Tuesday night, November 3, Election Day. Mike Bara hosts a special election-night edition of Real News Live with Dr. Brooks Agnew in North Carolina and Brian Engelman of TNAM, who stepped in for Steve Doran (Steve was out with food poisoning). Early returns in North Carolina and Ohio, the Learjet 60 crash, way-too-early 2028 picks, the Iran war debate, Senate and House calls as they land, Brian at the piano, Star Trek opinions, and my giant Spotify mega mix.
Welcome to Toxically Masculine Tuesday. Each guy’s opinions are his own. This is a roundtable, not a party line, and we do argue. Going after named politicians, parties and ideologies is not a verdict on any religion or people as a class. Claims about election integrity voiced on the panel are the speakers’ opinions; the results below come from AP calls and official tallies. Allegations aren’t convictions, and questions aren’t accusations. I date theories. I don’t marry them.
Topics on This Episode of Toxically Masculine Tuesday:
- Pre-show and early returns. Mike and Brooks react to the first North Carolina numbers (Roy Cooper vs. Michael Whatley), Ohio’s governor’s race, and what they expect from the Texas seats. The panel is skeptical of early race calls; Brooks relays what he’s seeing at the polls in North Carolina.
- The Learjet 60 crash. Brian Engelman joins as the panel digs into the Palm Beach County crash and the theories flying around it, from storm damage to speculation about the tail section. The NTSB opened an investigation after the Nov. 1 crash that killed all nine aboard; early reporting describes icing and turbulence, with tail pieces found miles from the crater, and no cause has been determined.
- My “election HQ.” Mike’s first question is whether the numbers on my screen are live. They’re not: it’s a Grok Imagine image I use as my greenscreen background.
- Way-too-early 2028. I take Vance for the GOP, Brian has thoughts on DeSantis, and I call the Democratic field a clown car, with Ro Khanna as the one I’m curious about.
- Thomas Massie and turnout. The panel reacts to Massie’s primary loss and argues about whether Republicans will show up. Massie lost the May 19 Kentucky primary to Ed Gallrein, 54.9% to 45.1%.
- Mid-count updates: Kentucky’s 6th, Florida’s governor’s race, and the Great Wendy’s Run (plus the debate over whether the dipping sauce is creamy ranch).
- The DSA and the Democratic Party: will the two pull each other apart, or pull each other along?
- Iran: war or bombing campaign? The panel argues over what to call it and what it costs. The Pentagon’s casualty tracker lists 23 U.S. service members dead (11 from hostile action, 12 non-hostile) and 865 wounded as of Nov. 4.
- Chat questions, Sen. Slotkin’s “deterrence message,” and the panel’s deplatforming stories.
- Senate math, the Supreme Court and the filibuster, then the drink check: Steve Doran’s leftover pirate rum, now the “Election Fireball.”
- Round the horn: Georgia, Pennsylvania’s 7th, New Jersey and Greenland. Greenland’s parliament ratified the U.S.–Denmark security agreement 16–0 with 7 abstentions.
- Talk turns to James O’Keefe’s Minnesota voter-vouching video and the Los Angeles mayor’s race. Allegations aren’t convictions.
- Music break: Brian at the piano, Nene Royal (the America’s Got Talent winner), Linkin Park, tribute bands and a hologram Tupac, then a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debate.
- Races come in live: Michigan (El-Sayed vs. Rogers), Minnesota (Tafoya vs. Flanagan), Texas (Talarico), Arizona, South Carolina (Andrews vs. Graham), House flips, Collin County’s numbers, and Iowa’s governor’s race. Results are in the next section.
- What can a Democratic House actually do? The panel talks impeachment, and I air my grievances: the war, the Epstein files, and the split on the right. For the record, my beef is with policy and the people making it, not with any people as a group.
- Star Wars and Star Trek, part 2. Then my giant Spotify mega mix (2,200 songs, Dandy Warhols to the Black Keys) and a detour through BABYMETAL, trance and Japanese metal.
- Turnout and the legitimacy question. Brian Engelman asks whether I believe the results, we do an optimism check (“lesser of two evils”), and everybody gives final thoughts on 2028 and what Republicans do next. Steve Doran’s food poisoning gets a mention at the sign-off, and thanks to the Super Chatters.
Where the Races Landed
Results as of Wednesday morning, Nov. 4 (Central), from AP calls and official tallies. Some House and Senate contests were still being finalized.
- Congress: AP called both chambers for the Democrats, winning the Senate and the House. NPR · AP live results
- North Carolina Senate: Roy Cooper (D) over Michael Whatley (R).
