First Of All with Victor Blackwell

Black women will soon occupy seven out of the eight executive offices in the state of Georgia. Attorney General-elect Tanya Miller and Secretary of State-elect Penny Brown Reynolds join Victor to share their reactions to making history, and what comes next. The leader of a Black conservative group is calling out Republican leaders over midterm election losses. Diante Johnson of the Black Conservative Federation joins Victor. Ronaldo Salgado, the son of the man killed by an ICE agent in Texas this past summer, reacts to a big change in Houston’s level of cooperation with the agency, and to Texas voters placing "I Boted" stickers at his father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s memorial. The GOP’s plan to redraw maps to flip congressional seats during the midterms flopped. Victor speaks to John Bisognano, the President of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, about what this might mean for gerrymandering fights going forward. Victor also tracks the latest in the Mississippi Senate race, and the message from Democratic candidate Scott Colom to incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith as votes continue to be counted. And this week in our “Art if Life” series, Victor explores an exhibition that's making a big change in reaction to this week's midterm election results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Democratic nominee for Senate in Mississippi, Scott Colom, joins Victor to talk about why he thinks he has a shot at doing something no Black candidate has pulled off since Reconstruction, and why we could see similar history made across the South on election night. Plus, the Founding President of The LIBRE Initiative, Daniel Garza, joins Victor to share how Republicans are responding to a loss of support among Latino voters, and why he might lose sleep over the results in Texas.Later, Tennessee Democratic congressional candidate Justin J. Pearson joins Victor to explain why data centers have become a key part of his campaign message.Victor also gets analysis from Andra Gillespie, Danny Arencibia and Janelle King on the impact of a weekend Michigan “unity” event featuring Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Rep. Haley Stevens and Rep. Jim Clyburn seemingly falling apart just days before the midterm election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon questions whether racism is discouraging donors from investing in Florida. Trump’s attacks on Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his policies on Israel and immigration may be alienating Arab American voters. Latino voters are also shifting away from Trump, potentially reshaping Texas politics as new polls raise questions about the GOP’s redistricting strategy. Howard University and Google have launched Project Elevate Black Voices to improve voice recognition technology for African Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Georgia mother accuses Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson of exploiting her daughter’s death in campaign ads she’s asked him to pull. An Alabama man convicted of murder says his defense failed him. New attorneys uncovered serious shortcomings, including that his court-appointed lawyer once defended the Ku Klux Klan. Two Black candidates could make history in Florida’s gubernatorial and Senate races, sparking a conversation about Black representation. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a critic of unauthorized AI deepfakes, faces backlash for an AI campaign video mimicking Kendrick Lamar. Her response? “It’s funsies.” President Trump’s press secretary was fired after just five days. April Ryan examines what went wrong for Katie Zacharia and discusses her new book, Notes on a Blacklash: When a Black Woman Goes Viral. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, a Baltimore exhibition explores the symbolism of the flag and the complexities of patriotism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The unemployment rate for Black Americans just saw the fastest one-month increase in 14 years. The September jobs report data is especially stark for Black women. Experts warn a rise in Black unemployment can be a warning sign for the overall U.S. economy. Is it also a political warning sign ahead of the midterms, now just one month away? Democrat Tharon Johnson and Republican April Chapman join Victor to debate. Thousands of legal immigrants are facing the loss of access to Medicaid starting this week. Victor speaks to Teresita Morales, whose partner needs special, extensive care after suffering a stroke and just found out he'll be losing coverage. Nearly 2 weeks after being shot by an ICE agent in Texas, Venezuelan delivery driver Wilber Rafael Garces Perez just had surgery to remove a bullet lodged in his body. Victor asks his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, what their next legal move is, as he remains in custody. Plus, Georgia Tech Associate Professor of Black Digital Media André Brock joins Victor to talk about the viral A.I. "Hotel Lobby" trend, and why there is so much debate about repurposing the music video originally featuring Takeoff and Quavo. Following racist backlash to a mariachi band’s performance of the National Anthem at a recent NFL game, Victor gets reaction from the founder of Mariachi Herencia de México, Cesar Maldonado. Later, Victor shares the story of Dr. Asa Yancey, and the doctors who have been fighting to get the pioneering Black surgeon the credit he was long overdue for inventing a life-saving procedure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices