I think, where Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appears to have suffered quite a self-inflicted injury here over the past week or so.

The departure of the Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, young, popular, really a disrupter, tearing up so much of the bureaucracy, some might say the cronyism of how the war was run, and making enemies while doing it, publicly clashing with the head of the general staff, basically the top general and commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Clearly, Zelenskyy said that the two men couldn't get along and he was having to adjudicate between them. You can't run a war like that. And it was Fedorov who had to go. Queue protests in the streets supporting Fedorov. Ukraine acutely aware of the political weight protests carry. And then they switched their attention to protesting against Syrskyi, demanding his removal to a number of days in which there clearly is a hunt on for the next head of the military.

He's interviewing candidates, Zelenskyy, and we have the announcement today, a generational shift, a man 17 years Syrskyi's younger. Mykhailo Drapatyi, at the front lines throughout in some of the most complex battles will now lead that. But we've had a remarkable few days of turmoil. Zelenskyy's proponents will say, look, this is democracy in action. This is the man listening to what civil society and his population wants. Others will say this was politics and visible before it even started.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[00:25:04]

MICHAELSON: Nick Paton Walsh in London for us.

New York's mayor says the Israeli prime minister is not welcome in New York City. But what is Zohran Mamdani saying about his ability to execute an arrest warrant? He just had an extraordinary video. Our panel, Dave Jacobson and Jon Fleischman, standing by live to weigh in on that right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

Let's take a look at today's top stories. President Trump is downplaying the impact of the war with Iran and the midterm elections on his decision-making. When asked if he believes that Tehran is trying to influence the midterms by threatening access to the Strait of Hormuz, he said, quote, "They won't have any impact on me. I'm just going to do the right thing."

President Trump's picks are winning big in Arizona's primary. CNN projects that MAGA Congress member Andy Biggs will win the Republican governor's primary. He will face incumbent Democrat Katie Hobbs in November. And in the Republican House primary, CNN projects Trump's picks Jay Feely and Mark Lam will also win their races.

And a surprising announcement from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill on Tuesday. She said about 600 non-citizens -- 6600 non-citizens were accidentally added to the state's voter rolls due to a software glitch at New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission that began in 2023. About 400 of them had cast improper ballots in recent elections. The governor says she learned of this just last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK: Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. The architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people. As I've said, I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC.

My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does. And I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: So that was a video posted by the mayor of New York after suggesting that if Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, came to New York, he would arrest him. Tonight, he's backpedaling from that, suggesting that the federal government should arrest him.

Let's bring in our political panel. Dave Jacobson is a Democratic strategist and co-founder of J&Z Strategies, and Jon Fleischman is the former executive director of the California Republican Party. His Substack is SoDoesItMatter.com.

Gentlemen, welcome to you both. All political geeks at the table here tonight. What do you make of the Zohran Mamdani video? The fact that he made this big threat and then had to walk it back.

DAVE JACOBSON, CO-FOUNDER, J&Z STRATEGIES: I think two things. One, it's not the first time he called Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal. He said this multiple times. So I'm not sure that that's news in and of itself. I think what is news is that he's breaking a campaign promise. He's walking back a pledge that he made and candidates do that. But I think the frustration that people feel right now, and one of the reasons that the Democratic Party is at a national historic low among the electorate, is because they feel frustrated and anxious.

Cost of living, number of issues. But among them, too often many Democrats make promises that they can't deliver on. And that's precisely this. He can't prosecute Benjamin Netanyahu. Now, the people of Israel can. There's an election coming up. People forget Israel is a democracy. October 27th, we have an election that people can vote him out. And he is facing charges for corruption in Israel. If he is voted out, he will likely face the judicial system in Israel for those criminal charges.

MICHAELSON: How do you see this?

JON FLEISCHMAN, CALIFORNIA POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Well, I mean, first of all, I certainly agree with my colleague that this is a broken campaign promise. It's difficult. I think Mamdani has got a certain core base that he's trying to deal with, and they're very animated on this issue. But, you know, I think one of the things that people don't realize is he talks about the ICC that was created by a treaty that was passed in Rome. The United States is not a signatory to that treaty. Israel is not --

MICHAELSON: International Criminal Court you're talking about.

