Ep. 15 - Rep. Dave Trott
In this episode of The Republican Legacy Podcast, Chris Vance, Lynn Schmidt, and Merrill Matthews are joined by R.J. Lyman, Our Republican Legacy’s Massachusetts State Chair and president of the Niskanen Center, for a wide-ranging discussion about the Republican Party, the midterm elections, and the future of the conservative movement. Lyman discusses the tradition of moderate Republicanism in New England, what it means to view America as a creedal nation, and why Republicans from very different ideological traditions can still find common ground around shared principles. The panel also surveys key races across the country, including contests in New Hampshire, Missouri, Texas, Iowa, and Ohio, as Election Day approaches.
Then, Chris, Merrill, and ORL Michigan State Chair Chuck Brown sit down with former Michigan Congressman and ORL founding member Dave Trott. Trott reflects on how the Republican Party has changed during the Trump era, his experiences serving in Congress during Trump’s first term, the state of the Republican Party in Michigan, tariffs and trade, and what he expects from the midterms. The conversation also turns to 2028, Congressman Don Bacon’s potential presidential run, and the coming debate over the future direction of the Republican Party.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Election Night Preview
02:10 – Meet R.J. Lyman: Massachusetts Chair & Niskanen Center President
03:08 – The New England Republican Tradition
04:46 – What Could Win New Hampshire in 2028?
07:31 – Missouri Politics and the Midterm Environment
09:24 – New Hampshire’s Senate Race & America as a Creed
11:44 – Finding Common Ground Across the Republican Party
13:06 – The Expanding Midterm Battleground
13:22 – Texas and the Senate Map
15:59 – Could Split-Ticket Voting Make a Comeback?
17:00 – Are the Polls Pointing to a Wave Election?
18:24 – Iowa, Ohio & Other Races to Watch
20:13 – Why ORL Is Focused on 2028
21:17 – Former Congressman Dave Trott Joins the Podcast
23:14 – ORL’s Five Core Principles & the Republican Party
24:37 – Congress, Trump & Standing Up to the President
27:27 – What Happened to the Michigan Republican Party?
31:18 – 2028 and Don Bacon’s Potential Presidential Run
33:11 – Republican Enthusiasm & Michigan’s Senate Race
36:16 – Tariffs, Canada & the Michigan Economy
38:35 – Is a Blue Wave Coming?
39:57 – Michigan’s Battleground House Races
43:06 – The Coming Fight for the Republican Party in 2028
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