Below is a transcript of the conversation, which is slightly edited for clarity.
Lucia Starbuck: You’ve been spending a couple of days reporting in Reno, going to a candidate meet-and-greet and following CD2. What have you learned?
Tamara Keith: I don’t know that it is truly competitive. Republicans have always won this seat as long as it’s been in existence, and yet right now, outside groups are spending hundreds of 1000s of dollars on ads to help support the Republican candidate in a district that President Trump won by 14 points.
Starbuck: If it does lean in Teresa Benitez-Thompson’s favor, what kind of national implications could there be? And what does that say about the potential of...I think a lot of people are wondering if there’s going to be a big blue wave?
Keith: If Teresa Benitez-Thompson wins, then Democrats are having a very good election. This is also a story about President Trump’s endorsements. President Trump has endorsed a number of candidates, including David Flippo, who were not necessarily the establishment choice. They are candidates who are definitely MAGA, who fit into the Trump mold, maybe have some controversies or challenges. In Flippo’s case, there’s the residency question, his finances, and how his military record has been discussed. He has apologized for his campaign literature describing him as having a bronze medal with valor. The valor was not part of that medal. The Texas Senate race is another one of those races where the Trump-endorsed candidate is going to require more money and more effort, and they may not have success in all of these races.
Starbuck: KUNR is moderating several candidate forums for governor, CD2, statewide races and legislative races. However, only a few Republicans have confirmed their participation. Some have outright declined. Some have completely ghosted. Is this unique to Nevada, or are you seeing this across the country?
Keith: There is a lot of skepticism among Republican candidates about traditional mainstream media. We have seen this building over time, but this is certainly something that President Trump has put voice to. I think that a lot of candidates on the Republican side, in particular, just sort of philosophically and politically, don’t see a lot of upside. That’s why they’re avoiding interviews, especially if they’re in a relatively safe seat. They feel like they don’t have to do it. The risk is always that you say something that becomes a problem for your campaign. I mean, it’s depressing. Part of democracy is having that open dialogue with your voters. Public media and the press more broadly, we are a stand-in for the public. It’s absolutely a shame that candidates don’t feel like they need to explain themselves.
Starbuck: You’ve been covering politics for NPR full-time for 15 years. What’s one interview or story that truly changed your perspective about politics or about the direction of this country?
Keith: Oh gosh, it’s all a blur.
Starbuck: Check on your political reporters in your lives, please.
Keith: Yes, everybody, do a wellness check. I’m working on this series now called Swing Shift that I’m really excited about. I’m going to continue working on it over the next several years, checking in with the same group of swing voters from swing states who voted for President Trump and then voted for President Biden, they’ve all shown a willingness to vote for candidates of different parties. I texted them, "Oh, are you going to be watching this Republican midterm convention?" And they’re all like, "What? What’s that?" It is a really incredibly helpful reality check to talk to people out in the real world who are just working and trying to help their families get by. I got a text message from Teresa. She lives outside of Pittsburgh. It gets very cold there. Her home heating oil supplier sent the email: "Buy your year supply," and it was more than $6 a gallon. That’s $900 a month she doesn’t have, and so she’s saying that her family is probably just going to have to be cold this winter. Affordability isn’t just a political buzzword; it’s a real problem in people’s lives. I don’t know how politicians are actually going to solve this.