FLEISCHMAN: Right.

MICHAELSON: The United States not a party.

FLEISCHMAN: Right. And nor is Israel a part of it. And it's kind of interesting because he's sitting there calling for -- basically calling somebody a war criminal without even saying they should have the due process of going through any kind of process. And what you really have is, I think is a situation and I think anybody watching this would say this. There's a big difference of opinion.

Now if you're Israeli, I'm Jewish, you know, when I look at what's happening, I think of October 7th attacks and I think of Palestine as an area that is harboring Hamas and all these terrorists, and Israel is defending its ability to stop this from happening next door. And -- but it's just a big fired up issue. And like you said, I think -- like you said, I think Mamdani is now trying to figure out how to handle it.

And the real answer, by the way, is that probably the mayor of New York ought to worry about the issues in New York and not the issues that are in Europe.

MICHAELSON: And for Mamdani, who's gotten so much national attention, what do you make of just the stagecraft of this? Because you're a guy who, like, literally makes campaign videos with candidates, right? The staging of him sitting at the desk and having the flags behind him, and then the serious music underneath and sort of like, like what, what are -- what's the message they're trying to send with that, for somebody who thinks about all that stuff so closely clearly.

[00:35:16]

JACOBSON: Whether you like him or you hate him, there's no doubt that he's like having a national moment. Can you remember the last time that a mayor of New York has gotten this much national coverage, week after week after week, and now he's --

MICHAELSON: Rudy Giuliani but that was --

JACOBSON: Sure. OK. That was -- that was unprecedented. Right. But you have this dynamic now where, you know, you've got these congressional races that he's throwing down in, and then he's victorious. And so he's having that sort of momentum whether or not you love him or hate him. And I feel like he's kind of backed into a corner on this issue because this was a key component of his message in the campaign and a justification to vote for him. He's the progressive. He's going to do these things, and now he can't deliver. And that's the challenging of governing.

MICHAELSON: Yes. And --

FLEISCHMAN: I would say, by the way, from -- to the point that you made, I think at some level, he's also trying to convey to everybody, I may not be able to keep this promise. He's not saying that. I'm the mayor and I've got all the trappings of the mayor. And I'm in this office. And by the way, I'm the guy that smiles all the time, and I'm a positive force. And he kind of needs to set out his own identification --

MICHAELSON: With some gravitas.

FLEISCHMAN: With some gravitas. MICHAELSON: You know, a lot of Democrats are animated by the Gaza

issue right now. A lot of Republicans are animated by the issue of voter integrity. And President Trump has been saying, show us the voter rolls because there are illegal people or people without documentation who are on the voter rolls. And today we get this headline from Mikey Sherrill, the governor of New Jersey, that, yes, we do have some.

Here's how she described it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. MIKIE SHERRILL, NEW JERSEY: In June of 2023, nearly three years before I became governor, a serious software error in New Jersey's Motor Vehicle System led to the improper voter registration of what we believe to be roughly 6600 people in our state. In the case of this error, some individuals indicated that they weren't citizens and weren't eligible to vote, but the software registered them anyway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Jon, did President Trump get this one right? And so does it matter, as you would say, what happened there?

FLEISCHMAN: Well, I mean, the first thing I would say is I want to issue some praise to the governor. I think she's handling it correctly. You know, you identify a problem, you come out right away, you're transparent about it. But I do think that this issue and what occurred highlights the fact that whether - putting aside all the rhetoric of Trump or, you know, I'm from California, so we have Newsom.

But in New Jersey, there is no harm and no foul to letting federal professionals look at the voter rolls and make information available to states about things they find in the federal database that would help them to identify situations and why I think this situation is unique because it's an error. This isn't voter fraud, but it's an issue that highlights the fact that there is no good reason why the states should not be partnering with the federal government, and everyone has an interest in making sure that we have clean voter rolls and that everyone can feel comfortable with the process.

MICHAELSON: Is there any good reason? Because there's plenty of Democratic states that's saying that there are.

