2026 Midterms: Voters, Taxes, AI and California Politics

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Mark Simon and Bob Marks take a deep look at the political landscape both nationally and here in California.

The conversation begins with a remembrance of September 11, 2001, on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, before turning to the November elections. Mark and Bob examine the fight for control of the House and Senate, the races Republicans need to win, the role Donald Trump may play in the midterms, and whether a broader wave of voter dissatisfaction could reshape the political landscape.

In California, they discuss the governor's race, the insurance commissioner contest and several major statewide ballot measures, including the proposed billionaire tax, voter ID, CEQA reform and a measure involving taxes on higher-income Californians.

They also explore the rapidly growing political controversy surrounding AI and data centers. As California becomes an increasingly important center for artificial intelligence, Mark and Bob consider the concerns about water, electricity, technology companies and the potential risks of increasingly powerful AI systems.

The discussion moves to local politics in San Mateo County, where they examine uncontested city council and school board races, development and growth in San Mateo, and the unusually large number of local tax and revenue measures on the November ballot.

Finally, Mark and Bob consider the larger question facing politicians of both parties: What do voters actually want? After years of dramatic political swings, the answer may be surprisingly simple — would somebody please get something done?

(00:00) - Welcome and the 2026 Election

(00:46) - Remembering September 11

(05:28) - The 2026 Midterm Landscape

(06:21) - Ballots and Redistricting

(07:12) - Trump's Political Numbers

(08:09) - The House of Representatives