- Michigan Senate: Abdul El-Sayed (D) over Mike Rogers (R). AP
- Minnesota Senate: Peggy Flanagan (D) over Michele Tafoya (R), 53.7% to 43.6%. Minnesota governor: Amy Klobuchar (D) over Lisa Demuth (R), 55.5% to 42.6%. Axios Twin Cities · MPR
- Texas Senate: James Talarico (D) over Ken Paxton (R), 55.1% to 43.0%. Texas governor: Gina Hinojosa (D) over Greg Abbott (R). AP
- South Carolina Senate: Annie Andrews (D) over Darline Graham (R). AP
- New Jersey Senate: Cory Booker (D) over Murphy (R), 62.1% to 35.3%. NBC10
- Ohio governor: Amy Acton (D) over Vivek Ramaswamy (R). AP
Chapters
- 00:00 Pre-Show
- 00:50 Welcome to Election Night Coverage: Early Returns & Cooper vs. Whatley
- 03:24 Chat Check & Texas House Seats
- 05:56 Right Side Broadcasting Feed: Ohio Governor’s Race Early Numbers
- 09:05 Checking the Maps: Nevada, New Jersey & 270toWin
- 10:15 Election Day Reports from North Carolina
- 13:12 Brian Engelman Joins the Stream (Subbing for Steve Doran)
- 14:15 Learjet 60 Crash: Icing, Turbulence & the Dive
- 21:53 Blake Joins: The Grok Imagine Greenscreen “Election HQ”
- 22:59 Crash Update: The Horizontal Stabilizer Found Miles Away
- 27:03 North Carolina & Ohio: Early Calls and Reactions
- 31:32 Thomas Massie’s Primary Loss & Voter Turnout
- 35:03 Way-Too-Early 2028 Picks (Blake: Vance; Democrats: a Clown Car?)
- 39:04 Mid-Count Updates: Kentucky’s 6th & Florida’s Governor
- 41:22 Wendy’s Run: The Great Dave’s Double Debate
- 43:31 Will the DSA & Democrats Fight Each Other?
- 46:25 Wendy’s Nugget Check & South Carolina Chatter
- 47:11 Iran: War or Bombing Campaign?
- 53:29 Chat Questions, Slotkin’s “Deterrence Message” & Deplatforming Stories
- 55:49 Senate Math, McConnell & the Filibuster
- 1:00:34 Drink Check: Steve Doran’s Pirate Rum, “Election Fireball”
- 1:01:22 Round the Horn: Georgia, Pennsylvania 7th, New Jersey & Greenland
- 1:05:13 O’Keefe’s Minnesota Voter-Vouching Video & the LA Mayor’s Race
- 1:08:11 Music Break: Brian Engelman’s Piano, Nene Royal & Linkin Park
- 1:10:07 Tribute Bands, Hologram Tupac & Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- 1:13:34 Michigan Senate: El-Sayed vs. Rogers
- 1:15:06 Minnesota Senate: Tafoya vs. Flanagan
- 1:16:38 Texas Senate: Talarico Takes the Lead
- 1:18:32 House Flips & “Blue Wave” Talk
- 1:19:46 South Carolina Senate: Andrews vs. Graham
- 1:21:49 Collin County Numbers & “Trust the Plan”
- 1:23:24 Iowa Governor & More Races Called
- 1:26:00 What Can a Democratic House Actually Do?
- 1:27:19 Blake’s Grievances: War, Epstein Files & the Split on the Right
- 1:32:01 Star Wars & Star Trek, Part 2
- 1:34:38 Ohio Update & Mike’s RV Plans
- 1:36:33 Blake’s Giant Spotify Mega Mix: Dandy Warhols & the Black Keys
- 1:37:35 BABYMETAL, Trance & Japanese Metal
- 1:41:10 RV News, Turnout & the Legitimacy Question
- 1:43:49 Brian Engelman Asks: Do You Believe the Results?
- 1:46:03 Optimism Check & “Lesser of Two Evils”
- 1:47:12 Final Thoughts: Midterms, 2028 & What Republicans Do Next
- 1:50:38 Sign-Off: Steve Doran’s Food Poisoning & Thanks to Super Chatters
Sources
Full episode: YouTube (Real News Live)
Midterm results: AP: When AP calls Congress control · AP live results · NPR
Learjet 60 crash: NTSB ERA27MA026 · AP: how investigators will examine the crash · AP: evidence found miles from the site
Greenland security agreement: AP
Minnesota results: MN Secretary of State · Axios Twin Cities · MPR
Iran casualty figures: Pentagon Defense Casualty Analysis System
More Stories
Charged, Not Convicted: Binance’s Hack, O’Keefe’s Felony Charges & Farewell Captain Picard!
Show Me the Wire Transfer: Kushner’s “Hitman,” Omar’s Other Name & Black October?
AI Killed the Radio Star? Gene Owens of Faithless Town on Soulless Slop, the ‘Vote Harder’ Midterms & Owning Your Music