JACOBSON: Well, listen, going to New Jersey, what I think was fascinating was 6600 people were inadvertently sort of added to the voter rolls. Only 400 of those people actually voted. That's like 90 percent of the people who got added to the voter rolls did not vote, not even 10 percent actually.

FLEISCHMAN: Yes, but 400 people voting is pretty egregious.

JACOBSON: No doubt. No doubt.

FLEISCHMAN: I mean, these are people who know it was a mistake. I'm not supposed to have a ballot, but I'm going to vote it anyway. And the tolerance should be zero.

JACOBSON: But I agree. However, if it's only 400 and if this is the largest scandal in modern electoral American politics that we've heard about in the last several years --

FLEISCHMAN: Well, I mean, to be clear --

JACOBSON: -- then our election system is pretty secure, I would argue.

FLEISCHMAN: Wait, but to be fair, we've discovered now people that were registered inadvertently, right? If there's real voter fraud, those are from people that are trying to get onto the rolls on purpose. And you can be sure that they're voting. And so again, at the end of the day, common sense says use every piece of information available to make sure that the rolls are clean. And there's no reason to not do that other than everyone has got their backup.

I don't want Trump in my state, but well, you know what? Trump is not going to do anything other than they run the database and give the information back to the states. And according to federal databases, these 4 percent of voters have a problem.

MICHAELSON: What's wrong with that? What's wrong with handing over that information?

JACOBSON: Look, I think the challenge is that you have a president who has just fundamentally undermined our electoral system. Let's not forget, when Democrats were in the White House in 2016, Barack Obama was president, Donald Trump won. And Donald Trump didn't call that election rigged. In 2024, Joe Biden, a Democrat, was president. He was running the country, and Donald Trump won that election. Guess it wasn't rigged. But when Donald Trump was president in 2020, it was a rigged election.

[00:40:03]

I think the problem is he has just dismantled our foundational sort of dynamic and view of elections in this country. And that is a real problem that he's sort of eroded the public's trust with our election system.

MICHAELSON: So are you saying you don't trust him to give him the information?

JACOBSON: Absolutely not.

MICHAELSON: And that's the foundation of what the --

FLEISCHMAN: The lack of trust. Because, again, at the end of the day, and it goes to like when the president gave his big speech, right, that he gave on primetime TV last week. If it were me, I would have opened the speech and then bring the professionals out to talk about what they found, what they would do. But he wants to be his own spokesperson, and he's not a very good spokesperson in terms of being the neutral arbiter about how do we deal with voter problems in America. He's simply not.

MICHAELSON: Yes, he does -- neutral does not seem to be his vibe. Love him or hate him.

JACOBSON: Not at all.

FLEISCHMAN: Right.

MICHAELSON: Jon, Dave, you guys are coming back in the next hour. Lots to talk about, including what's happening in Arizona tonight as we look forward to that big discussion about the midterms.

There is a growing battle for the future of the Democratic Party as we've talked about. And at the heart of that right now, and the whole country is really Michigan, the purple state. How the divide between the establishment and the insurgents could mean everything this November?

Our John King traveled to Michigan for a deep dive only he can do. We bring that to you next.

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[00:45:55]

MICHAELSON: We have some breaking news just in. An Australian judge has just dismissed a defamation case against actress Rebel Wilson. The case was brought by actress Charlotte MacInnes, the star of Wilson's directorial debut, a movie called "The Deb." She claims that Wilson posted misinformation on social media about alleged sexual harassment by one of the film's producers. MacInnes further claimed that the incident had damaged her career prospects and made her the subject of abuse, hatred and ridicule online.

Talk about elections, just over three months from now voters across the U.S. will be casting ballots in the crucial November midterms, which will determine if Republicans can hold on to their congressional majorities. The House is clearly within reach for Democrats, but they'll need a net gain of four seats to take the Senate, and that may come down to just a handful of contests, including in decidedly purple Michigan, where Democratic primary coming up in two weeks will be another test of progressive versus establishment candidates.

Our John King traveled there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A packed church basement on a steamy summer evening.

ABDUL EL-SAYED, MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE: All right, friends, money out of?

AUDIENCE: Politics.

KING (voice-over): The insurgent keeps it simple. EL-SAYED: Again, money out of?

AUDIENCE: Politics.

EL-SAYED: Money in your?

AUDIENCE: Pockets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Medicare for?

AUDIENCE: All.

KING (voice-over): And he pulls no punches.

EL-SAYED: AIPAC shouldn't be able to dominate our politics. Corporations shouldn't be able to dominate our politics. Chuck Schumer should no longer be Senate leader for anything.

KING (voice-over): Abdul El-Sayed is 41, the son of Egyptian immigrants. The former Wayne County health director.

EL-SAYED: You know, I don't pay my taxes thinking, man, I can't wait for Israel to get another tank. I can't wait for Egypt to get another set of bombs.

REP. HALEY STEVENS (D-MI): Thank you so much. Thank you.

KING (voice-over): Another church meeting hall, also just across the Detroit city line.

STEVENS: This is the best of Michigan.

KING (voice-over): Haley Stevens is 43 in her fourth term in Congress. Before that, worked for President Obama's auto industry task force.

STEVENS: The work that I was a part of when it mattered, you know, the work that we cannot forget.

KING (voice-over): No talk of revolution here. It is, yes, old school.

STEVENS: Big old rallies are nice things. I want to see who's in the neighborhood. I want to see who has pastor on speed dial, mayor on speed dial.

KING (voice-over): Promises to take on Trump, tax the rich, lower health care costs, but also talk that sometimes compromise brings progress. And a reminder this is purple Michigan. Stevens flipped a Republican held seat to get to Congress.

STEVENS: I became the first pro-labor, pro-power of the people Democrat since before the moon landing, to hold that seat.

KING (voice-over): The roots of this fight don't go back quite that far.

Michigan had a huge role in the first round of this insurgent versus establishment battle in the Democratic Party. That was a decade ago. The fight card, Bernie Sanders versus Hillary Clinton. Now this state and this Senate race by far the most consequential test as the revolution -- that's what Sanders and his allies call it -- tries to prove not only that it's back, but that it's bigger, deeper, stronger, and that this is its moment to remake the party.

Mamdani in New York, a handful of blue congressional districts, Graham Platner in Maine, until he imploded. But this race is bigger. It's a 2026 midterm battleground Senate race the Democrats simply cannot afford to lose, and Michigan will have a huge role in both the nomination chase and the general election in 2028 when we pick the next president.

TONYA RINCON, MICHIGAN VOTER: Yes. First day of the strike.

KING: First day.

(Voice-over): Tonya Rincon worked the Ford assembly line for 30 years. Her initial Senate choice quit the race.

RINCON: So I'm all the way in for Abdul.

KING (voice-over): Rincon rejects the idea he's too liberal to win statewide. Her worry is what might happen if El-Sayed loses the primary.

RINCON: There are some young people that are falling in love and I do worry that if Abdul doesn't win, they will be disenchanted just like the Bernie-Hillary kind of thing.

[00:50:02]

KING (voice-over): Nearly half of Michigan's population lives in Detroit and its close-in suburbs.

So this is Dearborn, suburban Detroit, majority Arab and a big piece of why Vice President Harris lost here in 2024. She lost statewide by 80,000 votes just here in Dearborn. She got 15,000 fewer votes in 2024 than Joe Biden did when he won Dearborn and won Michigan in 2020. 15,000 votes in one small city.

Why? Arab American voters mad then at Biden and Harris for what they thought was a green light to Israel in Gaza. Now those voters are mad at Trump. He's the president. El-Sayed hopes to tap that anger. He says he will be their voice. He says he will stand up to Trump, who he calls a dumbass, who lets Israel run his foreign policy.

And he says he'll also stand up to a Democratic establishment that he says is still beholden to AIPAC, the pro-Israeli political action committee. It's a huge issue in the Democratic Party right now, and a giant defining issue in this race.

