Pollster John McLaughlin on the Midterms, Democrats, and What Voters Really Want | 13th & Park

Send us Fan MailJohn McLaughlin, one of America's most prominent political pollsters and a longtime advisor to Donald Trump, joins Adam Goodman on 13th and Park for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of American politics heading into the 2026 midterms. McLaughlin, who has also advised Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu since 2003, opens with a look at the Israeli election and what his polling reveals about American attitudes toward Iran, including the finding that 61% of Americans believe Iran would use a nuclear weapon against the United States and its allies if it obtained one.On the domestic front, McLaughlin zeroes in on what he sees as the defining fault lines of the midterms: economic issues including taxes, healthcare affordability, and housing costs, and the growing influence of progressive candidates reshaping the Democratic Party from within. He argues that the biggest sleeper issue for Republicans is the Democrats themselves, pointing to the rise of figures like New York City Mayor Mondame as evidence that the far left is now driving the party's direction in ways that could alienate mainstream voters.McLaughlin also raises pointed concerns about polling methodology, arguing that several major outlets systematically undersample Trump voters and skew results toward adults who do not vote. He contrasts that with his own likely voter model and explains why the generic congressional ballot still shows a gap that Republicans need to close. The conversation covers the 2028 Democratic presidential field, the role of legacy media versus new media in shaping voter perception, and why the Republican midterm convention in Dallas could be a critical moment for framing the fall campaign.Adam Goodman closes with a tribute to McLaughlin's career, tracing his roots in the Arthur Finkelstein school of campaign strategy and his decades of work translating hard polling data into message that moves voters. The two reflect on past races they worked together, including a come-from-behind win for Frank Rizzo, and what it takes to deliver honest numbers to candidates who do not always want to hear them.Chapters0:00 Intro1:23 Israel Election and Netanyahu3:06 Trump's Historic Poll Numbers4:48 American Patience and the Strait of Hormuz5:20 Economy, Oil, and Midterm Turnout7:56 Sleeper Issues in the 2026 Midterms9:27 Polling Methodology and Media Bias10:45 Democrats, Progressives, and 202814:16 Comparative Messaging and Media Fragmentation15:34 American Values and National Pride16:46 Republicans as the Change Party18:53 McLaughlin's Career and Closing ThoughtsFollow Us!X: https://x.com/13thandParkIG: https://www.instagram.com/13th_and_park/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/13thandparkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@13th_and_parkFollow John McLaughlinX: https://x.com/jmclghlnWebsite: https://mclaughlinonline.com#johnmclaughlin #politicalpollster #2026midterms #republicanstrategy #trumppolling #democraticparty #progressivepolitics #americanelections #electoralpolitics #votersentiment #midtermelections #israelielection #politicalpodcast #13thandpark #campaignstrategy #washingtondc