(Voice-over): Walter Robinson, Jr. lives in neighboring Dearborn Heights. Its population 40 percent Arab. Affordability is by far Robinson's top issue. He is voting El-Sayed because he's a union guy and he trusts the United Auto Workers' endorsement process. WALTER ROBINSON JUNIOR, MICHIGAN VOTER: There's a lot of people that

feel like that the union shouldn't tell them what to do or how to vote, but like I said, connecting that ballot box to your bread box is vitally important.

JADE GRAY, MICHIGAN VOTER: What's your favorite spot you visited in Michigan so far?

KING (voice-over): Jade Gray is 22, just a year out of college, but she's worked as a Democratic organizer for five years and helped her first campaign at age 12 in 2016.

GRAY: I think we're seeing two paths emerge for the Democratic Party, and this is going to be one of a few examples of where we're really headed.

KING (voice-over): Gray takes El-Sayed's side of the Israel divide.

GRAY: One is an AIPAC backed candidate who is, you know, unapologetically pro, thank you, Israel. And you know, Abdul is against that.

KING: But she's very critical of Netanyahu.

GRAY: Right. She's critical of Netanyahu. I appreciate that, but who she's funded by, I don't think walks that walk. I like seeing a candidate who's, you know, unapologetically anti-Zionist.

ROBB LIPPITT, MICHIGAN VOTER: We got it going.

KING (voice-over): Robb Lippitt is more than patient with a pickleball novice, and he is more than anxious about this primary. A common topic during weekly matches with friends.

LIPPITT: I think they're creating litmus tests suggesting that Israel shouldn't exist, or being unwilling, as El-Sayed is, to affirm the idea that Israel has a right to exist as a state doesn't move us closer to peace.

KING (voice-over): Lippitt sees El-Sayed as part of a broader, troubling demographic shift.

LIPPITT: The socialist drift of the party and the hard line, and somewhat radical positions that they take are not good for the state or good for the country.

KING (voice-over): He loathes Trump and wants a Democratic Senate, but Lippitt says he and many other Jewish voters will face a painful choice if El-Sayed wins the primary.

LIPPITT: I think there are a lot of people that won't vote for El- Sayed.

KING: Are you one of them?

LIPPITT: Probably. I don't feel like the Democratic Party is a safe space.

KING (voice-over): Traverse City is along the spectacular Lake Michigan, population 16,000. Northern Michigan is mostly rural. In every way, a long way from Detroit and its suburbs. Ashley Ayala lives in a town of 1500 people, works for a nonprofit conservation group.

ASHLEY AYALA, MICHIGAN VOTER: There we go.

KING (voice-over): These goats working one section at a time to clear rural land.

What do you want from the Democratic Party? What's missing?

AYALA: Oh. I mean, there's a list of things. Where do I start?

KING: We got all day.

(Voice-over): Health care and child care costs are her biggest stresses, and she likes what she hears from El-Sayed there. But Stevens has appeal, too. Ayala thinks her experience might help get things done. Sometimes things her more moderate views might help in November, especially in rural areas like this.

AYALA: When it comes down to pen to paper, it'll be, yes. It'll be -- it'll end up being who is going to -- who has a better chance at winning?

KING: You're not sure who that is right now.

AYALA: I don't. I have no clue.

KING: Do you see yourself as kind of a referee? One of the referees, the voters in kind of a Democratic civil war or a family feud?

AYALA: I've always been a referee my entire life. Yes.

KING (voice-over): Ayala knows it's a giant choice for Michigan and beyond. And there's just a bit more time to chew it over.

John king, CNN, Maple City, Michigan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Still to come, French lawmakers vote to ban social media for children under 15. I'll go live to Paris, talk with an activist about how it's going to work and whether it could be a model for other countries.

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[00:59:34]

MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS the weather. Tropical Storm Bertha is slowly moving towards the central Gulf Coast. It is expected to bring thunderstorms, gusty winds and coastal flooding to parts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The storm intensified on Tuesday, but it is unorganized. Its structure will help keep much of its heaviest rains and strongest winds offshore.

Bertha will most likely make landfall or graze the coast of southeast Louisiana by Wednesday evening, as a weak tropical storm. It is forecast to track towards the upper Texas coast while weakening to a tropical depression later this week.